Sustainable Farming
Florida Crystals' commitment to sustainable agriculture is rooted in our heritage in generational family farming. Science and technology guide our Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Precision Agriculture, which ensure we are growing more food to feed a rising population while conserving resources and protecting the environment.
Best Management Practices and Precision Agriculture
Florida Crystals and members of our farming region, the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), developed and implemented high-tech, on-farm Best Management Practices (BMPs) with researchers from the University of Florida to ensure we protect our natural resources. Our BMP program has been nationally recognized for its effectiveness in environmental preservation.
Before we plant, we use GPS and satellite technology to laser level our farms. Ensuring they are completely flat means we can retain water and soil where they are meant to be. We also take more than 35 soil samples of each farm before we plant and send them to independent laboratories. From the results, we know exactly what nutrients the soil needs for our crops to grow and where they are needed. By rotating crops, like sugarcane, sweet corn and rice, we keep our soil vital and help maintain a balance on our farms. Our practices include a variety a ways to protect soil and water.
Our Precision Agriculture program uses advancements in technology to grow crops efficiently and conserve resources. Our tractors and harvesters are equipped with GPS technology that keep the equipment on precise lines through auto-guidance. GPS guidance ensures that, at the start, we create perfectly straight furrows where our crops will be planted. All the farm equipment that follows will know exactly where our crops are planted. This means we can apply their food precisely at the roots and when it's time to harvest, we know exactly where to cut.