Nov 22, 2024California tomato growers lead with sustainable practices in vegetable farming
California stands as America’s superpower in fruit and vegetable production. Its ideal climate for vegetable production helps make it the third largest producer of processed tomatoes in the world. Sustainable practices in vegetable farming are now at the forefront, shaping how producers like Pacific Coast Producers manage crops from field to can.
Pacific Coast Producers’ regional impact
Pacific Coast Producers is one of the region’s largest processors. Sixteen of its 150 family farms grow and can 50% of all private-label tomatoes produced in North America within Central and Northern California.
Boosting sustainable production in the field
Frank Muller and his family have farmed in Sacramento Valley for more than 50 years. Muller owns M Three Ranches, chairs Pacific Coast Producers, and is known for his leadership in both organic and conventional tomato production.
Muller, his two sons, and Rudy Lucero, district manager of tomato field operations, focus on producing high-value crops as sustainably as possible. They reduce reliance on pesticides and herbicides, manage water carefully, and adopt technologies that cut waste and greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts reflect a commitment to sustainable practices in vegetable farming that protect long-term productivity.
Each season, Lucero works with managers at the Woodland processing plant to provide a list of 30 tomato varieties. The selections emphasize adaptability to climate variability — a key factor during recent drought years.
Muller invested in drip irrigation after University of California, Davis research revealed tomatoes require less water than previously thought. The $1,500-per-acre investment cut water use by 40% and increased yields by 25%.
Muller also invested in harvest equipment with camera technology that quickly sorts tomatoes and removes foreign material. This technology reduced waste, improved quality, and lowered labor needs from a larger team to just two workers.
“That’s important,” Muller said. “We need to be really cognizant because labor is our number-one cost.”
To improve soil and environmental health, Muller rotates crops, uses compost in place of synthetic fertilizers when possible, and practices integrated pest management strategies to reduce pesticide reliance.
“The goal is to leave the farm better off than how we found it,” Muller said.
From field to can in five hours
Located in Woodland, California, M Three Ranches lies less than 10 miles from Pacific Coast Producers’ processing plant. In fact, 96% of the processor’s conventional tomatoes are harvested within a 17-mile radius.
Harvested tomatoes move directly to the factory, completing the journey from field to can in about five hours. Loads are inspected, rinsed, steam peeled, sorted, and then processed into a wide range of products such as diced tomatoes, sauces, juice, ketchup and marinara.
Energy efficiency and climate investment
In 2019, the California Energy Commission awarded Pacific Coast Producers a $5.7 million grant through the Food Production Investment Program. The grant funded the installation of advanced evaporation technology at the Woodland plant.
Tomatoes are 95% water and 5% solids and sugars. Converting juice to paste requires removing 80% of the water. The new evaporator uses mechanical vapor recompression technology to recycle steam back into the process.
Chris Ward, plant manager, called the system a game-changer. “We’re basically using steam to create one-third of our energy load before we start the heating process.”
The technology cut fossil fuel use, reduced water consumption, and turned exhaust from the peeling process into usable steam. According to a California Climate Investments report, it saves more than 70,000 kilowatt-hours and over $1 million annually while avoiding more than 8,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.
The system also enables reuse of tomato peel, which traditional lye-based peeling made unsafe. Steam peeling retains better texture and color while boosting yield.
“We actually used to be able 65 cases per ton, and now we’re producing, on average, 74 cases per ton,” Ward said.
Packaging and waste reduction
After peeling and sorting, tomatoes are packed into cans ranging from 6 to 105 ounces. Some products use plastic packaging, which the company works to improve with recycled materials.
“We’re figuring out how to use plastic with 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material,” said Andy Russick, vice president of sales and marketing. “Manufacturers weren’t giving us a product that held up, but we believe we could eventually use up to 90% PCR in our plastic.
Sustaining the future
Once canned, tomatoes are sealed in pressure cookers that lock in nutrients while reducing fossil fuel reliance. The products then move to a distribution center for labeling, casing and shipping.
From careful water management to waste reduction and renewable energy use, Pacific Coast Producers shows how sustainable practices in vegetable farming can improve efficiency, cut costs, and reduce environmental impact — all while producing high-quality food for consumers.
Written by Melanie Epp, Contributing Writer
