New facility accommodates increasing organic volume for Rainier
This past October, Rainier Fruit Co., located in Yakima, WA, opened its new dedicated organic packing facility.
Organic Sales Manager Blake Belknap said the facility was designed to accommodate the company’s increased volume of organic fruit.
“It was named the Green Line for obvious reasons,” he told The Produce News, noting that the facility includes specially insulated walls, LED lighting and over 300 solar array panels on the room to help power it.
Winter months a sweet, juicy time for HGO citrus
Orbs of nutrition, all wrapped up in California sunshine — that’s how Homegrown Organic Farms describes its citrus. The company, headquartered in Porterville, CA, is one of the state’s leading growers and suppliers of certified organic fruit.
Lakeside’s administrative offices now operating from new location
Few fresh fruit and vegetable producers can lay claim to having been founded on a commitment to organic produce, as compared to adding them to their lines as demand became forefront.
Lakeside Organic Gardens in Watsonville, CA, is one exception. The company was founded in 1996 by Dick Peixoto and his extended family with determination to produce only organically.
Katie Bassmann, marketing and communications director for the company, said that it now produces over 45 organic vegetables.
Organic’s Top Ten scientific breakthroughs in 2015
In a press issued on Dec. 28, the Organic Trade Association announced that in 2015 numerous studies revealed scientific breakthroughs on the environmental and human health benefits of organic food and farming; from improving soil health and supporting water quality, to reducing our exposure to pesticides and mitigating climate change.
More needed despite recent organic commodity check-off exemption
Although the Organic Trade Association and professionals in the organic industry are very happy about the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that all organic farmers and handlers in the United States would be able to choose whether to pay into and participate in conventional commodity check-off programs or opt out of those programs and put their dollars into a proposed organic research and promotion order, more needs to be done.
OTA applauds long-awaited organic exemption from commodity check-offs
Considered a move that can fuel self-investment in the growing organic sector, the recent announcement that all organic farmers and handlers in the United States would be able to choose whether to pay into and participate in conventional commodity check-off programs or opt out of those programs and put their dollars into a proposed organic research and promotion order now under review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was hailed by the Organic Trade Association as a major victory and step forward for the organic sector.
Phillips’ Warwick, MD, expansion to be completed in March
Phillips Mushroom Farms produces conventional and organic mushrooms at its headquarters facility in Kennett Square, PA, as well as its new facility in Warwick, MD.
Kevin Donovan, national sales manager for the company, told The Produce News that the first expansion of the Warwick facility is scheduled for completion in March this year.
RBest handling about 300 organic items at any given time
RBest Produce Inc., headquartered in Port Washington, NY, imports well-known top-quality brands of produce from around the world.
The company specializes in organics, locally grown, ethnic specialties and it maintains a large variety of tropical exotic produce.
“We pride ourselves in providing premium produce from brands our customers know and trust,” said Jasmine Hines, director of marketing and advertising. “RBest Produce has handled organics for about 17 years, and we have always supported local farmers.”
New technology contributes to strong season for Jack Brown
Going into the fall, Jack Brown Produce, Inc., finished a technology upgrade that allowed the firm to scan 100 percent of its graded apples for internal defects.