Amado, Ariz. – Organic grower-shipper Wholesum Family Farms, responsible for the Wholesum Harvest brand of certified organic produce, broke ground this week on a new 12-acre greenhouse—the first of five greenhouses planned for construction–in Amado, Arizona, a small town located just south of Tucson. Upon completion, the five greenhouses will provide 60 acres of growing capacity.
Wholesum elected to build the greenhouses in Arizona due to the region’s favorable growing environment. Sunny days there number more than 300 per year.
The first greenhouse, which will supply certified organic beefsteak and vine tomatoes, will help to meet demand for year round availability of the company’s organic produce.
“We see an opportunity to expand our presence in the market,” said Ricardo Crisantes, vice president of sales and marketing for Wholesum. “The demand for organics is there. The new greenhouse will help to ensure that we have the supply to meet that demand, particularly in summer months when the appetite for domestic produce peaks.”
Most of the company’s produce, historically, has been grown in and shipped from Mexico. The new greenhouses will significantly increase domestic production.
Wholesum expects construction of the first greenhouse facility to be completed in August, and anticipates that production will start in October.
The facility, which will employ 40 people, is being constructed in accordance with the company’s commitment to sustainable agriculture. The greenhouse is being built with a closed design and air will be recirculated through the greenhouse, yielding energy savings of approximately 30 percent. Additionally, the facility will reuse drain water for water savings of 40 percent.
Wholesum plans to begin filling new positions at the greenhouse by June 2012. Interested applications may submit a resume to info@wholesumharvest.com.
Wholesum Family Farms, an organic produce company based in Nogales, Arizona, offers certified organic tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, mangos, squash and zucchini under the brand name Wholesum Harvest. The company is dedicated to biological pest management, sustainable agriculture, minimizing its carbon footprint, socially responsible business practices and earth friendly packaging. Wholesum Harvest is a member of the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association. More information is available at www.wholesumharvest.com.
Source: Wholesum Family Farms