Sustainability
Trust In Food™ is a decade-long initiative to rebuild consumer trust in the food system. Farm Journal Media is committed to ongoing editorial coverage of issues related to sustainable agricultural production practices, consumer food trends and supply chain transformation.
Farmers’ shift away from fall application of nitrogen for crops such as corn and sorghum is being reflected in changing retail practices, says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. “In my area of central Illinois, I know two fertilizer plants that have completely dropped anhydrous ammonia,” he says. “Their sales had shifted to spring application of nitrogen solution. While ammonia can be applied in the spring, farmers found it took up too much of their time when they needed to concentrate on planting, compared to nitrogen solution that can be applied as they plant or with herbicides.”
ANAHEIM, Calif — The Produce Marketing Association’s 2019 Fresh Summit was a record-breaker.
Nine Colombian companies are set to present products of innovation and sustainable practices at Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit in Anaheim, Calif.
Polyester film company Terphane, Bloomfield, N.Y., is showcasing the consumer appeal, shelf life enhancement and sustainability benefits of its products at the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit.
Coral Gables, Fla.-based Fresh Del Monte Produce has made significant gains in reforestation and the protection of wildlife.
Fox Packaging, McAllen, Texas, is participating in two organizations to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, How2Recycle and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.
Jasa Packaging Solutions is promoting its Sleever, which can automatically put a cardboard sleeve around packages, for kiwifruit.
Building on a new substantial influx of new financing, Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Apeel Sciences says it is poised to expand to more suppliers, produce categories, retailers and foodservice channels around the world.
Many sustainable changes and choices save businesses money.
Here’s what’s happening today at the Sustainable Produce Summit.
Here’s Thursday’s schedule for the Sustainable Produce Summit.
A successful package-recycling program is a numbers game, according to Jeff Brandenburg, president and primary consultant for the Greenfield, Mass.-based JSB Group LLC and QFresh Lab in Salinas, Calif.
The trend in packaging for the produce industry early this year was toward eliminating single-use plastic or even doing away with packaging altogether, merchandising fruits and vegetables loose in bulk displays.
Mushrooms and the concept of sustainability seem to go hand in hand.
Smurfit Kappa announced new targets to further reduce its fossil CO2 emissions, including its ambition to reach at least net zero emissions by 2050.
Village Farms International Inc. announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Village Farms Clean Energy Inc. (“VFCE”), has renewed and extended its existing contract with the City of Vancouver.
Registration is open for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s 42nd annual conference.
Fresh Del Monte Produce has joined the Science Based Targets initiative and plans to work with SBTi to establish an emissions reduction goal for 2030.
Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based Classic Fruit Co.’s Guatemalan farm, Classic Guatemala, has earned the Rainforest Alliance certification.
Monitoring and controlling the use of water through the use of sensors and software will become increasingly important for producers, according to David Berrios, commercial manager for Chile-based LemSystem.
Naturipe Farms, Salinas, Calif., which has undertaken a commitment to sustainable packaging, plans to remove 48 metric tons of plastic from its packaging in 2020.
Mother Nature is going to extremes, and the challenges that reality brings to fresh produce growers were explored in the Produce Marketing Association’s Virtual Town Hall meeting.
Join this free, virtual event to learn how you can contribute to and benefit from the fresh produce industry.
A “less is more” philosophy has permeated produce packaging in recent years, as companies work to reduce waste. Packages have been designed to contain fewer plastics, thinner films and biodegradable materials.
Biodegradable fresh produce packaging requires considerable planning, before and after use, marketers say.
Substantial investments in recycling and industrial compost facilities will be necessary to bring greater sustainability to produce packaging.
Nearly all growers say sustainability is important, but many say buyers are not rewarding them for their efforts.
Producing fruits and vegetables without applying toxic chemicals and by following other prudent growing practices can help preserve the soil and make farming possible for generations to come.
Curious about California water regulations and how they will affect produce crop sustainability?