VO-LaSalle Farms, Inc.: the CUPS decision

Research methodology The case was based on primary research augmented by published materials about the citrus industry in Florida and the United States. The authors contacted Steven Crump during one of their trips to purchase vegetables at the farm. The authors set up an initial meeting on the company’s premises to interview Steven and take a tour of the farm, including the CUPS acreage. The authors followed up with two additional meetings with Steven, one at the farm and one at the Volusia County Farm Bureau, to gather the needed data. In addition, the authors had several email exchanges with Steven. The secondary sources used are cited as endnotes in the case. The case has not yet been tested in a classroom. Case overview/synopsis Steven Crump is a fourth-generation president of Vo-LaSalle Farms, Inc., located in DeLeon Springs, Florida. The farm historically has focused mainly on citrus production. However, in the last few years, due to the rise of citrus greening, Steven has expanded the crops to “you-pick” vegetables as well as an increased focus on the farm’s retail business. To combat citrus greening, Steven experimented with a new method of growing citrus under a protective screen (CUPS) on two and a half acres of the farm. He found that the farm’s citrus production increased along with the price per box for citrus grown using CUPS. However, there were risks involved with CUPS, namely, the high cost of building the infrastructure needed and the increasing number of severe weather events in Florida that could damage or destroy the infrastructure. With his mother’s retirement and son’s desire to enter the family business, Steven felt a sense of urgency and purpose to expand the use of CUPS to increase the amount and quality of the farm’s citrus production. However, Steven’s wife pointed to two other options: either forgo investing in CUPS due to the potential risk or delay the CUPS investment until the family’s Illinois farm began earning revenues from a recent solar farm agreement. Steven had to make a decision quickly, given that he would need to start work on CUPS prior to the start of the June 1st hurricane season. Complexity academic level The main focus of this case is sustainability in terms of the environment, citrus production in Florida and smaller family farms. The case requires students to incorporate and the sustainability perspective into a strategic decision on the part of the decision maker. Thus, this case is intended for an undergraduate course in business and society, a senior-level undergraduate or a first-year graduate course in sustainability management.