AMADO, ARIZ. — Last month, Wholesum published its annual Conscientious Company Report detailing efforts and advances in sustainability made in 2019 amongst the family farms. The report highlights Wholesum’s four core values; integrity, responsible growing, people on the move and problem solvers as the guiding principles in their operations and the sustainability agenda. It also looks at the progress made towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“We are extremely proud of the robust sustainability program that we have put in place,” says Ricardo Crisantes, Chief Commercial Officer of Wholesum. “At Wholesum, we take a wholistic view of our operations and we continually look for ways to improve and innovate.”
This is the fourth year Wholesum has published the report, showing year by year comparisons of the sustainability efforts and results. The report not only looks at production and consumption patterns such as organic practices, water and energy use and recycling, but also into the company’s commitment to people and communities. A few notable highlights from this year’s report are:
- Recirculation of 11 million gallons of irrigation water at Wholesum Farms in Arizona.
- 2.2 million pounds of produce donated to local food banks in Mexico and the US.
- 80 tons of plastics and cardboard recycled – a 40% increase from 2018.
- $1.06 million in Community Development Funds generated from sales of Fair Trade Certified produce for impactful projects related to healthcare, education, housing and other community needs. This is the highest of any year since becoming Fair Trade certified.
- 4% increase in female managers at the farm from 2018. Gender Equality is one of the main United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for Wholesum.
“Our objective for 2020 is to look into our consumption patterns, identify 100% of the products we utilize and build a roadmap to move to renewable inputs where possible,” says Olga Borquez, Sustainability Manager of Wholesum. “As participants in the food supply chain, we have a responsibility in addressing the challenges of our food system such as climate change, resource and water scarcity and even social issues like inequality and community development.”
To learn more about Wholesum’s 2019 Conscientious Company Report, visit their website at wh.farm and click on “Sustainably Grown.”
###
About Wholesum:
Wholesum, third generation family-owned and operated farms based in Southern Arizona are growers and distributors of Fair Trade, organic produce. With over 90 years of farming experience, Wholesum has been dedicated to continuous improvement along the supply chain through responsible sourcing, twenty plus years of organic growing, equitable labor practices and environmental protection. They are also pioneering in the fair trade movement as the first Fair Trade Certified farm in the US and partner with organic growers with the same mission and commitment. Through a combination of greenhouse and open field production, Wholesum provides a year-round supply of high-quality organic vegetables. More information is available at www.wh.farm.
