![]() They would have to spend more on labor, potentially cutting into their revenue. These are the kind of jobs, Shelly said, Americans aren't willing to take. If they took the risk and started growing organic soybeans, they would not be able to use herbicides and would instead need to hire laborers to weed the crop. ![]() The Pfeifers said this is the biggest hurdle ahead. ![]() This means the Delta lacks the trained laborers needed for a produce production boom. The Pfeifers said they're open to the project, especially if it could invigorate their community, but Richard said folks in the community are particularly skeptical about labor ramifications.įruits and vegetables are mostly hand-picked, making them very different from row crops which are largely harvested mechanically. Today, they've got 60 acres set aside with which they could experiment but Shelly said it would be difficult to convert land that has been in grass production back to beans. They used to harvest soybeans, but found the returns weren't enough to keep the crops going. Richard and Shelly Pfeifer say they're interested in using less water on their 1,300-acre cattle ranch in Havana, Arkansas, where they grow their own hay. Specialty crops use less water than row crops, a selling point for the project. Shew said rain is most common in the off-production season and groundwater can sometimes run low when farmers need it the most. The summers are more humid, bringing pests and leading farmers to pesticides and herbicides, making it more difficult to grow certified organic produce.Īnd while water in the Delta is much more abundant than in California, it is not limitless. Winters in the region are colder than California, making certain crops, such as almonds, dates and avocados, unviable, said Arkansas State University assistant professor of agriculture business and economics Aaron Shew. "It's better for the environment from many angles around decreasing food loss and food waste and shorter transportation routes, but it is also about food security." "By sourcing from the Delta as well as California - so not instead of, but in addition to - you now have a diversified supply chain," she said. The effort could benefit consumers and farmers, the fund's Director of Innovation Start-Ups Julia Kurnik told CBS News. The region's central location would also mean fresher produce for consumers in nearby regions. food chain more resilient if, for example, wildfire destroyed lettuce crops in California - buyers could rely on lettuce from the Delta. Their conclusion: the region could handle the specialty crops, which included berries, kale, tomatoes and lettuce. Scientists spent approximately two years testing whether 24 types of fruit and produce grown in California could be grown commercially in the Delta. ![]() Some, like watermelon, berries and tomatoes, are already cultivated in the region, but production would need to grow to a commercial scale. Growing produce would mean a shift to specialty crops. The Mid-Mississippi Delta Region - eastern Arkansas, western Tennessee, southeast Missouri and northwest Mississippi - has a rich farming tradition, mostly commodity row crops such as rice, soybeans, and corn. ![]()
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