Florida Crystals Crop Rotation – Replenishing Our Soil Naturally

On our family-owned farms, we use a mix of modern technology and traditional farming techniques to craft cane sugars and organic raw cane sugars in a way that’s sustainable for the environment. Here, we’ll shed some light on one of the most fundamental practices we follow to sustainably grow pure sweetness you can feel good about with every bite.

What is Crop Rotation?

Crop rotation dates back to the Middle Ages and consists of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land through different growing seasons. A basic rotation consists of regularly revolving two to four seasonal crops. At Florida Crystals, we rotate our sugarcane farms with rice, sweet corn and other vegetables, as one of the many Best Management Practices (BMPs) we follow to conserve resources.

What are the Benefits of Crop Rotation?

Crop rotation plays an essential role in conserving our soil, and it allows us to provide an abundance of food staples to our local communities. Rotating our sugarcane with rice provides particular environmental benefits. Our farms are flooded for up to 80 days of our rice crop's 120-day growing cycle. While underwater, our soil isn’t exposed to air, so it doesn’t break down. This process also eliminates weeds and pests naturally.

On the rich soil that follows our rice rotation, we grow our sugarcane and a number of vegetables, including sweet corn, green beans and radish as well as other cover crops. We are fortunate to farm in one of the most productive farming basins in the nation, ranked #1 not only in sugarcane, but also in winter vegetables. Food grown in South Florida plays a significant role in contributing to our nation’s food supply.