Photos courtesy NatureFresh Farms
Organic expansion
Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Oppenheimer Group has increased its organic production out of Mexico and expanded its conventional bell pepper program in British Columbia, said Aaron Quon, executive category director for greenhouse.
The company's British Columbia program, which includes conventional bell peppers and long English cucumbers and organic tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers, will start up in March or April
Oppy sources tomatoes on the vine year-round from Redcliff, Alberta-based Frank & Able and from SunSelect in Tehachapi, Calif., which also has a bell pepper program from October to August.
Frank & Able recently shipped its first tomatoes-on-the-vine from its newly expanded facility.
Oppenheimer has been sourcing conventional and organic bell peppers, organic mini bell peppers and conventional and organic long English cucumbers out of Mexico's Jalisco region since August and started a similar program in Culiacan, Sinaloa, in late December.
Oppy's SunSelect operation in California and Divemex operation in Mexico now are Fair Trade certified, Quon said.
Oppy is planning a display contest featuring Divemex sweet bell and mini peppers from mid-January through mid-March, said Karin Gardner, director of corporate communications.
Cash prizes ranging from $2,000 to $500 will be awarded for first through third place, and gift cards to Subway or Starbucks will be awarded to the first 50 entrants.
Point-of-sale materials are available at [email protected].
Greenhouse growth
Kingsville-based Red Sun Farms recently launched a new variety -- Sweetpops! – that Leona Neill, director of marketing and packaging, described as “quite possibly the ultimate snacking tomato.”
“This bite size tomato will release an explosion of juicy flavor that you just can't stop snacking on,” Neill said.
Meanwhile, Kingsville-based Mastronardi Produce is building a 71.6-acre glass greenhouse in Oneida, N.Y., to grow Backyard Farms brand tomatoes.
“This expansion allows us to meet the incredible loyal consumer and retailer demand for this brand,” Paul Mastronardi, president and CEO, said in a news release.
Leamington-based NatureFresh Farms has begun its third winter growing season at its Delta, Ohio, greenhouse.
The company will offer tomatoes on the vine, beefsteak tomatoes and a variety of specialty tomatoes across 45 acres, according to a news release.
NatureFresh hinted that it may add more acreage in Ohio in the future.
Top of the list
Greenhouse operators said there are numerous reasons why their products will remain at the top of many grocery lists.
“Most of the people that are loyal to greenhouse-grown product appreciate the cleanliness in which they are grown, the shelf life, flavor and quality,” Saxena said.
“Food safety is a major aspect as people notice all the recent recalls on field-grown items such as lettuce and cucumbers,” he said. “They appreciate the dramatically reduced need for pesticides and the comparable attributes to organic farming.”
If the industry does a good job of educating the public, greenhouse produce eventually may dominate the retail environment because of the long growing season, local production, product quality, food safety and environmental sustainability, Saxena said.
Neill of Red Sun Farms says high-intensity agriculture is the way of the future.
“The ability to localize production, extend seasons, consume less water and have lower environmental impact are all positive attributes to ensure the continued growth of greenhouse produce,” she said.
Mastronardi expects greenhouse production in Ontario to experience “responsible growth” – perhaps 3% to 4% annually – as growers consider producing alternative or innovative commodities, since costs have risen exponentially in the Leamington area as a result of government mandates.
“Our labor last year went up 25%,” Mastronardi said. “Everybody is looking for a way to streamline labor costs.”
Some growers may need to turn to alternative or medicinal commodities to continue to stay in business, he said.