With the Christmas season approaching, CEO Charles Kosmont and President and COO Nick Bavaro of Rocket Farms, a U.S.-based grower of indoor flowers, fresh cut herbs and potted edibles in the United States, tell Digital Journal that it is time to debunk certain truths we have about the foods we serve to our family.
In describing these key factors, Kosmont and Bavaro state:
The Truth About the Foods on our Table
According to Kosmont: “Fresh herbs are the prime component of many recipes, especially surrounding the holiday season. As we gather for the holidays, it is more important than ever to understand the herbs, produce and foods that are on our table, including misconceptions about safety standards and protocols.”
The FDA inspects all foods imported from outside the United States
Bavaro looks at food safety, finding: “Less than 2 percent of imported food products are inspected by the FDA. It is estimated that 15 percent of U.S. food supply is imported.”
Bavaro looks at the controls in place, starting with: “Safety standards and protocols are the same for plants grown outside of the United States.”
He then adds that: “Growing standards vary from country to country, and standards are not as high outside of the United States. Food safety is paramount, and consumers should understand the practices and protocols of the product, no matter from where it is coming. Imported products need to be held to the same high standards as those products grown in the United States. Consumers need to feel secure about what they put into their bodies and feed to their children and families.”
The edible foods and herbs in our grocery stores come from the same places in the United States year-round
Kosmont expands on this issue, noting: “With any given commodity that we grow, the origins of our food are quite diversified month-by-month and year-by-year. Even in more temperate climates like parts of California, certain products do not grow there all year, so they need to be imported from outside the country. Some farmers migrate from California to Arizona to plant and harvest in Winter. Imports happen as far down as South America or as close as across the border into Mexico and everywhere in between.”
Most crops are grown outdoors (outdoors vs. indoors)
Bavaro considers optimal growing conditions: “Many herbs and plants are grown outdoors, but many farmers believe in a controlled environment for agriculture, which is inside full natural sun greenhouses. The two types of controlled environment are indoor using natural sun and indoor using artificial light, like LEDs. For example, herbs thrive indoors when they are designed and bred to flourish in an indoor environment.”
It takes a lot of water to grow our food
Kosmont reviews the U.S. food growing process, finding: “Especially in 2021 compared to even 10 years ago, farmers are incredibly efficient, now using one-third to one-half less water while also growing significantly more, better-quality food. With the possibility of drought, lower water levels and increasingly extreme weather conditions, conservation is top of mind for farmers, who have pivoted to improved practices.”
Furthermore, v finds: “Growers are also making capital investments in new watering technologies and processes, including capturing all runoff and reusing the water from their greenhouses. “Deficit irrigation,” drip irrigation, water recirculation systems, water catchment systems, as well as state-of-the-art, large-capacity filtration systems are saving millions of gallons of clean water, which is producing safe, quality food.”
