Read our. This coalition The Selinsgrove, PA greenhouse has served its community since 2020 and is currently the largest BrightFarms greenhouse farm with 280,000 square feet. Bright Farms offers tours to the community and the first question asked is: Where is the dirt? he said. There is no soil, sand or peat moss anywhere in the 280,000 square feet of growing space. Hydroponic greenhouse growers seek to avoid getting caught up in the negative impact of foodborne illness outbreaks that have plagued some parts of the industry. 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We grow local produce year-round, which is not typically possible due to the climate in Pennsylvania during the winter months, said Amanda Mantiply, of Abel Communications, the media representative for Bright Farms. Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, Pace International hires new senior manager of global operations, Protesting truckers shut down key port for California ag, USDA restricts PACA violators in Florida, New York and Texas, IFPA's produce plan for White House Nutrition Conference, Heat, inflation driving up produce prices, I Love Produce has decades of success with garlic, Wada Farms heading to Monterey on an upswing, Nash Produce increases storage, improves quality of product, Basciani Foods excited to reconnect with produce community, Magic Sun Farms expanding marketing efforts in 2022, NMB gives behind-the-scenes look with new Origin Stories series, CEA organic certification still a divisive topic, Giant invests $1.1 million to strengthen organic ag. Were looking at the feasibility of becoming organically certified within the next 18 months., Were working with some suppliers to get the right inputs, Norbury said of the complicated process. "We won't have light pollution. This is a critically important step in maintaining consumer confidence and supporting the growth of our industry.. You have permission to edit this article. The business gives local farmers Bright Farms natural waste products, such as nutrient-rich water and other plant byproducts, which can be utilized for fertilizers, manure and composts by the ton. BrightFarms CEO Steve Platt said the light will be muted now that large curtains have been installed around the newly opened hydroponic greenhouse where two million pounds of salad greens will be grown. Were open to the possibility. Todays consumers are searching for produce thats fresher, safer and responsibly grown. Its for all our employees. He said there are 4 acres of greens under glass at the facility. BrightFarms operates near major population centers, getting fresh produce on trucks and on shelves within 24-48 hours. We have a pretty diverse workforce and offer a robust training program.. When leading controlled environment agriculture (CEA) growers joined together in 2018 to establish the first food safety group geared specifically toward CEA produce brands, BrightFarms was one of the first companies to sign on. We have a really robust food safety program. Andrea Karns, vice president of sales and marketing for Karns, said it is too early to know how much of the product is being sold since the store only began offering Bright Farms baby greens in January. In early 2019, BrightFarms announced plans for new greenhouse farms to be built in Massachusetts, New York and North Carolina by the end of 2019. Tabitha Goodling is a freelance writer in central Pennsylvania. New York-based packaged salads company BrightFarms entered 2020 with plans to open a 250,000-square-foot greenhouse in Snyder County, Pennsylvania its second greenhouse in the state. The boards are washed and reused. The new 280,000 sq. This sustainable greenhouse farm will provide millions of Pennsylvanians with fresh, safe and clean pesticide-free produce. said Steve Platt, CEO of BrightFarms. By opting into newsletters you are agreeing to our, Tabitha Goodling, Central Pa. By growing produce close to its consumers, BrightFarms produce is delivered to supermarkets in as little as 24 hours of harvest, about a week faster than leafy greens grown on the West Coast. From the facility to the store, sterility is emphasized. This is the second of its kind in Pennsylvania, with another greenhouse facility in Yardley, north of Philadelphia, in Bucks County. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. It also began selling greens to Karns Quality Foods, which has supermarkets around central Pennsylvania. Its ready to eat right out of the bag, according to Hennessy, who said he often eats the leaves straight from the bag. 1 purchase driver in produce for supermarkets, said Steve Platt, CEO of BrightFarms. To support the local community, BrightFarms will donate its first harvest to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In October 2019, BrightFarms announced it is incorporating blockchain technology as a member of the IBM Food Trust network. Weve developed over time a good algorithm that takes certain types of nutrients and plant varieties to produce high yields, he said. BrightFarms is committed to providing our retail partners and consumers with the safest, cleanest and most responsibly grown produce, said Jackie Hawkins, senior manager of food safety at BrightFarms. The hydroponic greens are cleaned by 1 p.m. most days and harvested by machine. There was an error processing your request. This is an overview of the BrightFarms Selinsgrove campus or office location. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. At the Chambers 101st Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, BrightFarms PA greenhouse Production Manager Christian Ortiz used this award as an acknowledgment of his teams hard work and dedication, noting that This award isnt for me. A mix of clouds and sun. Success! Once the plants are seeded, they enter a germination chamber where they sit in the perfect climate until they sprout. The hydroponics greenhouse has about 37 local employees in the Selinsgrove area. Check out all BrightFarms jobs. Another acre is used for support, harvesting, packing and seeding. He said that lettuce plants grown in a field are typically sprayed to avoid insect damage. We are used to seeing plants in soil, not floating in water, Hennessy said about the publics questions. The greenhouse will produce more than 2 million pounds of leafy salad greens and herbs a year, to be delivered to Pennsylvania supermarkets within 24 hours of harvest, according to a BrightFarms news release. "I knew there was an industrial park there when I moved in," she said. Chris Hennessy is the lead grower for the Selinsgrove location. Photo by Tabitha Goodling Chris Hennessy shows some seeded styrofoams in the early stages of growth at Bright Farms. BrightFarms grows leafy salad greens and herbs including spring mix, spinach, baby kale, romaine and arugula. Nobody should get sick eating salads. The company describes its local greens, which are grown in a safe, secure and clean indoor environment without the use of pesticides, as beyond organic. From there, they are transplanted onto our pond with a flag that represents the day they were put on the pond, creating a visual guide, said Hennessy, explaining the growing process. Get one year of Vegetable Growers News in both print and digital editions for only $15.50. People are going to want to continue to eat healthier. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection. Every step is temperature regulated. Norbury said the company is looking into becoming organic certified. SELINSGROVE On some nights, warm orange glow blankets the Valley from the 263,000-square-foot BrightFarms facility at Pawling Station off Route 522. For more information on BrightFarms, visit https://www.brightfarms.com. TDI-USA Holdings, LLC (TDI) develops unique clean energy transmission projects in an environmentally responsible manner. 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BrightFarms also has operations in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Ohio; Rochelle, Illinois; Elkwood, Virginia and Yardley, Pennsylvania. The spinach has been growing so well, he said, it is a quarter of the production. Unsound, biased judgment.Discrimination.Inequality. In general, two biggest areas of growth are local and organic. Weekly pay with direct deposit or debit card options. provides an opportunity for all brands in the space to collaborate in an effort to further protect consumers by establishing standards and sharing insights, said Lightfoot at the time of the announcement. The other three sites are in Wilmington, Ohio; Rochelle, Illinois, and Elkwood, Virginia. By joining IBM Food Trust, we are establishing an enhanced level of transparency to guarantee greater trust for retail partners. Looking for an Assistant Manager - Warehouse/Distribution Ce INSTALLER -Travel the US Building Luxury Greenhouses. Local, controlled environment supply chains already maintain a higher degree of structural safety benefits when compared to field grown produce form the West Coast, and Food Trust will be a valuable tool for highlighting those benefits. Cleanliness is imperative at the greenhouse. Able to work outdoors in all weather conditions. Photo by Tabitha Goodling A tray of spring mix thrives at Bright Farms. They supply Pennsylvania and the New York City metro area with fresh, nutritious baby greens year-round. Bright Farms has started selling its baby greens to grocery stores such as Giant Foods, Martins and Weis Markets in central Pennsylvania. We grow produce in a safer and more sustainable way than long-distance growers, using less land, less water and less shipping fuel, he said. The goal of this group is to establish food safety standards to protect consumer health. Physically inspect tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers grown in our, The Jonestown Distribution Center, a 218,000 sq. This is the flagship, so to speak, Hennessy said. The light is sointense sometimes that it penetrates the window shades on Beverley Conrad's home about one mile away and dims her view of the stars in the night sky. Medical, Dental, Vision Health Insurance Plans Life Insurance. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. The essential function of this role is to support and manage employee relations including acting as a liaison between employees and management. The production method allows BrightFarms to control inputs so customers get what they need healthy and tasty products. CEA growers including BrightFarms, Aero Farms and Little Leaf Farms joined the coalition as founding members, with numerous others expected to join. There was a problem saving your notification. A wide variety of baby greens are grown at the greenhouse including leafy lettuce, spring lettuce mix, romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, mustard, beet greens, basil and spinach. We have people there from 3:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening.. Were our own little niche here, Hennessy said. Were running a feasibility study now, and will test it if it works out thats what consumers want. Joining the celebration from GIANT Food Stores were Vice President of Fresh Dave Lessard and Category Manager Matt Novosel. Selinsgrove salad green firm sends first harvest to Pennsylvania Food Bank. Within four to six hours, a truck driver loads a truck and the baby greens are shipped directly to the food distribution center. In addition to providing provenance insights, network members such as BrightFarms are realizing benefits around optimized supply chain processes, increased freshness, improved food safety, minimized waste and fraud and more. Our food is safe, Norbury said. © 2022 Great American Media Services & Vegetable Growers News. The produce for the most recently developed facility will be delivered to Pennsylvania supermarkets within 24 hours of harvest, roughly five to seven days faster than conventional leafy greens grown on the West Coast. The 280,000-square-foot facility is one of five Bright Farms locations on the East Coast. Both Platt and Lightfoot are members of the board of directors. The hydroponic growing process of leafy uses an estimated 80% less water, 90% less land and 95% less shipping fuel than West Coast farms. We provide end-to-end solutions for carbon capture and storage projects. He thinks the hydroponic system creates a more crunchy bite to the lettuce. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. We do not compete with local farmers and the crops they typically grow in our state. They sit in a holding cooler for two hours and then in a pack room where they are packed. 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r. BrightFarms will create over 50 green collar jobs in Selinsgrove, each paying a living wage with health benefits. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to, We offer a FIRST SHIFT schedule 40+ hours a week, with more hours during. The greenhouse has fans in place and glass that allows the right amount of sunlight as well as other lighting. All employees are paid health benefits, Norbury said. They supply Pennsylvania and the New York City metro area with fresh, nutritious baby greens year-round. Nobody grows spinach this way, Hennessy said, which puts us ahead of the rest.. Responsible for carrying out the labor required to complete the daily weighing and packaging plan of leafy greens in a safe and efficient manner. Have both sides of the story first.Dont make employees do jobs outside of what they signed up for.Company ought to do a lot better on the terrible training they provide versus the actual job.Deliver your promise of putting up additional toilets. In the controlled hydroponic greenhouse, he said these arent factors because the temperature remains warm and cools in the evening. The Selinsgrove property was chosen based on its proximity to distribution centers outside of urban areas. The CEO has the same benefit practices as the greenhouse laborers. Photos by Tabitha Goodling Lead grower Chris Hennessy lifts a tray at Bright Farms hydroponic greenhouse in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, showing the roots of the baby greens growing without soil, only water as its source of nutrients. With Food Trust, partners such as Walmart can easily and reliably trace our leafy greens to their source in a matter of seconds, Lightfoot said. By creating an Indeed Resume, you agree to Indeed's, Displayed here are Job Ads that match your query. Were excited to be here today to celebrate this milestone alongside them and proud to offer their greens to our customers every day.. By growing close to its consumers, BrightFarms delivers pesticide-free produce in as little as 24 hours of harvest. . Robert Inglis/The Daily Item Lights illuminate the roof of BrightFarms in Selinsgrove on Tuesday evening. Hennessy said that spinach is usually not grown through hydroponics. }5o^C%. In addition to Pennsylvania, the company has farms in Ohio, Illinois and Virginia and plans to open its next greenhouse in North Carolina. Indeed ranks Job Ads based on a combination of compensation paid by employers to Indeed and relevance, such as your search terms and other activity on Indeed. SELINSGROVE, Pa. Bright Farms, a hydroponic baby-greens grower, has opened its largest greenhouse to date in Selinsgrove, Snyder County, this year. You have permission to edit this article. Food Trust, a blockchain-based information-sharing platform, securely connects supply chain data across the ecosystem to enable unprecedented trust and transparency. Must have a valid ID, and allowed to travel by air. I believe that, yes, (the organic) sector will continue to grow and be there., BrightFarms is constantly innovating to stay ahead of the curve, Norbury said. Outdoor plants are also susceptible to weather damage, such as too much sun or not enough sun, or too little rain or not enough rain. We want to take advantage of that.. Platt took over as CEO in August 2019, while the companys founder, Paul Lightfoot, continues as the companys president and founder. There will be no glow," he said. Having a stable labor force is a priority for the company, which concentrates on providing good treatment to workers, including a competitive benefit package. Features like supplemental grow lights and an automated conveyance system for packing and ideal postharvest climate and environments are constantly monitored. We are incredibly grateful for the support from Governor Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Commerce and look forward to bringing local, pesticide-free leafy greens to North Carolina and neighboring states.. We have removed 3 job postings very similar to those already shown. We encourage promotion and advancement and we work to bring in the right people, with most coming from the local areas. Our Food Bank is committed to consistently providing our clients with healthy foods to encourage, so leafy greens fit perfectly in our mission.. The event and award served as a chance to look back and ahead, celebrating difficulties and looking towards a future of prosperity for the Susquehanna Valley. "The first time they lit that place up it was amazing," added Faylor who said she's glad to see new business in the area. Correspondent. SELINSGROVE The first harvest of 5,000 pounds of salad greens grown at the newly opened Br. They share our passion for local produce, people and community, making them the perfect fit for GIANT. This position requires experience and knowledge of diesel generators, combustion equipment, motors, and blowers. BrightFarms North Carolina greenhouse, for which construction was set to begin early this year, will be the companys sixth and one of its largest locations to date. It takes between 11 and 19 days to grow our produce, which means we can very quickly meet demand.. However, during the evening, a shading system has been installed to keep the bright lights from imposing on neighborhood residents sleep, he said. Error! Hennessy is a big advocate for hydroponics and compared the system with conventional growing. Hennessy said these boards are intended to be reused over the next several years. To see these additional results, you may repeat your search with the omitted job postings included. This office is the major BrightFarms Selinsgrove, PA area location. Photo by Tabitha Goodling The exterior of the greenhouse at Bright Farms in Selinsgrove, one of five such facilities in the Northeast. Sunlight is free and abundant. Bright Farms grows baby greens in water instead of soil. We can provide these farmers with nutrient results to help them decide if it meets their needs, Hennessy said. Its susceptible to root rot, he said, with too much moisture. Both the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association have come forward to show their full support. Photo by Tabitha Goodling The final product, packaged for the store. The business model for each greenhouse is to supply the surrounding urban area, shortening the supply chain. Indeed may be compensated by these employers, helping keep Indeed free for jobseekers. ft. refrigerated facility. The light isn't a bother for Sandy Gaskins and her daughter, Monica Faylor, who live directly across from the greenhouse. ft. farm in Selinsgrove, Pa. will deliver over 2 million pounds of fresh, local produce year-round in Pennsylvania and the tri-state area. He explained how the greens products do not touch human hands until the packaging phase. Hennessy said that Bright Farms markets itself as free of pesticides. Find the BrightFarms Selinsgrove address. PRESS RELEASE: Selinsgrove, PA January 28, 2020 BrightFarms, the leading supplier of locally grown salads for supermarkets, opened its largest greenhouse today. Then, the plants are placed in bags and sealed, and are only transported by gloved hands. BrightFarms Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania greenhouse was recently awarded the Business of the Year award from theGreater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. Josh Norbury, vice president of operations for BrightFarms, is playing a part in the growing companys day-today greenhouse operations. Water recycling is one of the tenets of the system, along with a farm-controlled environment that doesnt use pesticides or foliar applications. HeadlinesCurrent IssuePrint ArchivesContactUsSubscribeSearch, Please Share Your News With UsDigital or Print Advertising Options, Copyright 2021 The Produce News Covering Fresh Produce Around the Globe Since 1897, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania greenhouse was recently awarded the Business of the Year award from the. It only takes a second, and your information is anonymous. Bright Farms has a water system they feel beats the odds. Greeting the crowd of 100+ were Pennsylvanias Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and Pennsylvania House of Representatives Member David Rowe. High 92F. The hydroponic approach gives the plants exactly what they need to thrive not more than they need, Norbury said. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Operate and maintain mine gas flare systems. BrightFarms installs shades to mute orange glow from Selinsgrove area facility. Carol Stream, IL, 60188, Find Local Growers with Local Source Service, Revol Greens continues expansion with new Texas greenhouse, Inspired Greens launches romaine-forward living lettuce trio, Nature Fresh Farms claims top honors at greenhouse competitions, Revol Greens names IUNU as advanced technology partner, USDA restricts PACA violators in FL, NY, and TX, UK-based retailer removes best by dates on produce to reduce food waste, GrubMarket expands into New Mexico with acquisition, Aldi Nord opens Netherlands first AI-powered frictionless supermarket, Crop One opens worlds largest vertical farm, View the Magazines Supplement: Import & Export Update, View the Magazines Supplement: Transportation & Logistics. Each farm uses beneficial insect programs, with a plan that changes seasonably based on pest pressure, he said. Day by day, these plants are pushed across the pond until they reach maturity at the other side, and are ready to be harvested. Building this new farm enables us to keep pace with growing demand for local produce in supermarkets in the region. Greenhouses utilize the natural resources a little better, Norbury told Vegetable Growers News. The Agam VLHC reduces our customers carbon footprint while also enabling conventional and organic growers to conform to local and international regulations. We are very excited to welcome BrightFarms as an innovative job creator and as a generous donor of highly nutritious and locally grown produce, shared Joe Arthur, Executive Director of Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Were proud to provide local agriculture jobs year-round that pay a living wage and competitive benefits, Hennessy said. We are grateful to the state of Pennsylvania and to our loyal grocery store partners, like GIANT, who have been at the forefront of the local produce movement., At GIANT, we pride ourselves on delivering the very best and freshest produce to our customers, and we couldnt do that without partners like BrightFarms, said John Ruane, senior vice president of merchandising, GIANT Food Stores. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. She said they sell all eight varieties of lettuces offered by the company in their nine stores. Its the reason that locally grown food has become the No. "I don't need to leave a porch light on," laughed Gaskins. Styrofoam boards are used to hold the seeds, and the workers go through 2,000 to 3,000 boards a day. 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