CASTROVILLE, Calif. – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in the U.S., announces the Blue Zones Project approval of their Monterey worksite. Ocean Mist Farms received approval in May 2020 after meeting 78 points on the worksite pledge and engaging 44% of their staff in a Blue Zones Project activity (88 individuals).
“This is a huge accomplishment for Ocean Mist Farms,” said Lupita Renteria-Galvan, HR Benefits Manager and the Wellness Committee Chair, at Ocean Mist Farms. “Becoming an approved worksite demonstrates the commitment you have to your employees’ health and well-being. Ocean Mist Farms is recognized as a community leader in workplace wellness and joins a network of respected organizations across our community.”
With this recognition, Ocean Mist Farms is the 5th largest employer to become an approved worksite. They are represented among respected organizations such as Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Taylor Farms Headquarters, Montage Health, VNA, and the Monterey County Office of Education.
Ocean Mist Farms’ well-being initiatives and accomplishments include the following:
- A fitness center to all employees, including easy access to physical fitness activities, showers and changing facilities that encourage physical activity during the workday.
- Five Blue Zones Parking spaces located the furthest distance from the entrance are available for employees. Creating Blue Zones Project parking spaces that reminds employees parking farther away is one way to easily add more physical activity to their day.
- Free annual onsite biometric screenings (blood pressure, body mass index, glucose, cholesterol, etc.) in an effort to educate employees about their health risks and, if needed, how to improve their health.
- Consistent social activities for Ocean Mist Farms staff members and their families to encourage teamwork and collaboration by having healthy relationships among co-workers.
- Ongoing onsite developmental workshops, seminars and/or lunch-and-learns to all employees. Ocean Mist Farms partners with community wellness programs such as Health Promotion at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System and Blue Zones Project to offer these workshops.
Together, Blue Zones Project Monterey County and Ocean Mist Farms will continue the work of empowering employees to take charge of their health through continued Blue Zones Project activities and principals.
To learn more about how you can get involved in Blue Zones Project Monterey County, visit their website at montereycounty.bluezonesproject.com.
# # #
About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business and the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America, is committed to delivering the highest standards in the industry for food safety, product quality, customer service, innovation and sustainability. The company’s full line of over 30 fresh vegetables includes the award-winning Season & Steam and Ocean Mist Organic product lines. To stay up to date on the 2020 artichoke season, follow Ocean Mist on Instagram. To learn more about Ocean Mist Farms, visit https://www.oceanmist.com/. For recipe inspiration and preparation tips, follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 51 communities across North America have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 3.4 million citizens. The population health solution includes two Health Districts in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth, Texas; Corry, Pennsylvania; Airdrie, Alberta; Brevard, North Carolina; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Blue Zones Project is a partnership between Blue Zones, LLC, and Sharecare, Inc. For more information, visit bluezonesproject.com.
