Sustainability might be a passing topic among some retailers and consumers, but it’s more than just a buzzword for many onion grower-shippers.
Potandon Produce
“It’s ingrained in how we do business,” says JP Surerus, vice president of sales at Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Potandon Produce LLC.
“From our grower partners and packing facilities, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency and protect the natural resources that make our business possible,” he says.
For example, many of the firm’s growing partners use precision irrigation systems that reduce water usage while maintaining crop quality, he says.
Potandon is equally focused on supply chain efficiency.
“By optimizing transportation routes and leveraging our network of regional supply, we reduce food miles and energy use while maintaining freshness and consistency for our customers,” Surerus says.
Peri & Sons Farms
At Peri & Sons Farms in Yerington, Nev., sustainability is the responsibility of every employee, every day, says Kelsey Weingart, brand manager, marketing.
Steps the company has taken to ensure sustainability include:
- Measurable energy-saving improvements in packing facilities.
- Recycling and repurposing materials across operations, including donating more than 1,900 wood pallets over the past year and recycling approximately 3,000 gallons of used vehicle oil annually to heat the company’s Nevada shops in winter.
- Transitioning all organic high-graphic bags to 100% Earthbags — plastic-free, biodegradable, recyclable and compostable.
- Committing to regenerative practices and responsible land stewardship on the farm, restoring more than 500 acres of native habitat, recycling drip tape, reducing fuel use with GPS technology and moving unused water rights to help restore Walker Lake.
Eagle Eye Produce
The approach to sustainability at Idaho Falls-based Eagle Eye Produce is centered on efficiency and smart resource use across the onion supply chain, says Joe Ange, director of onion sales.
“In the field, we use precision irrigation systems and soil moisture monitoring to deliver water only where it’s needed to reduce overall usage,” he says. “We are also using more efficient equipment and GPS-guided tractors to cut down on fuel use and emissions.”
The company has installed renewable energy systems, including solar panels, in some of its warehouses to offset power use and lower operating costs. And air systems that have been upgraded in storage facilities have reduced energy consumption while improving temperature and humidity control, Ange says.
In the packaging arena, Eagle Eye Produce uses circular packaging solutions such as reusable plastic containers, which reduce single-use materials.
“We also use recyclable and reusable materials wherever possible and support recycling programs for pallets, cartons and poly materials across our network,” he says.
Wada Farms
Wada Farms Marketing Group in Idaho Falls uses many of the same sustainable practices for onions that it uses for potatoes, says Erick Beck, marketing director.
That includes advances in precision agriculture, such as GPS-guided equipment and data-driven farming that allow for precise seed placement, efficient water use and targeted application of fertilizers and pesticides, he says.
In storage, controlled-atmosphere and improved refrigeration technologies have enhanced the ability to store product longer with minimal quality degradation, he says.
Finally, the adoption of crop rotation, cover cropping and reduced tillage has improved soil health and biodiversity, Beck says.
Financial Impact
Sustainability doesn’t always come cheap, but many grower-shippers say it’s not an option. There can be a modest increase when implementing more sustainable materials or systems, Surerus says, but Potandon thinks retail partners and consumers recognize the long-term value.
“We’ve found that most customers appreciate and support efforts that protect the land and resources that feed us all, especially when quality and consistency remain strong,” he says.
Investing in sustainable agriculture and responsible packaging require a meaningful financial commitment, Weingart says. But the company does not consider these optional costs.
“They are long-term investments in soil health, resource conservation and the future of the onion category,” she says. “In many cases, sustainability supports both environmental and business goals.”
Customers, retail partners and consumers all recognize that value, she adds.
Consumer Response
Eagle Eye takes an “efficiency-driven approach to sustainability,” Ange says.
“Any change we make has to make sense operationally and financially,” he says.
So far, consumers don’t seem willing to pay more for a sustainable product in the onion category, so the company’s focus is on “efficiency that benefits both our customers and the end consumer without increasing cost,” Ange says.
It’s difficult to say to what extent consumers are willing to pay for sustainability, Beck says.
“If price sensitivity wasn’t a contributing variable in potato and onion purchases, I feel most consumers wouldn’t hesitate paying the additional cost associated with promoting sustainable agriculture,” he says. But onions are a commoditized entity, and pricing “is relative to principles of supply versus demand.”
“The reality of implementing sustainable agriculture practices is an incurred cost the grower is taking on and isn’t really to be passed on to the consumer in today’s market,” he says, adding that “Growers know the importance of sustainability, and are having to make economic adjustments to management their bottom line.”
