SOLEDAD, CA - Braga Fresh is tapping into a key growing practice to bring advancements across its beloved Josie’s Organics line. Recently, the purveyor revealed it will harvest and market a trial crop of regeneratively grown fresh vegetables.

“The objective of our regenerative farming trials is to increase soil carbon and decrease consumption of diesel fuel that powers the tractors conducting the tillage operation,” said Chief Executive Officer Rodney Braga. “Those changes would reduce our overall CO₂ emissions, aiding us in the goal of being carbon-neutral by 2025.”

Braga Fresh is currently in its second year of small-scale trialing regenerative crop practices, with a goal of reducing the soil tillage now used by the fresh vegetable farming industry and applying any successes and learnings to its other growing regions. The trials aid the company in understanding the implications and identifying the pieces of the concept that may be applied to current commercial fresh vegetable and leafy green farming.

The first regenerative trial crop was planted in early 2021 under the supervision of Eric Morgan, Vice President of Environmental Science and Resources.

Morgan will participate in a panel about regenerative agriculture at the Organic Produce Summit, on July 13 in Monterey, California.

“Tillage operations currently employed by our industry weakens soil aggregate stability that leads to reductions of soil microorganisms that populate the soil microbiome,” said Morgan. “We believe that most common tillage practices utilized by the industry inadvertently increase crop water consumption and create a need for excess fertilizer. Our overall intent with these regenerative crop trials is to confirm our hypothesis and feasibly overcome these farming challenges.”

In April 2022, the supplier plans to harvest its third regeneratively grown trial crop, featuring organic broccoli, organic red and green leaf, and organic Iceberg lettuce. All of the trial crops will be sold under the Josie’s Organics brand, and will meet Good Manufacturing Practice and Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement standards.

“Soil health has long been a part of our farming program; we have a robust soil testing program that is key to our organic farming,” added Braga. “Trialing regenerative practices will help us identify feasible low tillage practices for fresh vegetable production and still maintain the quality expectations of retailers and consumers.”

As the supplier wields even more ambitious strategies to advance its portfolio, ANUK will be here to report.

Braga Fresh