Studies have found that companies who tell consumers about their social responsibility and sustainability programs have an opportunity to influence purchasing decisions, as well as help consumers meet personal goals connected to more environmentally friendly lifestyles.

As the fresh produce industry continues enhancing its already strong sustainability programs, PMA is highlighting the efforts some of our members have made in this arena. Use the links below to read some PMA members' success stories in these areas (and watch our sustainability videos):

• Community Engagement
• Eco-Friendly Packaging
• Energy Reduction/Enhancement
• Land and Water Conservation

Community Engagement

• Coast Produce supplies community produce market. In an underserved community in Los Angeles, Coast Produce is supplying fresh produce to an open-air market at a local church parking lot. Besides being a community hub, the market also provides shoppers access to produce experts to answer questions about fruits and vegetables.
• Stemilt Growers' riverfront cleanup and community involvement. Stemilt Growers’ strong belief in giving back to its community involves both employee programs and support of local events – from supporting the Future Farmers of America to funding scholarships for college education.
• Compass Group focuses on locally grown food. As part of its commitment to sustainable agriculture and wellness, in 2009 Compass Group North America piloted several programs to support ‘buying locally’ (as defined by Compass as food grown within a 150-mile radius) across the country.
• Dole Foods' "Chairs for Trees" initiative. At Dole’s operations in the Philippines, wood pallets have been converted into chair-desk combinations for local schools, church pews, and kiddie tables.
• Campo Pablo Borquez gives back. For the Sonora, Mexico-based Campo Pablo Borquez, social responsibility is a daily practice, from providing employee health care and childcare to helping bring water to nearby towns to building a church.

Eco-Friendly Packaging

• Ocean Mist Farms goes waxless. Ocean Mist Farms' waxless cartons are encapsulated in a thin film that makes the cardboard waterproof.
• Christopher Ranch switches from jars to bags, sees savings. The Ranch is in the process of replacing its entire inventory of one-, three- and five-pound plastic jars with plastic bags, saving more than a half a million pounds of plastic annually.
• Earthbound Farm changes pack aging plastic. In switching to post-consumer recycled polyethylene teraphthalate (PCR PET) plastic for all its clamshell salad packages, Earthbound has saved 424,224 million BTUs (MMBTUs) of energy and kept 1,308,623 pounds of solid waste out of the landfill.

Energy Reduction/Enhancement

• Subsole builds solar capacity. Subsole is constructing a 300kWp (kilowatt peak) solar plant in the Copiapó Valley to power its irrigation systems, which will aid in the company in an expected 60 percent production increase during the next four years.
• Murakami Produce's facility redesign. In updating its energy systems, Murakami Produce realized an energy savings of over 1,890,000 kilowatt-hours annually - enough to power over 170 average U.S. homes for a year.
• Limoneira's solar orchards. It is estimated that, over the orchards’ expected lifespan, the power generated will save at least 64,000 tons of greenhouse gases that would have otherwise been emitted by an ordinary oil- or coal-firing power plant.
• Santa Sweets goes solar. Santa Sweets’ two megawatt solar energy system will provide enough energy to support 200,000 square feet of their refrigerated and production space.
• Four Seasons trims energy expenses. In 2006, Four Seasons Produce began new initiatives to improve energy efficiency and realized significant savings including: annual energy cost savings of more than $150,000 (a 22 percent reduction from 2005 to 2009).
• Procacci Brothers realizes cost savings with hand-dryer program. At Procacci Brothers Sales Corp., the installation of energy-efficient hand dryers throughout facilities in Philadelphia and New Jersey has reduced paper towel use – resulting in an annual savings of $67,368. This is one component of PBSC’s overall corporate sustainability program.
• Four Seasons’ energy efforts. Recognized as the first ENERGY STAR labeled warehouse in the U.S., Four Seasons’ produce facility in Ephrata, PA, has saved 25 percent in annual energy bills, reduced water use by 24 percent, and recycled more than 86 percent of waste.
• Gills generates green energy via onion juice. California onion bulbs now power light bulbs, thanks to the development of an onion juice-fueled Advanced Energy Recovery System by Gills Onions. By extracting the juice from onion waste and letting it ferment in a special processing system, Gills is able to create enough “juice” to power the equivalent of 460 homes through two 300-kilowatt fuel cells.
• Four Seasons’ effective energy management. In measuring the ROI of their sustainability efforts, Four Seasons has found that the electric bill at its Wabash Road facility has been reduced by 25% since 2006 through improved energy management, lighting and dock shelter retrofits, and other initiatives. In addition, water usage has been reduced by 24%, and 86% of all solid waste was recycled in 2008.
• Wegmans’ store lighting program. In this presentation from Fresh Summit 2008, Wegmans shared that they would realize payback on their new store lighting program within three years – and that the energy saved from updating one store’s lighting system could power 75 homes for one year!

Land and Water Conservation

• SunWest Fruit Company's IPM efforts. Using aggressive trapping systems and GPS technology has allowed SunWest to better apply treatments and develop a more economical pest control budget.
• Testa's vegetative roof. Testa Produce's new distribution center includes a vegetated roof made up of a variety of native plant vegetative material that requires minimal irrigation. The roof is designed to collect rainwater runoff and filter it into Testa’s internal rainwater filtration cistern.
• Chestnut Hill Farms’ forestry, erosion efforts. To stave off erosion caused by copious rainfall (3,500 to 5,000 mm annually), CHF grows pineapple plants to provide good drainage between rows. And some pineapple plants and grasses are allowed to grow in the drains to further prevent erosion.
• Water conservation at Houweling’s Hot House. At Houweling’s Hot House, they conserve water and reduce draw off of their water table by collecting and recycling rain water in on-site retention ponds. They also use drip irrigation, along with closing their greenhouse, to minimize water use.
• California pear growers reduce pesticide and fertilizer use. A study by the California Pear Advisory Board hows that more than 90 percent of California pear farmers regularly incorporate practices such as daily scouting for pests to reduce spray applications and utilizing non-toxic pheromone treatments in place of pesticides to reduce pest populations.
• Giumarra focuses on land and farming practices. Water use and access is an important issue in the produce industry. At Giumarra, drip irrigation allows the company to manage water resources efficiently by delivering only the necessary amounts of water and nutrients to the crops.
• Hollandia Produce and hydroponic production. Check out the video Hollandia shared with us to learn more about hydroponic production methods that allow them to recycle water, reduce water use, limit water loss due to evaporation, and stop soil erosion.
• Village Farms’ sustainable growing practices. Village Farms believes that, as an agricultural company, it has a responsibility to practice sustainable cultivation that doesn’t rob the earth of her bounty of natural resources. Some of the company’s sustainable growing practices include Integrated Pest Management and hydroponic technology that ensures plants get just the right amount of nutrient-filled water they need.
• Sterman Masser’s environmental stewardship. At Sterman Masser, sustainability is something inherent in all the company does, from working with local farmers to utilizing pesticide risk reduction strategies to ensure they’re used only where and in the amounts necessary.