Owyhee Produce, Nyssa, Ore., is taking the sustainable packaging trend to the next level, by growing its own packaging.
The company plans to grow 500 acres of hemp in Oregon this year, converting the fibers to compostable bags for onions next spring, according to a news release. CBD oil will also be a byproduct of the process.
Owyhee has a list of sustainability goals by 2022, including:
- 100% compostable, biodegradable or recyclable packaging;
- A 25% reduction in water and fuel use per acre; and
- 100% carbon neutral.
“We know not everyone can commit to these types of standards today,” Shay Myers, general manager, said in a news release. “However, for the most demanding companies out there, those companies who have made the massive commitment to reducing carbon emissions, pollution, and waste, we are here.”
Owyhee rotates crops, planting onions in a field every five to six years, a practice used in regenerative farming. The initiatives play into the company’s “There’s a difference!” motto, according to the release.
The company calls the bags Farmed FRESH (Farmed Regenerative Environmentally Sourced Hemp) Packaging.
Owyhee Produce will have samples of the bags at its Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit booth No. 2880, Oct. 18-19 in Anaheim, Calif.
