Innovation

innovation-photo

Our People are Dedicated To
The Future and Integrity of Farming

At RAC, we promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship where employees continuously strive to improve our farming techniques to produce quality berries year round. We have partnered with academia and other agricultural growers to develop alternatives to soil fumigants, develop substrate farming systems, acquire knowledge and methodology on applied water and nutrient management systems as well as other farming technologies that allow us to produce more with less. We believe that using the most innovative farming practices will ensure that RAC has a viable business for generations to come.

Growing

We utilize different kinds of substrate, such as coco fiber, peat moss and perlite as alternatives to growing in the soil. Raised bed systems are utilized to maximize water and reduce disease for our crops. Plastic mulch is used to maintain food safety standards. We produce our own compost tea and humus which provide natural resources for organic production. Tunnel structures protect our crops from adverse weather.

Our rich history as a collaborator and contributor of innovative growing practices serves as a strong foundation for our future. Working side by side with universities and industry partners has led to numerous growing innovations and best management practices that are making a difference today, and for a more sustainable tomorrow. Our current efforts utilizing soilless “substrate” growing, means our farming operations in the future would no longer require soil fumigation and would reduce our demand on water resources and the potential for nitrates in our ground water. We are piloting soil fumigation alternatives such as solarization, steam treatments and anaerobic soil disinfectants that challenge our industry to keep advancing on environmental and economical solutions to pesticides. We are driven by our legacy to continue these advancements as a leader in innovative growing practices and to contribute to a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Mechanization

Mercado Harvester Machine – Developed to eliminate repetitive walking by our harvesters in and out of the fields to harvest & pack our berries. Automated Post Driver - This machine significantly reduces our construction time & requires less physical demands of our employees. Row Material Carriers – These reduce our need to handle materials by 90% and eliminate hazardous work. Electrostatic Sprayer - This sprayer ensures 100% coverage, unmatched pest control, uses 1/10th the water consumption and reduces the need for labor. Soil Sterilizer Steamer - Reiter has developed the first deep bed steamer to cleanse the soil, eradicating weeds, pests and microbes.

Reiter has invested in developing aids to reduce the physical requirements needed to grow and cultivate our crops and to assist our people, our greatest resource. This, along with reducing water consumption, chemical dependency and improving our overall carbon footprint, have led to successful and innovative farming solutions. These new solutions provide our farmers with a toolbox of innovation which ultimately provide our consumers with the highest quality berries in the marketplace.

Technology

Reverse osmosis systems are used to reduce salt content in our water. RAC has partnered with AgroBot in the development of strawberry harvesting aids. Using advance technology increases the traceability of our products.

In this age of technology, we are discovering innovative solutions for the future to our limited natural and people resources. A variety of scientific and technological methods are being developed to increase our productivity while reducing our carbon footprint. Through industrial sized reverse osmosis facilities we are transforming unusable salt water into a viable resource for growing plants. Collaborating with the developers at Agrobot™, we are testing robotic-assisted harvesting practices that will help increase quality and efficiency of our final product. Wireless hand-held scanning devices will give us increased traceability and production data used to ensure we provide the safest product in the market. Web based soil moisture monitoring software connects wirelessly to field sensors that give us real time information as to the effectiveness of our irrigation practices. As innovative growers we embrace these advancements and look forward to pioneering new technologies and alternatives that will advance our industry for many years to come.