Big Red Tomato Packers LLC ceases operations
Big Red Tomato Packers LLC ceases operations
The 2006-07 tomato season was the last for Big Red Tomato Packers LLC.
The Ft. Pierce, FL-based grower-shipper, one of the larger tomato operations on the state's east coast, closed its doors in June after 30 years in business, said David Neill, Big Red Tomato Packers' managing partner.
"The decision was made over the course of the last couple of years looking at the economics of the tomato business," Mr. Neill told The Produce News. "The risk-reward ratio was out of kilter, and we decided we'd rather leave a winner rather than a loser. Tomatoes have been good to us for years and years, and it was time to move on to something else."
Mr. Neill said that the firm would sell its 43,000-square-foot packinghouse, located on a rail siding, "either as a packing facility or an industrial, rail siding property."
Mr. Neill said that he and his partners -- his brother Richard with whom he farms, Patrick Stanley and the Caruso family -- planned to continue their respective growing operations but with other commodities, as well as to expand Mr. Neill's cattle-ranching operations.
"We'd like to stay in farming and we are trying to feel out where we want to be and what makes sense," he said. "The bottom line is that we did not farm broke, we just decided to get out of tomatoes."
Mr. Neill received praise "in appreciation for his outstanding and selfless service," and was recognized for "all he has done for the Florida tomato industry" in resolutions read at the respective meetings of the Florida Tomato Exchange and Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. Mr. Neill served as the vice president of the exchange for 2006-07.
The Ft. Pierce, FL-based grower-shipper, one of the larger tomato operations on the state's east coast, closed its doors in June after 30 years in business, said David Neill, Big Red Tomato Packers' managing partner.
"The decision was made over the course of the last couple of years looking at the economics of the tomato business," Mr. Neill told The Produce News. "The risk-reward ratio was out of kilter, and we decided we'd rather leave a winner rather than a loser. Tomatoes have been good to us for years and years, and it was time to move on to something else."
Mr. Neill said that the firm would sell its 43,000-square-foot packinghouse, located on a rail siding, "either as a packing facility or an industrial, rail siding property."
Mr. Neill said that he and his partners -- his brother Richard with whom he farms, Patrick Stanley and the Caruso family -- planned to continue their respective growing operations but with other commodities, as well as to expand Mr. Neill's cattle-ranching operations.
"We'd like to stay in farming and we are trying to feel out where we want to be and what makes sense," he said. "The bottom line is that we did not farm broke, we just decided to get out of tomatoes."
Mr. Neill received praise "in appreciation for his outstanding and selfless service," and was recognized for "all he has done for the Florida tomato industry" in resolutions read at the respective meetings of the Florida Tomato Exchange and Florida Tomato Growers Exchange. Mr. Neill served as the vice president of the exchange for 2006-07.
