US: Limoneira hosts sustainability exchange

On October 15th and 16th, growers and distributors of Ventura County invited fresh produce industry members into their backyards for the Ventura County Sustainability Exchange. This unique collaborative event brought together top growers from throughout the region to put Ventura County on the map and showed the industry why it is the one-stop-shop for sustainably grown produce.

“Buyers from all over the country were impressed to see the substantial investments that Ventura County producers have made to incorporate sustainability into producing their products,” said John Chamberlain, Director of Marketing for Limoneira. “The Ventura County Sustainability Exchange firmly established the county as the one-stop-shop for sustainable produce.”

VCSE invitees were able to experience the operations of these growers first hand, as leading companies like Limoneira, Calavo, San Miguel Produce, Agromin, Deardorff Family Farms, and Houweling's Tomatoes invited them along for tours of their fields and facilities. For example, guests visited the Limoneira and Calavo Headquarters in Santa Paula, to tour their 2MG solar facilities and learn about their waste management practices and high density planting.

Star power was there to greet VCSE attendees throughout their stay. Refreshments were provided by Nobu mixologist Brian Leon in Limoneira's orchards. Dinner was catered by the culinary expertise of Chef Jason Collis, who turned the local produce of Ventura County's growers into gourmet culinary creations.

Before savoring Collins' cooking however, renowned comedian Patrick Martin took center-stage. With the same blend of humor and captivating visual illusions which has taken him before such prestigious audiences as the White House, the Olympic Arts Festival, and top Fortune 500 corporations, VCSE attendees were in for a night to remember.

Guest speakers during the event included Limoneira CEO Harold Edwards; the Agricultural Commissioner, Henry Gonzales; Food Share Inc. President, Bonnie Weigel; and Kathleen Phillips, the Supply Chain Sustainability Manager for Pro*Act. More consumers than ever are looking for healthy, sustainable food choices. The search for products which retailers can sell to this growing body has led consumers, lead buyers and produce experts of all stripes to Ventura County.

The Ventura County Sustainability Exchange was orchestrated by Measure to Improve LLC; a sustainability consulting firm helping agricultural businesses optimize their programs for people, planet and profits.

For more about Limoneira Company, visit www.limoneira.com.