We use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help measure the success of our sustainability initiatives and provide insight into how we align business operations with our goals. Click through our KPIs below to learn more about each focus area.
- Soil Health & Biodiversity
- Water Management
- Energy
- Materials & Waste Management
- Packaging
Soil Health & Biodiversity
Maintaining soil health and biodiversity within our growing operations includes focusing on healthy, nutrient-rich soil while promoting biodiversity in the ecosystems around us. This is done by rotating crops, adding compost, regularly testing the soil, using precision fertilization, and cover cropping.
Water Management
Water management is crucial not just to our business, but to ensuring the overall availability of clean water throughout California and Arizona.
We use drip irrigation to maximize our efficiency. This low-volume system delivers water close to the plant root zone, minimizing evaporation. In addition, all irrigation water is recycled.
Each of our growers works with the State Water Resources Control Board to protect ground water from pesticide contamination. Increased dependency on groundwater for drinking and other beneficial uses makes these practices necessary to ensure quality groundwater for future supply needs.
Energy
We track our energy use both on the farm and at our processing plant. Church Brothers looks to find renewable energy sources to power our offices and plants. The launch of our Cogen clean power station in 2017 was the beginning of a new chapter on energy and emissions savings. Since then, we have continued to take steps forward, including switching more than 800 growing acres to solar-powered water pumps.
Materials & Waste Management
Less food waste means less carbon emissions, so we work to divert as much from landfills as possible. We donate large amounts of surplus product to non-profit organizations who give it to families in need. We also send green waste to local ranchers to be used as livestock feed.
Cardboard, plastic and wood are among the materials we recycle and divert from landfills. Our goal is to reduce our landfill rate by 15% over the next 12 months.
Packaging
At Church Brothers, we are constantly looking for ways to make our packaging more sustainable and beneficial to the environment. We do this in the following ways:
- Shipping cartons made from recycled materials
- All pallets are reused/recycled or part of the CHEP pallet program
- Field totes and bins are repaired and reused
- All on-farm plastics, drip tape, aluminum, and steel are upcycled
