As part of his third #BackToOurRoots RV tour, Secretary Perdue witnessed Mastronardi's high tech operation firsthand with a tour of their state of the art greenhouse. Alongside Perdue and his wife Mary was a team of governmental officials, including US House of Representative Tim Walberg, USDA Rural Development Michigan Director Jason Allen, USDA Farm Service Agency Executive Director Joel Johnson, and Michigan Farm Bureau Representatives Jennifer Lewis and Brian AcMoody.
“We are honored to have Secretary Perdue at our Michigan facility,” said CEO Paul Mastronardi. “Being able to see our growing methods and technologies, our strict food safety policies, and more importantly, the socio-economic impact our company has in the agriculture sector is incredibly important to us. We are humbled to have such an influential leader include Mastronardi Produce in his tour.”
Concluding the visit, Secretary Perdue joined Mastronardi Produce in a discussion to answer questions, hear ideas and provide insight into issues addressed by the agricultural community such as economic development, food security, and food safety. “Being able to meet with Paul, an industry leader who launched the produce industry’s first 100% traceability program, was a wonderful opportunity for me and a great addition to our tour,” said Perdue. “I got to taste a lot of their tomatoes and peppers and they have great product.”
Indoor farming
Earlier that day, the Secretary visited CELL, the Controlled-Environment Lighting Laboratory: a research facility at Michigan State University where it's all about lighting research for indoor farming.
Department chair Dr. Vance Baird and students were present to meet with the Secretary. In addition to these visits, Perdue also toured the lab of Mary Hausbeck, a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences. Hausbeck manages crop disease issues for Michigan’s vegetable and greenhouse ornamental industries, sharing her research findings with growers throughout the state.
Photos courtesy of Michigan State University
Tour at CELL
William Meng, PhD candidate in Horticulture, was present to tell the Secretary all about CELL - see also this video posted by the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources on Twitter. And judging by the Agriculture Secretary's reaction, the visit was successful: