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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 28, 2005 Jayani Atkins and Mariah, 5 months, of Ashland, shop for organic produce at the Blue Fox Farm stand at the Ashland Grower�s Market on Wednesday. Local growers could get a slice of the vegetarian pie when Amy�s Kitchen opens up shop in the Rogue Valley. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Amy’s Kitchen pledges to use locally grown produce By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The nation’s leading natural frozen-food brand — Amy’s Kitchen — plans to harvest ingredients from local growers when its White City plant opens next year. Owner Andy Berliner said the company already buys organically grown produce from Oregon. "We’ll buy more and more from Oregon because of the great savings," he said in a telephone interview from Santa Rosa, Calif., Wednesday, adding that small and large farms alike will be considered. Local farmers at the Ashland growers market are hopeful about their prospects. Advertisement "It’s definitely been the hubbub around here," said Chris Jagger who, with his wife, Melanie Kuegler, owns Blue Fox Farm, an organic farm in the Applegate. He said Blue Fox is a small farm, and they don’t have the quantity required for large production, but he’d sure like to be in on the conversations. Medford’s City Council is scheduled to finalize the sale of 50 acres to Amy’s Kitchen today just before the noon council study session in Room 151, Lausmann Annex, 200 S. Ivy St., Medford. Berliner said that when groundbreaking for the new plant begins next month, the company’s agricultural manager will start talking to local growers. Berliner said it’s too soon to say what the specific needs are, but they will be talking even with the smaller farms about supplies. The company already deals in large shipments from Oregon, such as a million and a half pounds of onions from Ontario and 300,000 pounds of corn from Albany per year. From frozen lasagna and pizzas to soups and salsas, Amy’s Kitchen products are found in markets around the globe, including Canada, England and Mexico, said Berliner. Berliner started the company in 1987 with his wife, Rachel. Named for daughter Amy, the company was born when they had trouble finding convenient, tasty vegetarian food. Vince Alionis of Whistling Duck Farm in Shady Cove said the price would have to be right for a small farm like his. "For us to sell to a processor, that’s like the lowest tier of income," he said. "We’re little guys," said Alionis, adding that he grows seven acres of vegetables. "There’s no way the people of this valley can punch it out like the big guys," he said. But as far as Amy’s coming to town, he said it’s a positive thing for the community. "It’s the best thing that’s happened in the Rogue Valley in a long time," he said. Expansion plans include two 100,000-square-foot buildings near the intersection of Antelope and Kirtland roads in White City. S&B James Construction Co. will build the plant. Berliner said plans include a demonstration organic farm on the site. Also, they will use environmentally sensitive building products, such as oat or sunflower laminate for the cabinets, and reused wood for the building. They’re also designing an outdoor employee lunch area that looks out at the nearby Table Rocks. "It’ll be fun," he said. He said operations are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2006. The company expects to employ 200 to 300 people at first, then up to 1,000 when the project is fully developed. Steve Fry of Fry Family Farms in Talent said "absolutely" he’d be interested in selling produce to Amy’s, even if it wasn’t mass quantities. "Ten acres of basil, whatever," he said. Fry, who grows several varieties of produce, including winter squash, melons and lettuce on 70 acres, said he’s excited about the business coming to town. "It definitely opens up more ground to organic farming, which is always a good thing." Annie Hoy, outreach and owner service manager with Ashland Food Co-op, said if Amy’s can connect with local farmers, it would lead to changes in the region. "I think it would be a shot in the arm for local agriculture," she said, adding that it could "encourage some of the conventional farmers to switch to organic. "To have a more vibrant organic farming community would be just great for the Rogue Valley." Ryan Navickas, who owns UR (Upper Rogue) Organic in Prospect with his brother, Eric, said there are all kinds of possible benefits to the area, even if their farm doesn’t become one of the suppliers. "If they have a lot of vegetable scrap, we’d like it for compost," he said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail Amy�s Kitchen pledges to use locally grown produce ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. 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