Rice Fruit Company (RFC) announced last week the groundbreaking of a new controlled atmosphere (CA) storage facility at its Gardners location in Adams County. The project is partially funded through a $1.25 million grant awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program.
The RFSI program, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered in Pennsylvania by the Department of Agriculture, is designed to strengthen food supply chains and support infrastructure investments that benefit producers and rural communities.
© Rice Fruit Company
L-R: Russell Redding with Ben Rice
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding joined the company's leadership, grower partners, and community stakeholders to mark the beginning of construction. "Over many years, Secretary Redding has been a consistent advocate for Pennsylvania farmers, agricultural innovation, farmland preservation, and the long-term vitality of rural communities. His partnership in helping support projects like this one has been paramount," said Ben Rice, president of Rice Fruit Company.
© Rice Fruit Company
A look at the groundbreaking of the new controlled atmosphere (CA) storage facility at the company's Gardners location in Adams County.
"We're grateful to our project partners, Storage Control Systems and Conewago Enterprises, for helping bring this vision to life," said Rice. "Partnership is at the heart of what we do, from the land and our growers to our customers and community. We also sincerely thank the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and USDA for their support through the RFSI program, which has made this project possible."
The new CA storage facility will be constructed on the company's Gardners property, with a targeted completion date of December 2026. CA storage allows for precise regulation of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and temperature levels, significantly extending the storage life of apples while preserving quality, freshness, and flavor.
For more information:
Valerie Ramsburg
Rice Fruit Company
[email protected]
www.ricefruit.com
