Goals for Growth in 2021
Many people are heading into 2021 intending to make big changes in their lives.
A new year means new opportunities to set goals that will help us grow. From starting a healthier eating routine, to regularly exercising, to spending more time with our closest family and friends, our resolutions for the new year often focus on self-growth.
With a difficult year behind us, there is no doubt that being kinder to ourselves, the people around us, and our planet will be a self-growth goal for many. And for our team, this means growing kinder and prioritizing the planet from plant to plate!
Our Team’s Resolutions
We asked 5 of our Grow-To People to share their growing kinder goals for 2021 and beyond—here’s what they had to say!
A Bigger & Better Bug Program
“We would like to maintain and improve our use of beneficial bios to control the pests and diseases that attack our crops. To avoid the use of chemical pesticides and pests building up resistance to our bio control efforts, a strong pest management program is the only way to keep producing healthy and sustainable crops.” – Octavio P., Lead Grower
Faithfully patrolled by bugs like Lacewing and Cucumeris, our plants stay protected from dangerous pests like Aphids and Spider Mites by introducing millions of good bugs into our greenhouses. Good bugs are one of the many important parts of our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, but they are also one of the greenest options for greenhouse pest control.
A robust pest control program helps create a balanced growing environment in our greenhouses to ensure our plants thrive! Click here to learn more about how we’re continuing to build a bigger and better bug program.
Packaging for Our Planet
“Since we became a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and the How2Recycle program in 2020, we would like to continue to follow their guidelines on sustainable packaging and make sure that our branded packaging meets their criteria. This includes increasing packaging recyclability and composability, using more post-consumer recycled content (PCR), and eliminating more non-recyclable materials from our packaging.” – Luci F., Product Development Specialist
In 2020, Nature Fresh Farms made leaps and bounds when it came to sustainable packaging. We are committed to packing greener, which means our new partnerships with the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and How2Recycle gave us exciting insight into how we can make even better packaging decisions that are good for both our products and the planet.
Our 100% home compostable Cucumber wrap, which is made from a starch-based material and printed with compostable ink, is one of our latest green packaging projects that keeps both our products and the planet protected. Visit our Home Compostable Wrap page to learn more about this new package!
Want to learn more about the importance of sustainable packaging? Give our Sustainable Packaging blog a read!
Reducing Our Food Waste Footprint
“Our team’s goal is to continue reducing the amount of produce that goes to waste at the Distribution level. To help curb food loss, we’ve added Food Loss Recovery Coordinators to our team who find and present sales opportunities for unique products that need a home. With the help of our Food Loss Coordinators and continuing to strengthen our relationships with food rescue organizations, I know we can reach our food waste goals.” – Justin G., Senior Commodities Manager
Food waste is one of our world’s most pressing sustainability issues. From farms to fridges, over 1 billion tons of food is thrown out each year across the globe, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and often wasting valuable sources of nutrition.
When working with food, the issue of food waste always needs to be top of mind. That’s why the Nature Fresh Farms team has worked diligently to reduce our food waste footprint and ensure as many of our Tomatoes, Peppers, and Cucumbers as possible stay fresh all the way from our greenhouse to your house!
Want some tips for how you can limit your food waste at home? Check out these 15 ideas for reducing your family’s food waste footprint.
A More Eco-Friendly Freight Supply Chain
“Having recently become a SmartWay Shipper, the goal for our Logistics team is to reach at least 50% participation in the program from our carrier base by the end of 2021! Increased carrier participation in the program will allow us to better understand our carbon footprint when it comes to our freight supply chain and work to minimize the effects it has on our environment.” – Leigh Ann B., Director of Logistics
In 2020, Nature Fresh Farms became a certified SmartWay Shipper Partner! SmartWay, which is recognized across North America, is a program that roughly 4,000 Shippers and Carriers use to measure the environmental impact of their freight supply chain.
With so many goods transported on trucks, it’s more important than ever to ensure freight supply chains are as eco-friendly as possible. The Nature Fresh Farms team is committed to reducing our transportation carbon footprint, as well as maximizing our freight space. This is why the SmartWay partnership is so valuable to us: with their expertise and recommendations, we know we can shift our eco-friendly transportation efforts into high gear!
As one of the first greenhouse growers to become a SmartWay Partner, we’re excited to lead our industry down a better path towards more sustainable transportation.
Discovering the Next Best Varieties
“My goal for the Trial Development team is for us to continue to improve our processes and become more efficient in how we perform our testing so we can get the best and most data possible. It is always a goal for us to find the next big varieties that perform well in every category. Flavor, quality, shelf life–every category matters when searching for a new item that people love and can feel good about eating.” – Benny T., Trial Development
Our Discovery Center is a 2.5-acre trial greenhouse and research center where our team explores new varieties to bring to market. Every new product that comes out of our Discovery Center has been tested for everything from production levels to flavor.
One very important test to perform on new products is shelf-life testing. A longer, more stable shelf-life means a product will stay fresher for longer, leading to less food waste at the store and in your home. When we discover a great product that excels in all our trials, we know we’ve got a winner! Click here to learn more about the Discovery Center and our trials program!
Get Set for 2021
Whether you’re feeling inspired to set your own self-growth goals for 2021 or are looking for ways to get organized for the start of a new year, we’ve got you covered.
Check out these resources for a fresh start to 2021!
Preparing for the New Year in Your Kitchen
5 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables
