Bravo! G&R Farms brings national sustainability award home to Georgia

G&R Farms, a third-generation Vidalia and Peruvian sweet onion grower in southeast Georgia, was named a 2025 Sustainability in the Food Industry Award winner by The Shelby Report. The farm was recognized for its leadership in precision agriculture, resource conservation and responsible farming innovation.

“Sustainability isn’t a program for us, it’s a responsibility,” said Blake Dasher, CEO, G&R Farms. “Every decision we make reflects our belief that great farming protects both people and the land. This award affirms the work our team puts in every day to make a difference.”

G&R Farms earned the honor through initiatives that reduced its planted acreage by 160 acres while increasing density by 20%, saving more than 21 million gallons of water and cutting fertilizer use by 15% through precision application. These advancements improved quality and boosted yields while significantly lowering environmental impact.

“We’re proving that smarter farming leads to higher quality onions and a healthier environment,” said Cliff Riner, VP of ag production and grower relations. “We’ve drastically cut our fertilizer rates and are still assessing further reductions. We’re setting new standards for what sustainable sweet onion production can look like.”

More on a strong 2025 at G&R Farms:

• The 2025 Vidalia season delivered strong results. Despite a challenging 2024 hurricane season, proactive planning and carefully timed replanting ensured excellent quality and consistent volume throughout the Vidalia season.
• The year marked the 10th anniversary of Growing America’s Farmers (GAF), G&R Farm’s flagship charitable program dedicated to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders through grants and scholarships. With more than $35,000 raised through retail promotions during the 2025 Vidalia season, the program’s total impact is nearly $500,000 since it began.
• The company’s Peruvian sweet onion crop showed exceptional consistency in sweetness, texture and appearance. Ample supply is supporting both retail and club customers this holiday season.

You can read about all of the Sustainability in the Food Industry honorees – which include Dole and Harris Teeter – via the embedded PDF viewer below:

About G&R Farms
As a third-generation family farm, G&R Farms began in Southeast Georgia with a small farm in 1945. Today, the organization has grown to over 5,000 acres encompassing several crops with a focus on sweet onions. G&R Farms has been growing, packing, marketing and shipping sweet onions for nearly seven decades.