SALINAS, CA - Industry insights are like holidays—you can never have enough. Luckily, my role as a trade news writer allows me to play the part of a communication bridge, bringing what I’ve learned from suppliers to the industry at large. My most recent foray into this knowledge pool came after a conversation with Tanimura & Antle, whose Anthony Mazzuca, Senior Director of Product Management, and Jad Crusha, Director of Tres Picos Farm Operations, shared details across several operations.

“While broccoli and cauliflower make the direct transition from Yuma, Arizona, to Salinas, California, our lettuce, leafy greens, and Artisan line of products make the transition to our Tres Pico Ranch located in Five Points, California, for two to three weeks,” detailed Anthony. “As temperatures rapidly increase at the tail end of the Sonoran Desert deal, the sense of urgency to exit quickly escalates.”

Transition to new growing regions is welcomed despite any logistical challenges, all in the name of preserving quality.

“Early transition to the Salinas Valley can be hit and miss depending on each year’s weather, and Tres Picos represents a stable and reliable bridge between the two major growing regions,” Anthony added.

Jad also chimed in to remark on the current state of Tres Picos Farm’s harvest and operations, explaining that overall, there is not yet anything to indicate a disruption in supply or dip in quality.

“In Tres Picos, we had three inches of rain at the end of January, which minimally affected our stand and uniformity of plantings scheduled to harvest at the end of April,” he noted. “In the Salinas Valley, the same storm produced seven to eight inches of rain, elevating concerns with stand and uniformity on the front end of the lettuce deal, and a recent cooling trend has some industry chatter about a potentially delayed or slow start to lettuce harvest in the region.”

Tres Picos Farm is owned and operated by Tanimura & Antle, and both its ranch and cooling facility mark a sizable investment in the region. As the grower commits to surety of supply for its customers, this operation is another way it continues to deliver value to buy-side partners.

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Tanimura & Antle