Coming on the heels of its recent Non-GMO Certification, Great Lakes Growers, an innovative producer of fresh and tasty hydroponic lettuce and herbs, is pleased to announce its recent PrimusGFS food safety certification. PrimusGFS is a Global Food Safety Initiative-recognized audit scheme for the certification of produce — from growing operations to minimally processed produce, like lettuce and herbs. And not only did Great Lakes Growers pass the PrimusGFS certification requirements, it performed well beyond standard levels to achieve safety marks of 98% and 100% for its greenhouse and harvest crew, respectively.
"Our high marks reflect our commitment to providing consumers with the safest, healthiest produce available,” confirms Great Lakes Growers co-owner, Tim Ryan. “Our ability to control the internal environment in our greenhouse, along with our food safety protocol, gives our customers peace of mind knowing they’re receiving superior lettuces and herbs each and every time”, states Ryan.
It’s this obsession to provide the best lettuce and herbs available that has helped make Great Lakes Growers one of the most popular suppliers of hydroponic, fresh, clean and nutritionally packed lettuce and herbs in the Great Lakes Region. Supplying grocers, wholesale clubs and even restaurants with several varieties of what Great Lakes Growers calls “living lettuce” and “living herbs” (produce that still carries its roots for greater freshness, longevity and taste), Great Lakes Growers prides itself in staying one step ahead. Which is why Ryan and Bonner first opened their hydroponic greenhouse in 2011, and why they continue to test their operation to ensure they’re providing produce at the peak of flavor and at the peak of safety. Great Lakes even has an ozone water sanitation system for its greenhouse, which provides the most powerful broad-spectrum microbiological control possible – ensuring every drop of water that circulates throughout the operation is 100% clean.
“While we’re extremely proud of our high food safety scores, it doesn’t stop there for us,” affirms John Bonner, co-owner of Great Lakes Growers. “Our goal is to deliver the safest lettuce and herbs possible to our customers, which means we’ll continue to evaluate our practices to ensure we meet our own standards of safety. And usually those standards are even higher than those required for certification. In fact, our entire greenhouse growing process is much safer than most facilities, specifically field-grown operations,” continues Bonner. “Because our hydroponic operation is all indoors, we have ultimate control over the growing climate,” concludes Bonner.
In addition, working closely with BioWorks – an industry leader in providing safe and environmentally responsible growing solutions for the horticulture industry – Great Lakes employs only organic-certified pest and disease control products approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). And it does so in a matter that is proactive not reactive, anticipating potential issues by overlaying past growing experiences with current greenhouse conditions. This allows Great Lakes to maintain its high quality standards in a safe, practical and economical way, all while minimizing interruption of product flow to its customers.
“Great Lakes Growers is perfect example of how a grower can successfully use BioWorks OMRI-listed products within an integrated pest management program,” reflects BioWorks marketing manager, Jeffrey Luke. “Products are safer for workers and consumers alike, which Great Lakes is obviously committed to.”
To find out more about Great Lakes Growers, and where you can stock up on your very own delicious Great Lakes Living Lettuce and Living Herbs, visit www.greatlakesgrowers.com. For more information about Great Lakes’ safety requirements, go to www.primusgfs.org.
Source: Great Lakes Growers
