Village Farms believes that, as an agricultural company, we have a responsibility to practice sustainable cultivation that doesn’t rob the Earth of her bounty of natural resources. These sustainable growing practices and compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) ensure that our greenhouses have limited environmental impact. Village Farms was the first company in the industry to be fully compliant with the voluntary GAP standard. All of our environmentally friendly greenhouses have been in compliance with the voluntary GAP standards since 2002.

Our sustainable growing practices include:

• Our intensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program uses beneficial insects to control pests and stimulate healthy plant growth.
  
  
• Our beneficial insects naturally control pests.
  
  
• Our clean, sanitary indoor gardens and minimal human contact with fruit eliminates disease.
  
  
• Our plants get just the right amount of nutrient-filled water they need, with no waste.
  
  
• Our soil-free growing medium does not deplete or erode the soil.
  
  
• Our environmentally friendly greenhouses control evaporation, allowing us to use water more efficiently than traditional field growing.
  
  
• We don’t clear land to plant field after field and induce erosion. And, as a result, all of our growing methods are optimized to get the best yield possible; we actually can use less land to grow more produce. Hydroperfect® farming yields 20-30 times more product per acre than conventional field production utilizing the same amount of water. Every growing season we plant in the same indoor garden location (greenhouse), never having to rotate crops or clear new land to give the soil a "rest".
  
  
• We use bleach-free, recyclable corrugated cardboard boxes that are environmentally friendly to pack and ship our loose produce. Bagged produce (poly, net, and mesh), our cucumber film, and our clamshell plastic packages are all “blue bin” recyclable items.
  
  
• We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint. By recycling carbon dioxide into the greenhouse, we enhance the plants' photosynthesis. In addition, our greenhouses are positioned close to local markets, requiring shorter freight transport times to reach store shelves and, therefore, reducing the use of petroleum-based fuels.
  
  
• Significant investment in agricultural research to improve quality and yields without sacrificing environmental stewardship. Current research in our R&D facility is producing the highest yield ever produced by a tomato production facility.

Village Farms dedication to environmental sustainability shows in the quality, nutritious produce it grows! To learn more click on the links below:

Hydroponic Produce Benefits For the Environment
Hydroponic Produce Benefits For Food Safety
Hydroponic Produce Benefits For Nutrition and Health
Sustainable Growing Practices
Food Safety/GAP