Focus on high-value veggies turns profit for California farms
In a region where many farm businesses plant, harvest and process countless fresh vegetables nearly 365 days a year, it’s no surprise that Monterey County, Calif., landed as one of Farm Futures’ Best Places to Farm. … “It’s one of five or six true Mediterranean climates in the world, so we can produce fresh leafy greens, veg and berries almost year-round,” says Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau. Growers here are highly specialized. Dole Food Co., for example, has a team of people dedicated solely to harvest; an average lettuce harvest crew has 35 people who can harvest 2 acres a day. Growers must understand tricky state and federal regulations, labor negotiations, and water restrictions. Yet, they’re motivated by strong market prices driven by dynamic domestic and global demand that fluctuates quickly.