Gem’s Margolis: Company’s Michigan tomato ramps up in July
Gem’s Margolis: Company’s Michigan tomato ramps up in July
Gary Margolis, president of Gem Tomato Sales Inc., said he is expecting the transition of tomato production from Arkansas to Michigan to be generally smooth. But he said ag producers in the Wolverine State are heading into a tough season when it comes to labor.
“Labor is extremely tight,” he told The Produce News in mid-June. “Growers are nervous.”
Margolis said Michigan has been promoting the H-2A guest worker program to fill out the ranks of temporary labor. “But there are now glitches at the border,” he said about the overall process.
Gem Tomato was founded in 1982 and today has offices in Florida, Arkansas and Michigan. Margolis said the 2015 Michigan tomato crop is “going well. We had a damp spring, but the tomato plants are in the ground.”
Michigan tomato production ramps up in mid- to late July just as Gem’s Arkansas deal finishes. “Our volume will be stable from previous years,” he said about Michigan production.
Michigan-grown tomatoes are cultivated on the shore of Lake Michigan by local farming families. Quality vine-ripened tomatoes are marketed including round, Roma, grape, cherry and yellow tomatoes in a variety of packaging options and styles. Movement from the Benton Harbor facility continues through October.
“With reliable supply from multiple states, progressive packaging options and overnight delivery to most major markets, regional promotions proved to be a powerful marketing tool,” the company’s website states. “Sales continued to climb and today, as demand for locally grown products reach new heights, we remain committed to providing consumers with an abundant supply of premium quality, safe and reasonably priced fresh tomatoes.”
