Today The Greenery announced two new companies who are entitled to carry the sustainability title of ‘Nature Counts’ for the next three years. The cultivation companies Greenco and TW van Noord Tomaten have been awarded the title in recognition of their leading positions in the field of ‘Growing Resistance’.
Growing Resistance
These two companies are frontrunners in the area of Growing Resistance. This is a cultivation method that aims not to derive ‘maximum’ fruit yields. This leaves plants with more strength and energy to grow and makes them less vulnerable to plagues. During the cultivation process a combination of measures is taken. For example, extra attention is devoted to the rooting environment in which the plant grows and beneficial fungi and biostimulants are added to the root system to enable the plant to build strong resistance to tenacious fungi.
Additional sustainable measures are also taken: an intensive scouting programme tracks down emergent insect plagues and diseases; coir mats are used as a cultivation medium and biodegradable crop protection is deployed. This approach creates a strong, resistant plant that produces clean and, above all, tasty fruit.
Jury report
The jury report commends TW van Noord Tomaten and Greenco for indisputably outstripping their competitors in reducing the use of non-biodegradable crop protection agents. They are among the few companies in the Netherlands investing their energies in combating fungal diseases with biodegradables. In combating the use of non-biodegradable fungicides they are achieving a reduction of at least 90%, which means they can both rightly be called frontrunners and pioneers. In addition to undertaking these endeavours in cultivation method, both companies are making significant strides towards running sustainable operations. They are managing energy carefully and reducing their CO2 emissions. Furthermore, both companies are paying close attention to such matters as the reuse of water and staff policy. In these areas, too, they are serving as role models.
Nature Counts
Candidates can be admitted to Nature Counts twice a year. Applications are assessed by a jury of experts who, in their areas of expertise, are actively involved in matters such as crop protection, health, CO2 use and sustainable trade. Growers and cultivation companies who are frontrunners in the field of sustainability may be selected for the initiative. The themes People and Planet play a decisive role in the selection process. Candidates are assessed against the criteria of Energy Consumption, Crop Protection, Nature and landscape, Transparency, Waste, Water and Employees. To join Nature Counts, candidates must score ‘exceptional’ for one of the themes and ‘good’ for the other themes.
Note for editors
Should you have any questions, please contact:
The Greenery, Tim Willaert, Corporate Communication, tel: +31 (0)180 64 87 35.
www.thegreenery.com