First of all, thank you for your time in this this process. You all do not have to respond, nor do I expect you too. I am lost for words, heartbroken, and disappointed. Like many, I spent quite a bit of time pouring my heart and soul into ways to save the American farming industry. I built a box, a plan, and a roadmap poised to feed as many people as I can and grow something I felt this world needed. While I can type forever on this, I am speechless as an advocate and voice for this industry. In a city of 8 million, how can awarding one company all of something benefit the industry as a whole? Am I pleading my case in a way yes because I know that people know brands such as mine could produce and execute this program, but I am more confused about the industry? In Houston, weeks ago, I went outside the box to start helping banks. I saw the banks trapped with products, shippers dumping products, and people needing assistance. This gave me the idea to begin offering assistance in packing boxes to help the banks here.
I have money, and this wasn’t about the money it was about keeping the supply chain moving, the employees In our industry working and finding a future in farming that eliminates waste, thus reaching more people in need. This was a way to jolt life into an industry that hasn’t stopped working since COVID struck. This gave us hope that we can all work together in order to unite farmers and those who needed assistance. Again, I think you all for the time in this as I know it wasn’t easy. I’m not angry but just disappointed because this will, in the end, create more havoc and divide within our industry than help. We have struggled through romaine fiasco’s, and other recall just to survive in a beat-up sector. I hope you all think hard about an approved list of suppliers in this rather than set awards because it will give you all and this industry more hope. Some of these awards are bigger revenue than the actual companies have. I’ll leave you with the article below, and I hope you will find time to google some of my work in this industry. I would like you to see what I have done in an industry that has needed to go outside the box.
Brent Erenwert
Produce Industry Activist