Sustainability is top of mind for many Florida citrus growers.
“We’ve been proactive about it,” said Steven Callaham, CEO at Dundee Citrus Growers Association, Dundee, Fla., whose fruit is marketed by Florida Classic Growers.
“We’ve made a monumental change toward growing citrus under protective screen,” he said. As a result, “We’re able to produce more with less.”
Callaham said that by introducing sustainable practices, the company has been able to substantially reduce the amount of land needed to produce its citrus.
Buyers are excited about the direction the firm is headed, he said. “Interest from the marketplace and our customers is tremendous.”
Sustainability actually can be a marketing tool if it’s positioned correctly, said Dan Richey, president of Riverfront Packing, Vero Beach, Fla.
“We are doing things in the groves that may be driven by other things, but they have a sustainable component,” he said.
For example, the company uses mesh ground cover to reduce its use of water and herbicides.
“Those are sustainable things that are marketable,” he said.
Riverfront Packing also minimizes its use of spray material by releasing “friendly” insects, like ladybugs, into the groves to feed on destructive mites.
Miami-based J&C Tropicals has been working closely with Walmart on its Project Gigaton, which focuses on sustainability, packaging, reforestation and reducing the carbon footprint, said Salvador Fernandez, vice president of operations.
“We have set ourselves aggressive goals for the next 24 months to incorporate 100% compostable materials across all our product offerings and eliminate plastics,” he said.
The company also has implemented a water conservation program to reduce water and fuel usage by 75%, he said.
“Our new turmeric farm is on 100% micro irrigation and fertigation and without soil usage, to eliminate traditional pesticides and herbicides as well as reduce water usage by 90%,” Fernandez said.
