Petitti Family Farms opens new Red Mill propagation facility

Petitti Family Farms announced the opening of its new Red Mill propagation facility, which it said represents a major investment in automation and sustainable growing systems designed to strengthen internal production.

"By integrating advanced robotics, precision soil-mixing and next-generation plug technology, Red Mill will improve liner quality while enabling crops to finish faster and more uniform across the company’s growing divisions," the company said in a news release.

The Red Mill facility is located on a 22-acre site in Lake County, Ohio, with approximately 4 acres currently developed to house advanced propagation systems and infrastructure and with significant room for future expansion.

"Red Mill positions Petitti Family Farms to improve internal liner supply and accelerate uniform crop production while improving our ability to meet increasing demand across more than 4,000 acres of nursery operations," the company added.

The facility features robotics, sustainable substrates, automated soil mixing and precision irrigation systems.

"Red Mill is about strengthening our foundation," said Petitti Family Farms President Joe Allio. "By improving our own liners, we’re able to grow better crops, finish them faster, and operate more efficiently across all of our farms."

The company said that robotics, sustainable media and controlled environments lead to stronger, more uniform liners, while improved liner quality allows plants to establish quickly and finish faster in containers and field production. Consistent propagation inputs also drive uniform growth, improving efficiency across the company’s growing operations, the company added.

"This project represents years of planning and partnership with leaders in automation and greenhouse technology," said Petitti Family Farms Chair Angelo Petitti. "Red Mill ensures that our internal production remains competitive, efficient and sustainable well into the future."