Sweet Green Fields, LLC, a Bellingham, Wash.-based global producer of stevia extracts, recently announced that it plans to expand its stevia crop in the southeastern United States. Based on the crop’s performance during the 2012 growing season, along with the support the company received following its introduction to the region, Sweet Green Fields is committed to expanding its grower base and working with its partners to bolster its supply of American-grown, high-purity stevia extracts.
In 2012, Sweet Green Fields worked with grower partners in Georgia and North Carolina to produce the first commercial stevia crops in Southeast. With the support of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, along with the Colleges of Agriculture from land grant universities in both states, Sweet Green Fields is committed to supporting economic development in agribusiness communities that have been negatively impacted by a changing crop landscape and reduced opportunities.