FLORIDA CRYSTALS' BARN OWLS THRIVING THANKS TO MORE NESTING BOXES ON ITS SOUTH FLORIDA FARMS

Florida Crystals' barn owl census reveals more winged predators are nesting on its sugarcane and rice farms after growing its innovative network to more than 2,000 boxes as part of its regenerative agriculture program.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Crystals Corporation, owner of the largest Regenerative Organic Certified® farmland in America, announces barn owls continue to nest at a high rate on its farms after a major expansion to its barn owl box program, according the sugarcane company's barn owl census.

Florida Crystals' barn owl box network – the largest private network in the world – is part of its regenerative agriculture program to naturally protect crops on its South Florida farms and increase biodiversity. Florida Crystals inspects its barn owl boxes at the start of each nesting season, beginning in September. The census includes the number of adult owls, owlets and eggs.

"We have twice as many boxes on our farms this year, and we still achieved the same high average nesting rate as last year, which is amazing," said Dr. Moramay Naranjo, Florida Crystals' Principal Research Scientist and expert in crop protection. "We want to attract even more owls to our farms to benefit from their tremendous hunting abilities, as part of our natural rodent control program. Our barn owls are especially important in protecting our Regenerative Organic Certified® farms, so we are thrilled with these results."

Florida Crystals grew its owl program from 850 boxes to 2,035 boxes last year. This year's census includes all 350 boxes on Florida Crystals' Regenerative Organic Certified® farms and every other box on the rest of its farms. In the first month of nesting season, barn owls had already made homes in half of the 1,003 boxes inspected. The census recorded more than 1,280 adults, owlets and eggs, which is higher than last year's results.

"We are incredibly excited about our census and are confident the same results hold true in all our more than 2,000 boxes," added Naranjo.

Florida Crystals is proud to be the exclusive grower of Regenerative Organic Certified® sugars in the U.S. Florida Crystals® Regenerative Organic Certified® raw cane sugars - widely available at major retailers, including Publix, Kroger and Walmart - bring top-quality sweetness to its consumers while making a positive impact on the world.

About Florida Crystals Corporation
Florida Crystals Corporation is a fully integrated cane sugar company. Florida Crystals regeneratively farms sugarcane, rice and vegetables on more than 190,000 acres in South Florida, where it also owns two sugar mills, a sugar refinery, a packaging and distribution center, Florida's only rice mill and one of the largest renewable energy plants  of its kind in the U.S., which uses sugarcane fiber to generate eco-friendly energy that powers its sugar operations. Florida Crystals is Florida's largest organic farmer and the only producer of Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC®) sugar that is grown and milled in the U.S., which is offered to consumers through the Florida Crystals® brand. Florida Crystals' organic farm is also the largest ROC® farm in the country. Its subsidiary, ASR Group, jointly owned with Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, is the world's largest cane sugar refining and marketing company and owner of Tellus Products, which makes single-use, compostable tableware products from upcycled sugarcane fiber and other plant fibers. Learn more at www.FloridaCrystalsCorp.com.

*Photos available upon request.

SOURCE Florida Crystals Corporation

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