Meet the Grower Achievement Award regional winner from The Sunshine State: Lipman Family Farms, in Immokale, Florida.
Every year, American Vegetable Grower gives out the Grower Achievement Award to honor “vegetable growing operations and growers that stand out above the rest. Winners demonstrate industry leadership, innovation implementation, excellence in food quality and safety, and more,” according to a Growing Produce article. Three regional winners are chosen from the East, Central, and West regions of the country, and then a national winner is chosen from the three. Lipman Family Farms, headquartered in Immokale, Florida was the regional Grower Achievement Award regional winner for the East. Read all about their operation below.
Meet the Grower Achievement Award Regional Winner
According to the article, Lipman Family Farms grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, green beans, eggplant, watermelon, and specialty crops with “headquarters in Florida, multiple sites throughout the U.S., Mexico, and greenhouse production in Canada.”
The article maintains “Lipman Family Farms’ production methods in the fields and greenhouses use techniques that not only increase yield but ensure the land remains healthy long into the future. For example, the operation was one of the first in the U.S. to convert to drip irrigation under plastic, a practice widely adopted today by others across the country.
From pre-plant to postharvest, they test nutrient availability in the soil and water resources, plant tissue, and their final produce commodity.
The farm partners with the University of Florida in trialing new production techniques. In a current study, it and other area growers have devoted 10 acres to learning how best to use phosphorus in tomato and potato production.”
In the article, UF Associate Professor of Horticulture and Head of Agehara Horticultural Science Lab, Shinsuke Agehara, said ““Lipman is one of the most proactive growers I know. They are already excellent growers, but they continue to adopt new technology and best management practices to improve their production efficiency. Not only do they have positive attitudes toward sustainability and environmental conservation, but they are extremely committed to making positive changes.”
Read more about the East Grower Achievement Award Regional Winner, and those from the other regions, in the Growing Produce article here.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.