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We’re proud that the first-ever winner of Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award was SmartWash Solutions — a subsidiary of Taylor Farms. PMA Chief Science Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker presented the inaugural award to SmartWash Solutions President Jim Brennan at PMA’s Tech Knowledge conference earlier this month in Monterey, California.
PMA Chief Science Officer Dr. Bob Whitaker (left) presents the inaugural PMA Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award to SmartWash Solutions President Jim Brennan at PMA’s Tech Knowledge conference May 5 in Monterey, California, USA.
SmartWash was given this award because its products and services harness science and technology to help address major industry challenges, and the company serves the industry as a volunteer leader.
“The SmartWash team is honored to be the inaugural recipient of PMA’s Science & Technology Circle of Excellence Award,” SmartWash Solutions President Jim Brennan said. “The SmartWash story started in 2006, after the spinach outbreak, as a small skunk works in a corner of a shuttered food processing facility with the sole focus to eliminate produce outbreaks. SmartWash Solutions was born from this effort. We endeavor to earn the trust that our customer partners place in our team to help them wash produce safely and efficiently every day. PMA’s recognition will put a little more bounce in the step of all the SmartWash team members.”
SmartWash Solutions offers a comprehensive food safety system that focuses on the science, technology, and engineering to prevent waterborne cross contamination. While enhancing the food safety program of fresh produce packers and fresh-cut processors is the priority, SmartWash products have also been proven to increase process control, reduce operational costs, and provide a safer work environment. With the best data management system available in the industry, SmartWash is able to stay a step ahead of issues while also helping to provide valuable information to the food safety and operations teams, which is why Taylor Farms is proud to work with SmartWash and have its technology in our facilities.
This week — leading up to Earth Day on Saturday — we’re recognizing Green Office Week with five tips on how to make your office more sustainable.
What green initiatives will you implement this week?
This week we announced a new renewable and alternative energy system at our facility in Gonzales, CA. This three-tiered system will utilize wind, solar, and cogeneration energy to help Taylor Farms in our goal to power a sustainable future.
Team Taylor Farms with Mayor Maria Orozco, City of Gonzales and project partners to cut the ribbon
This newest initiative, officially unveiled yesterday at a ribbon cutting ceremony, is a case study for energy independence and will offset energy usage at the fresh foods processing plant by an average of 90%, making it the first advanced system of its kind in the agriculture industry. With the use of natural gas and on-site energy production, this system is 21 percent cleaner than a utility grid.
The ceremony yesterday featured a keynote from Bruce Taylor, our founder and CEO, who spoke about the continued growth of Taylor Farms’ sustainability efforts. Nicole Flewell, our Director of Sustainability, introduced Mayor of Gonzales Maria Orozco and representatives from REC Solar, Foundation Wind Power, and Concentric Power, who spoke on how this unique energy eco-system was made possible and the benefits Taylor Farms and the Gonzales community have already experienced.
From Left to right: Mayor Maria Orozco, City of Gonzales | Nicole Flewell, Director of Sustainability, Taylor Farms | Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Taylor Farms | Kevin Hauck, VP of Business Development, Foundation Wind Power | Jared Friedman, Director of Commercial Sales, REC Solar | Brian Curtis, Founder and CEO, Concentric Power
A Three-Part Renewable and Alternative Energy System
Wind Turbine = 16% offset l Solar = 10% offset l Cogen = 64% offset
Taylor Farms’ investments in sustainability projects have been widely embraced by customers and partners nationwide. Taylor Farms plans to continue pursuing opportunities to lead renewables projects across North America, with each project taking the company one-step further in its dedication to minimizing our environmental footprint, while delivering healthy fresh foods to our consumers.
To kick off Earth Month, yesterday Taylor Farms hosted a “Taylor Talk” where our Director of Sustainability Nicole Flewell gathered with employees and CEO Bruce Taylor to discuss the company’s sustainability initiatives and investments into renewable and alternative energy.
Clean Energy: Because we are committed to adopting cleaner energy sources and reducing our carbon footprint, Taylor Farms uses energy generated from solar, wind, and fuel cells. In fact, our Gonzales plant is making big sustainability investments that will be announced next week! {Stay Tuned}
Water Conservation: We’re always researching technologies to improve water conservation. Some of the initiatives introduced include the addition of SmartWash to our wash system, collection lines that capture plant juices before they enter the wash cycle, and a closed loop water treatment system for water recycling.
Reducing Waste: Every day we work towards decreasing the amount of waste sent to landfills. To help us do this, we reduce the amount of materials that come into our facilities, reuse materials when we can, and recycle what remains. We also work to reduce food waste both in our facilities and in your homes by donating to food banks, our employees, and charitable organizations, recycling vegetable byproducts for cattle feed and compost, and — as for decreasing waste in your home — our kits and salads are perfectly portioned so you can use every part of the product to make something healthy and delicious without any food going to waste.
Local Sourcing: We have established an extensive local sourcing program to deliver optimal freshness and quality to our consumers, assure supply to our customers, and reduce food miles of our raw materials. To help us do this, we transition our entire production facility twice a year, as our crops transition between growing regions.
Automated Harvesting: We continue to invest in field automation to increase efficiency in the field, reduce the amount of labor needed, and provide an improved ergonomic environment for harvest employees.
Taylor Farms’ automated cabbage harvester
“Our commitment to a healthy environment goes perfectly with our mission to make healthy fresh foods for our consumers,” says Flewell. “We put so much thought in all we do to develop quality products in sustainable ways, and we hope that you can see that in our produce.”
Learn even more about all of our sustainable initiatives here.