In the face of weather risks, labor uncertainties, and food safety pressures, K. W. Zellers & Son, Inc., a prominent vegetable producer in Hartville, Ohio, is transitioning from vegetable to grain production. Historically producing up to a million boxes of fresh vegetables per season for the eastern U.S. retail market, the company cites an aging ownership, among other factors, for its strategic shift. The Zellers family will be focusing on grain crops henceforth while maintaining their greenhouse operations.
Jeff Zellers, the current president, reflects on the farm's evolution from its diverse agricultural practices, including livestock, to its recent specialty in leafy lettuces, radishes, herbs, and green onions over 1,100 acres. The transition towards corn and soybean cultivation marks a clear downsizing due to increased operational challenges. "No matter your opinion on climate change, storms, and weather are in a new violent pattern," Jeff Zellers remarked, acknowledging the adverse impacts on crop yield.
Source: farmanddairy.com