On Saturday, October 24 at 12 p.m. Eastern, Potandon Produce LLC, in support of the Arbor Day Foundation, formally announced its Arbor Day Challenge at the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit.
“In coordination with the Arbor Day Foundation, Potandon is spearheading a program that asks the entire produce and floral communities to join us in an industry-wide fundraising initiative specifically targeted at replanting trees lost to wild fires in 2015 — the worst fire damage season in history with major fires still burning,” said Ralph Schwartz, vice president of marketing, sales and innovation of Potandon Produce L.L.C. “Everyone working in the produce and floral industries understands the importance of a healthy eco-system and how critical it is to quickly recover from this type of devastation. Today, I respectfully ask everyone who is part of this great family to join us in support of the Arbor Day Foundation in their ongoing efforts to plant trees.”
According to the company’s press release on Monday, October 26: Wildfire devastation hit America hard over the past few years with millions of acres burned. As of October 2015, large fire activity is ongoing in Idaho, Montana, Washington, California, and Oregon. The total number of acres burned so far in 2015 is a staggering 9 million. The western states are not alone in facing this crisis as history reports multiple fires in almost every state each year.
Arbor Day is on April 29, 2016, and Potandon’s proclamation to the entire produce and floral industries aims to inspire others to help support the planting of trees in these burned areas. Each dollar pledged funds the planting of one tree. To get things started, Potandon pledged $1000. The company’s goal is to have total contributions of $50,000 of funding by Arbor Day.
Potandon Produce, an Idaho Falls, ID-based marketer of fresh potatoes and one of the largest marketers of fresh onions in North America, has seen the impact of these fires firsthand. Potandon hopes its Arbor Day Challenge can restore this land to its natural state as rapidly as possible.
“We are grateful to Potandon Produce for being a steward of our nation’s forests,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation (a nonprofit conservation and education organization based in Nebraska City, NE), at PMA. “Our forests are part of the long and important history of the people and the land of our communities. Thanks to Potandon’s industry-wide challenge, much-needed trees will be planted to help clean the air, protect water resources, and restore habitat and beauty to forests that suffered damage.”
Interested participants can go to www.potandon.com/arborday to get additional information on the program and to make a donation.
Headquartered in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Potandon Produce is the largest marketer of fresh potatoes and one of the largest marketers of fresh onions in North America. Potandon holds the exclusive licensing rights to the Green Giant™ brand for fresh potatoes and onions in North America, and is able to provide year-round supply to any size retail, foodservice, or wholesale customer. Potandon is also an industry leader in food safety and in bringing innovative products to the market. Visit www.potandon.com to learn more about Potandon.
Arbor Day Foundation is a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information is available at www.arborday.org
Source: PerishableNews.com
