Honeybear Brands receives IPM award
Honeybear Brands, a leading grower, packer and developer of premium apples, has been honored with an International Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium Award of Recognition. Selected as one of three winners for 2021 IPM Team, Honeybear Brands was recognized for their TruEarth program.
The award is designed for groups, projects, or organizations that deserve special recognition for their work implementing practices effectively managing pests in agriculture communities and natural areas. The evaluation process includes an in-depth review of the program against a strict set of criteria, including program outcomes, minimized adverse pest effects, improved environmental impact and a full team contribution.
“IPM combines tools and strategies to reduce pest problems in the most effective, economical and sustainable ways with minimal risk to people, property and the environment. IPM is all about teamwork and our award winners clearly demonstrate the power of collaboration,” said Shaku Nair, co-chair, International IPM Symposium awards committee.
“Our sustainability journey began over ten years ago with the creation of the TruEarth certification, a set of growing protocols developed in collaboration with IPM and Midwest regional growers that includes dedication to water conservation, limited pesticide use, development of healthy pollinator habitat, and provides growers with the best possible outcome for healthy orchards ,” said Don Roper, vice president sales and marketing, Honeybear Brands. “We are honored to be recognized for our mission to grow great food responsibly. TruEarth ensures we are keeping that promise to customers and to nature.”
Honeybear Brands TruEarth certification program is an advanced IPM certification program enabling growers to produce top-quality fruit, while reducing their ecosystem impact. The program has been followed since its introduction and now encompasses all Honeybear Brands growers in the Upper Mississippi River Valley Region. The TruEarth program compliments the company’s sustainability goals that touch all operations, including pollinator health; packaging; food loss and waste; and climate and energy.
Honeybear is a leading grower and developer of premium apple varieties. Family owned and operated for more than forty years, Honeybear still employs the same hands-on, personal attention to each and every apple variety produced while holding to responsible sustainability practices. As a leading vertically integrated, dual hemisphere grower, packer, shipper, Honeybear offers supply of premium apples and pears on a year-round basis. Honeybear Brands is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wescott Agri Products.
For more information about Honeybear, visit www.honeybearbrands.com.
