October 2015 Production

3 Things You Need to Know about Greenhouse Produce By Lauren (Tuski) Snyder

Controlled environment or greenhouse food production is nothing new. In fact, it dates back to Roman emperor Tiberius Caesar. When told by his doctor that he needed a cucumber a day, Caesar lost no time in arranging cucumber production year-round. What followed were planting beds that could be placed outside during favorable weather and moved inside otherwise. On wintry days, the beds were recorded to be covered by frames glazed with transparent stone. Greenhouse food production has certainly evolved since then and can offer a niche market for the right businesses. Here are three considerations for current — or planned — greenhouse food production systems.

Market

The greenhouse produce market is expected to grow from its current sales mark of $3 billion to an estimated $4 billion by 2020, according to a report by Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory Group. The report states that there is growing interest by retail and foodservice buyers for greenhouse produce, which promises more local and potentially safer sources for fresh food. In overall sales, greenhouse produce is estimated to be only 1 to 2 percent of all U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable production. Greenhouse tomatoes, however, account for 70 percent of all tomato sales.

The growth and opportunity in greenhouse food production favors those with efficient operations and those with advantages in marketing, location and technology. A publication by New Mexico State University argues that location is critical to greenhouse food production success and profitability. Easy access to main highways means quicker, more efficient transportation, but proximity to large population areas is also just as critical.

Culturally, this also links to consumer-driven movements of local food, quality "artisan" food (hello, foodies!), and food that comes with a background check — where it was grown and how. Beyond that, the reality that local food tends to be more nutritious because of its shorter post-harvest life from plant to consumption is a strong selling point for the value of nearby greenhouse food producers.

What does all this mean? Careful market analysis based on the position of a greenhouse business is critical and should not be overlooked. Once it is determined that location is a benefit and not a weakness, carefully determining how and where the produce will be sold is the next step.

In many cases, food is not sold by the truckload, but rather by the pound. Schools, produce retailers, restaurants and foodservice businesses are all candidates to vet and consider, but they may also have preferences that go beyond the standard greenhouse tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce. Careful attention to and conversations with these customers can help growers develop a robust variety selection that not only endears them to customers, but differentiates the business, as well.

Management

According to Dr. Chieri Kubota, professor in the School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at The University of Arizona, root-zone management is the most critical factor in successful greenhouse food production. Not only must a target be determined for pH, EC and drainage, but then it must also be carefully monitored every day.

Additionally, both the incoming and outgoing pH and EC of the root zone must be measured daily. Daily measurement and assessment of the root zone is essential because even slight variations beyond the target environment can result in disease and poor fruit quality.

An important technique in managing the root zone is irrigation. Rather than heavily irrigating at one or two points during the day, which creates large alterations in the root-zone environment, Dr. Kubota has experienced success irrigating with very small amounts over a longer period of time. This allows for greater control of the root zone and can limit drainage to only 20 percent, eliminating unnecessary waste and large fluctuations in the root zone.

Beyond meticulous root-zone management, careful attention must also be paid to plant growth and habit, as it requires frequent de-leafing, pruning and training for maximum yields. While this is more labor intensive, it also ensures an optimum balance of vegetative plant growth to fruit yield.

Food Safety

A final consideration for growers is food safety and the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The motivation behind FSMA is to shift reactive responses to foodborne illnesses to preventative action with monitoring and mandatory guidelines for food producers.

As the first major piece of legislation to address food safety since 1938, the scope of FSMA is extensive. Since its signing into law in 2011, rules and guidelines have continued to be developed by the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along a court-mandated timeline.

The deadline for the FDA to publish the final rule for the produce safety portion of FSMA is Oct. 31, 2015. Compliance deadlines for operations involved in growing, harvesting, packing and holding produce vary depending on sales. Operations with annual produce sales of:

• Less than $25,000 Ð are exempt from the rule
• Between $25,000 and $250,000 Ð must comply within four years from the rule's publication
• Between $250,000 and $500,000 Ð within three years
• More than $500,000 Ð within two years But what exactly is required of greenhouse food producers? First, a preventative controls plan that:
• Outlines hazards that could affect food safety,
• Specifies what preventative steps or controls will be put into place to prevent and minimize hazards, _ Specifies monitoring procedures to determine the effectiveness of the preventative measures,
• Maintains routine records of monitoring,
• And specifies what actions will be taken by the facility should a problem arise.

Next, in accordance with the act, the FDA will step up its inspection of food facilities, based on risk. While smaller growers can assume that they will not be inspected yearly, it is still wise to maintain accurate and upto- date records as these are accessible by the FDA.

To help growers proactively prepare for and implement the requirements of FSMA, Cornell University, FDA and USDA have collaborated to create the Produce Safety Alliance. As part of the alliance, comprehensive training and education is offered to greenhouse food producers. Learn more at www. producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu. Another means for actively addressing the requirements of FSMA, as well as public health concerns, is participation in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHPs), which are voluntary audits focused on best agricultural practices for food safety. Many of the stipulations in FSMA mirror what GAPs and GHPs already promote. As the final rule comes out at the end of October, those who have used GAPs and GHPs will likely find themselves better equipped and prepared to comply with FSMA.

It is important to remember that every year, one out of six people in the United States is affected by foodborne illness with more than a 100,000 hospitalized and over 1,000 deaths. Food producers play a critical role in helping to mitigate these numbers and prevent illnesses with sound understanding of safety definitions and active strategies to ensure clean and controlled environments.

Conclusion

Greenhouse food production is not a get-richquick scheme and should not be considered as such. Rather, it holds potential for growers who have the market and business model to implement a comprehensive controlled-environment growing program. With the proper organization, management, and safety practices, it can be a worthwhile endeavor with rewards that differ from traditional floriculture crop production.

For the customers of greenhouse food producers, they want to know that their food has been produced with stringent concern for safe consumption. While "organic" is certainly a trend, solid communication on what IPM is and how it results in less pesticides and healthier plants is encouraged. Finally, careful marketing of the benefits of local produce — from employing members of the community, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation — is essential in creating substantial value for greenhouse produce.

3 Things You Need to Know about Greenhouse Produce