The tomato harvesting season recently came to a close, but that hasn’t stopped the Campbell Soup Company from gearing up for next year. The company — which introduced its line of canned soup products, including the iconic tomato soup flavor, during the late 1800s — recently landed a $3.4 million grant from the USDA to help support sustainable tomato farming in California.
The initiative will focus on climate-smart agricultural practices across the state. According to a recent press release, Campbell’s will team up with organizations like the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and American Farmland Trust to “reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while building soil health, supporting water stewardship, and strengthening the profitability and resilience of tomato farms.” The project will offer financial resources and technical support to growers who might otherwise find it difficult to adopt sustainably-minded agriculture practices. This is good news for tomato farmers who continue to battle challenges from climate change, as well as diseases like curly top virus.
California produces 95% of the country’s tomatoes and one-third of the tomato supply across the globe. The major planting period stretches from late January to early June, and the harvesting season ranges from late June to October. With last year’s harvest earning a value of $114 million, the tomato crop is a booming commodity that FGS is proud to help protect! Whether you’re looking to revise your irrigation system or update your collection of harvesting tools, we’re just a phone call away.
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