As The California Giant Foundation prepares for the fifth annual Tour de Fresh, support from inside and outside the industry continues to pour into the event to get more salad bars to schools across the country. Joining the team for a second year, eight-time Tour de France rider and Olympic Bronze Medalist Axel Merckx will be in attendance offering his expertise and support.

Accompanying Merckx and the rest of the riders is Alex Wassmann, the tour’s technical director, who will bring “ride guides” serving as trainers and advisors throughout the four day experience. Key ride guide will be Jesse Moore, a performance coach known for coaching top ten Tour de France finishers, Ironman triathletes and cross country skiers. He is currently a USA Cycling certified coach with over a decade of experience helping athletes reach their goals. Given that this year’s route includes tough terrain to provide the challenge that riders are looking for, Moore and Merckx’s years of cycling experience will be highly beneficial to the 2018 tour participants.

“I am eager to join the riders of Tour de Fresh for a second year,” said Axel Merckx, Hagens Berman Axeon Cycling Team Owner. “Seeing the passion that everyone involved in this event has for getting salad bars in more schools is a humbling experience that I am proud to be a part of.”

With the accolade of five successful years raising funds to get fresh fruits and vegetables in front of school-aged kids, The California Giant Foundation recognized the industry’s support and rider feedback by extending the ride to four days. The additional day offers cycling enthusiasts a challenge and more time for industry leaders to spend time with colleagues and beloved friends.

“We are excited for our fifth year for many reasons,” said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing for California Giant Berry Farms. “We love seeing how much support this event has gained since year one and can only see it continuing to grow. But more importantly, with the increase in support, we are increasing the salad bars that are being placed into schools which means that more kids have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Beginning in the stunning mountain ski resort of Kirkwood, Calif. near South Lake Tahoe, riders will experience a beautiful ride on day one in the sierras among the pines. While enduring uphill battles and summer heat, riders will be surrounded by breathtaking scenery through Jackson, Livermore, Mt. Hamilton, San Jose, Aptos and Monterey over the four-day span. Following the ride is a finish-line festival which will give sponsors an opportunity to feature their product samples and merchandise as well as celebrate alongside the riders.

“I am blown away by how much this event has grown over the past five years,” said Brock Nemecek, marketing manager, North America, for T&G Global Limited. “I’m grateful to have been a part of such a meaningful cause and can’t wait to celebrate five successful years with friends from the industry!”

Opportunities to join confirmed sponsors – Americold, And Now U Know, California Giant Berry Farms, CHEP, Church Brothers Farms, Crunch Pak,Coosemans Worldwide, DMA Solutions, EBX Logistics, Fight Like a Girl Foundation, Fruit Growers Supply, JAZZ Apple, Mann Packing, Mission Produce, Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Pajaro Valley Fresh, Produce Marketing Association, Sakata Seed, Taylor Farms, Tanimura & Antle and Tsamma are now available.

To make a difference and be a part of this noteworthy cause, please visit www.tourdefresh.com or contact the Tour de Fresh team directly at tdf@calgiant.com.

About Tour de Fresh

Tour de Fresh, presented by The California Giant Foundation, is the first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a four-day cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Salad Bars to Schools campaign. In its first four years (2014-2017), Tour de Fresh placed more than 180 salad bars in schools across the country. Sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement, which keeps this event thriving year after year.

About Salad Bars to Schools
Salad Bars to Schools is a public health campaign to increase salad bars in schools across the country so that every child has the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables every day at school. Salad Bars to Schools supports former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation. Salad Bars to Schools founding partners are: The United Fresh Start Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, the Chef Ann Foundation and Whole Kids Foundation. More information can be found online at www.saladbars2schools.org.

Chris Higgins, general manager at Hort Americas, talks about why he and his company are involved with Tour de Fresh.

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Higgins, general manager at Hort Americas, to discuss his recent philanthropic activities, most specifically regarding his important work with Tour de Fresh. Tour de Fresh, presented by The California Giant Foundation, is the first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a four-day cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign.

The goal of the 2016 Tour de Fresh and its participants is to privately finance 100+ new salad bars in school districts across the country. At a cost of $3,100 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement. We have raised enough money to buy multiple salad bars for multiple schools.

JP: How did you become aware of and associated with Tour de Fresh?

CH:  I was introduced to the Tour de Fresh by a close friend and industry mentor, Ron Cramer. Ron saw a press release for the first event in the spring of 2014. Ron rode in the first year’s Tour de Fresh with me. He was the oldest rider on the tour. I won’t mention his age!

JP: How many rides have you been on? 

CH: This year was my third year. The first year, we rode the California coast from Monterey to Anaheim. The second year, we rode the Great Smoky Mountains from Hickory, N.C., to Atlanta, Ga. This year it was back to California, from Napa to Monterey.

JP: What’s the most rewarding part for you? 

CH: First I would say “the cause” followed by “the accomplishment.” The ride is a great opportunity for me to combine many of my passions.

1. Healthy living through a healthy diet. And salad bars are a great way to do this. Salad bars are an even better way to do this for children as it allows them to make good decisions about eating on their own terms.

2. Cycling. Part of a healthy lifestyle includes exercise. Currently, my preferred choice of staying in shape is cycling.

3. Agriculture. Farming, regardless of the technology used, is the backbone of our community and society. We are stronger because our farmers keep us well-fed. We can be stronger if we focus on improving our diets to include more of the fresh produce our farming system puts in front of us every day.

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JP: What would you like those who are not aware of Tour de Fresh to know? 

CH: I want them to know that they should not take the diets of the children in their community for granted. Healthy, happy, well-fed children make for better students. These children will become the employees, the entrepreneurs, the leaders and the innovators of tomorrow as well as the parents and neighbors in their communities.

So let’s work together to make them stronger. Let’s work together to give them all an equal chance to take advantage of the education put in front of them. Let’s teach them to see healthy diets as the norm and discourage them from developing habits that will plague them tomorrow.

JP: Have you seen tangible, positive results from your efforts?

CH: I have.  For example, Mattawan Later Elementary School in Mattawan, Mich., from last year (see photos top right).

JP: When is the next Tour de Fresh ride? 

CH: The next ride is Oct. 1, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas, and I’ll be there!

EVENT DATE: JUL 26, 2016

Tour de Fresh, presented by The California Giant Foundation, is the first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign. The 2014 and 2015 events raised over $300,000 and placed over 90 salads bars in schools across the country!

The goal of the 2016 Tour de Fresh and its participants is to privately finance 75+ new salad bars. At a cost of less than $3,000 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement.

Both academic research and actual experience in schools across the country are increasingly demonstrating that school children significantly increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables when given a variety of choices in a school fruit and vegetable salad bar. When offered multiple fruit and vegetable choices, children respond by trying new items, incorporating greater variety into their diets, and increasing their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The benefit of salad bars in schools extends beyond the healthy foods consumed during the breakfast or lunch hour. Increased daily access to a variety of fruits and vegetables provides a personal experience about choices that can shape behavior far beyond the school lunch line. Children learn to make decisions that carry over outside of school, providing a platform for a lifetime of healthy snack and meal choices.

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity has endorsed schools using salad bars and upgrading cafeteria equipment to support providing healthier foods to kids. In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine concluded that schools need to add as many as two servings of fruits and vegetables daily to meals in order to meet children’s basic health requirements.

Many school districts are either unaware of the benefits salad bars can bring to their students, or have been unable to afford the basic equipment needed to adopt this strategy. The powerful health benefit that can come with a modern, food-safety compliant salad bar is too often blocked by the prohibitive capital cost in many school districts. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is creating the opportunity make change.

This year Urban Ag News founder Chris Higgins is supporting the Irving Independent School District.

Join me in making sure the kids of Irving Texas are healthy and prepared to learn.

Click here to donate now!

Urban Ag News Issue 13  |  April 2016

Spring has sprung and so has Urban Ag News Issue 13. Be sure to check out the latest issue which contains some great articles and videos on controlled environment agriculture and urban farming.

Urban Ag News’ Issue 13 cover story looks at Green Sense Farms’ efforts to meet the increasing demand for clean, safe produce in both the U.S. and China. Founding farmer and CEO Robert Colangelo talks about how his company is opening additional vertical farming operations in both countries along with a training facility to create job-ready graduates to grow in controlled environments.

Thinking about installing a water treatment system for your growing operation? University of Florida professor Paul Fisher said you should know your goals before investing in a treatment system. A treatment system won’t add value to your product, but it will reduce the risk of crop losses.

Duron Chavis, indoor urban farm director at Virginia State University, is helping citizens of Richmond and Petersburg, Va., have access to locally-grown produce year round. His efforts along with community leaders and university colleagues are helping people eat and live healthier through urban agriculture.

ISSUE 13 INCLUDES:

On the cover: Robert Colangelo, founding farmer and CEO at Green Sense Farms
Green Sense Farms to expand its Vertical Farming Operations in the U.S. and China

Helping people eat, live healthier through urban agriculture, with Duron Chavis

An Interview with Dr. Gary Stutte

Urban Ag Zoning: Lessons from San Antonio

NY SunWorks: Is the future of farming in public schools?

Know your goals before investing in a water treatment system

Tour de Fresh 2016 by Chris Higgins
Indoor Ag Con Las Vegas April 2016
e-Gro Webinars
Japan Plant Factories Special Report by Eri Hayashi
FDCEA 2016 Events to Attend
University of Arizona, CEAC, Patricia Rorabaugh Retires
Infographic: Living Wage Calculation for Dallas, Texas

News from the Industry features these and more:

How LED lighting treatments affect greenhouse tomato quality
AeroFarms offers new level of safety and flavor for delicious, nutritious leafy greens
Dr. Roberto Lopez joins Michigan State University Horticulture faculty
Lettuce See The Future: LED Lighting Helps Farming Go High-Tech In Japan
Interim president and CEO of AmericanHort steps down
Growtainer and Glenn Behrman
HydroGarden starts international school sponsorship to mark 20th year in business
The Diane Rehm Show: The Growth Of Large-Scale Indoor Urban Farming
GreenTech 2016 to be packed with inspiring sessions and speakers
CropKing Introductory Grower Workshop
2016 Tour de Fresh Sponsorships Available Now
New white paper available on the immense potential of Asia’s Indoor Ag Industry
Critical Foodscapes: what does the future hold for urban gardening?
New Case study on Urban Produce available from Hort Americas
Study Finds Philips LED Lights Provide Improved Energy Efficiency and Production for Growing Food Crops in Space
Sustainable Agriculture Training / Cal Poly Pomona Launch New Hybrid Course and a New School Name

Reprints worth Reading:

New Growing System Arrives in UK

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Mar. 1, 2016) – This year’s Tour de Fresh cycling event, presented by The California Giant Foundation and supporting Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools, is heading back to the west coast. The three-day ride leading up to PMA Foodservice Conference will begin July 26 in Napa Valley and end July 28 in Monterey, Calif. Additionally, Tour de Fresh announced a second event – a one-day, 100k ride in Dallas/Fort Worth. Tentatively scheduled for Oct. 1, 2016, this event will also benefit the salad bar cause and will serve as a model for more regional Tour de Fresh events.

Available now, Tour de Fresh is offering a wide variety of sponsorship opportunities for both events to companies and brands in the fresh produce industry as well as other industries – something they’ve never done before. While still predominantly made up of support from the fresh-produce industry, the new sponsorship offerings will contribute to the event’s goals of raising at least $175,000 and donating 55+ salad bars to schools across the U.S.

“We’ve been able to set the bar higher each year because we’ve seen substantial growth in support, participants, and media attention, fueled by the need for more fruit and vegetable options in our schools” said Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms. “Our steering committee is thrilled to see the Tour expand in both participation and number of events in 2016 with new sponsorship and marketing opportunities – ultimately benefiting dozens more schools and providing terrific exposure for event sponsors and participants.”

This event not only allows fresh produce industry companies and affiliates to demonstrate their passion and commitment to living the healthy lives promoted through the products they sell, but it also provides opportunities for those companies to support the United Fresh Start Foundation’s salad bar campaign, which is committed to serving the next generation.

“I feel very fortunate to have participated in Tour de Fresh the last two years,” said Helena Beckett of Tanimura& Antle. “Our team believes wholeheartedly in providing salad bars for schools, and the culture of our company lends itself perfectly to an event like Tour de Fresh where we can rally together for a great cause, while earning exposure for our industry.”

The 2016 Tour de Fresh sponsorship packages offer companies five to ten months of marketing opportunities and media exposure, along with customized benefits based on sponsorship level. Opportunities to join confirmed sponsors –And Now U Know, California Giant Berry Farms, Duda Farm Fresh Foods, Hort Americas, Pajaro Valley Fresh, Tanimura & Antle, and Tsamma – are now available. For details about available sponsorship packages, please visit http://www.tourdefresh.com/docs/2016_TourdeFresh_Sponsorships.pdf.

For more information about the Tour de Fresh, please visitwww.tourdefresh.com or contact Brock Nemecek at
bnemecek@dma-solutions.com.

About Tour de Fresh

Tour de Fresh, presented by The California Giant Foundation, is the first-of-its-kind, collaborative event that unites the most significant brands and influencers in the fresh produce industry for a three-day cycling event that raises funds to benefit the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign. In its first two years (2014-2015), Tour de Fresh received over $300,000 in donations to support the placement of more than 100 salad bars in schools across the country. At a cost of $3,125 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants alike strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement.

About Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools

Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is a public health campaign to increase salad bars in schools across the country so that every child has the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables every day at school. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools founding partners are: The United Fresh Start Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, the Chef Ann Foundation and Whole Kids Foundation. More information can be found online at www.saladbars2schools.org.

The goal of Tour de Fresh 2015 and its participants is to privately finance 100+ new salad bars in school districts across the country. At a cost of less than $3,000 per salad bar per school, sponsors and participants strongly believe that providing healthy eating opportunities for school children should be a requirement and is the foundation of creating positive change for our future.

This year Hort Americas efforts are also being supported by Village Farms, Riococo, Houweling’s Tomatoes, Grodan, Age Old Organics, UrbanAgNews.com as well countless other friends and family. All of our efforts will directly benefit the Earl Nance Sr. Elementary in the St. Louis Public School system.

For those interested, there is still time to contribute. Please visit Hort Americas Donation Page for more details.

Contact: Maria Luitjohan, 1-469-532-2383, mluitjohan@hortamericas.com

Urban Ag News is celebrating its 10^th issue with a jam-packed magazine filled with practical production information and timely industry news.

Every business today uses some type of technology even if it’s just for accounting and product inventory purposes. Urban Ag News celebrated the publishing of its 10th issue with a cover story on “Village Farms uses technology to increase efficiency & produce better crops.”

Mike DeGiglio, president and chief executive officer at Village Farms International talks about his company’s approach to technology and how it’s using it to be more efficient and profitable.

“Our goal was to create the software to be able to run a very sophisticated greenhouse that could have conditions very conducive to plant growth regardless of what it is doing outside,” DeGiglio said. “If you can accomplish that, then you can put the greenhouses not where it is best for the plants, but where it is best for the market to lower freight costs and increase access to labor.”

Florida’s protected agriculture industry continues to expand

Even though the number of protected ag operations in Florida remain fairly small in size, more large growers are weighing the benefits and options of being able to grow year-round in a variety of structures.

“We have a very diverse protected ag industry in Florida,” said Bob Hochmuth, University of Florida Multi-County Extension Agent–Vegetables and Small Farms Statewide Coordinator. “Most people don’t normally think of Florida as a state for greenhouse vegetables. However, there is a lot of opportunity here.”

Deciding which strawberry varieties to grow in greenhouse production systems

Which are the best varieties for greenhouse production? Combining June-bearing and everbearing varieties can help ensure fruit is available during periods of premium pricing.
Trying to decide which strawberry varieties to produce in a controlled environment production system can be a challenge for growers using field-bred varieties. Mark Kroggel, research specialist at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center in Tucson, said it is possible for growers to produce strawberries nearly year-round by combining greenhouse and field production.

Are you really ready to start your urban farm operation?

So, you have been dreaming about starting an urban farm or are about to launch your new career with an indoor farm. You have gotten funding from friends and family (and Kickstarter) but have you really dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s as far as what challenges you will be taking on as you get your business up and running?
The truth is that many urban farming operations enter the business from one perspective. They may be started by a grower who knows a ton about growing but little about the business and legal end of things. Or, the operation may be started by someone with a business perspective who wants to see a farming operation thrive, but has little knowledge of the daily ins and outs of running a farm. Many urban farms fail. It’s good to be as prepared as possible when starting out so you don’t repeat the same mistakes as others.

Urban Ag News continues to evolve, expand with controlled environment agriculture industry

Chris Higgins, founder of Urban Ag News, said the idea for this information resource began with conversations he had with vendors of horticultural and agricultural products.
“The idea started prior to the big movement in controlled environment agriculture specifically focusing on the production of leafy greens and culinary herbs in vertical farms,” Higgins said. “There have been a few specialized companies that have been selling products related to hydroponic production for many years. But it has only been within the last five years that controlled environment agriculture has become a hot topic. Producing vegetables hydroponically has recently become a topic of interest to both growers and non-growers.”

Higgins talks about how the online magazine and website continues to evolve. Started as a tool to provide people interested in controlled environment agriculture with an unbiased information resource, Urban Ag News is evolving to meet the changing needs of its users.

ISSUE 10 includes:

How is Village Farms International using technology?

Mike DeGiglio, president and chief executive officer at Village Farms International, talks about his company’s approach to technology and how it’s using it to be more efficient and profitable.

Florida’s protected agriculture industry continues to expand

Even though the number of protected ag operations in Florida remain fairly small in size, more large growers are weighing the benefits and options of being able to grow year-round in a variety of structures.

Deciding which strawberry varieties to grow in greenhouse production systems

Which are the best varieties for greenhouse production? Combining June-bearing and everbearing varieties can help ensure fruit is available during periods of premium pricing.

Urban Ag News continues to evolve, expand with controlled environment agriculture industry

Urban Ag News founder Chris Higgins talks about how the online magazine and website continues to evolve. Started as a tool to provide people interested in controlled environment agriculture with an unbiased information resource, Urban Ag News is evolving to meet the changing needs of its users.

Myself and everyone at Mattawan Later Elementary School would like to thank you and all of the Tour de Fresh sponsors and fundraisers for the beautiful new salad bars.

When we set up the new salad bars for the first time with fresh salads, mixed greens, fruits and vegetables, the only thing that you could hear the students say were, “WOW” and “Awesome.”

Thank you again,

David R. Rose, FMP
Director of Dining Services
Chartwells School Dining Services
Mattawan Consolidated School

Hort Americas will sponsor Tour de Fresh again this year. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help get salad bars into more schools across the U.S.A.!

Click here to download the issue.

Job layoff kick starts vertical farming venture

After six years of college and landing a position with a large architecture and engineering firm in Nashville, Tenn., Jeffrey Orkin thought his career as a landscape architect was ready to take off. Then the recession hit. In 2009, after only 1½ years of employment, Orkin found himself jobless with limited prospects in his field. Orkin partnered with his similarly unemployed friend Cliff Jones to start their own company called Landscape Solutions (http://www.landscapetn.com). The company is focused on design-build for residential and commercial outdoor spaces.

The benefits of supplemental CO2 are worth the cost

Greenhouse crop consultant Marco de Bruin at de Bruin Greenhouse Consulting never worked in a greenhouse operation that didn’t use supplemental carbon dioxide (CO2). “The modern glass and plastic greenhouse operations being built today all have CO2 systems in them,” de Bruin said. “In traditional glass greenhouses there can be a lot of air exchanges that occur through the roof. That can help to reduce the temperature and humidity in the greenhouse, but it can remove CO2 from the greenhouse as well. The roof vents start to function like a Venturi drawing the air and CO2 out of the greenhouse.” de Bruin said the ideal levels of CO2 in the greenhouse vary with the crop, but they vary more due to the growing environment.

Minnesota looks to expand local food opportunities

Karl Hakanson, University of Minnesota Extension Educator for Hennepin County, of which Minneapolis is the county seat, said he has had to broaden his definition of agriculture since taking his current position in February 2014. “Most of my career has been in conventional ag—regular farming,” Hakanson said. “I’ve had to broaden my definition to focus on food. I have been involved lately with the whole issue of food equity and the access to healthy, real food. That also involves having access to land. If people want to have community gardens or develop urban farming, just like people in rural areas, they have to have access to land, which is a big deal.”