Jeffrey Pearl – Nourse Farms

Jeff Pearl did not come to agriculture by design. He arrived through opportunity, timing, and a willingness to step into something unfamiliar. Today, as facilities director for Nourse Farms, he is helping guide one of the most ambitious infrastructure expansion efforts in the U.S. berry propagation industry. His work sits at the intersection of construction, technology, sustainability, and people, all in service of a company that has quietly shaped how small fruit plants are grown and distributed for nearly a century.

Nourse Farms has long been known for producing premium strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry plants for customers ranging from home gardeners to large commercial growers. Founded in Massachusetts and still family owned, the company has built its reputation on consistency, plant health, and trust. In recent years, it has also committed itself to a bold phase of growth, investing heavily in facilities, automation, and systems that will define the next generation of berry propagation. Pearl has become a central figure in turning that vision into reality.

Stepping into a new world

Pearl joined Nourse Farms with no background in agriculture, and he is the first to acknowledge it. His professional roots are in construction and facilities development, not plant science. That difference turned out to be exactly what the organization needed. Nourse already had deep institutional knowledge about growing some of the best berry plants in the world. What it lacked was dedicated leadership focused on building and maintaining the infrastructure required to scale that expertise across multiple states and increasingly complex operations.

“I fell into this company,” Pearl says.

That humility is characteristic of how he talks about his role, but it understates the impact he has had. When Pearl arrived, Nourse Farms was already thinking bigger, but the pace accelerated quickly. Over roughly two years, the company undertook what amounts to five years’ worth of capital improvements. In total, nearly $100 million has been invested in infrastructure since Pearl came on board. Those projects span multiple states, involve cutting-edge automation, and require tight coordination between construction timelines and biological realities.

In agriculture, facilities do not exist in a vacuum. Plants grow on their own schedules, regardless of construction delays or supply chain issues. Pearl quickly learned that success in this environment requires flexibility, urgency, and respect for the living systems at the heart of the business.

“In the ag business, plants are growing. They are not waiting for your deadlines,” he says.

That mindset has shaped how Pearl approaches his work. His job is not simply to build buildings. It is to create environments that support plant health, operational efficiency, and long-term scalability. That means listening closely to growers, understanding how systems interact, and making decisions that balance speed with precision.

Building for scale & speed

The most visible outcomes of Pearl’s leadership are the major facilities projects now coming online for Nourse Farms. Chief among them is a $25 million facility in Massachusetts and the acquisition of a 15-acre greenhouse operation near Asheville, North Carolina. Together, these sites represent a leap forward in how berry plants are propagated in the United States.

The North Carolina greenhouse includes a state-of-the-art culture lab and uses a hoist-and-gutter growing system that efficiently grows plants while optimizing space, labor, and water use. The Massachusetts facility, which is nearing full operational status, features a fully automated moving table system. In both locations, automation plays a central role, not as a novelty but as a practical tool for consistency and scalability.

Nourse Farms is the first company in the U.S., and possibly the world, to implement a fully automated tray field system. The system allows plants to move through the propagation process with minimal manual handling, reducing labor strain while improving uniformity and quality. For Pearl, these technologies are not about replacing people. They are about enabling people to do their jobs better and positioning the company to meet growing demand.

The Massachusetts facility also includes a high-tech lab where plants begin as tissue culture samples before moving into full-scale propagation. This integration of lab science with automated growing systems represents a significant shift in how berry plants are produced domestically. It shortens timelines, improves disease control, and gives Nourse Farms greater control over quality from the very first stage of growth.

Pearl’s construction background has been essential in coordinating these efforts. He brings an understanding of sequencing, contractor management, and systems integration that complements the agricultural expertise already within the organization. His role bridges worlds that do not always speak the same language.

“They had people who could grow the finest strawberries in the world,” he says. “What they needed was someone who could build the facilities to support that.”

Sustainability as infrastructure

One of the defining features of Nourse Farms’ recent investments is how closely sustainability is woven into infrastructure decisions. For Pearl, environmental stewardship is not a marketing initiative. It is an operational imperative.

A flagship example is the $5.5 million rainwater catchment pond installed to support greenhouse and hoop tunnel operations. All water from these structures is captured and directed into the pond, where it is treated through a series of UV and ECA injection systems. The cleaned water is then reused for irrigation. Groundwater is also captured and recycled back into the system.

The scale of this effort matters because of how often berry plants must be watered. By capturing and reusing water, Nourse Farms reduces its reliance on external sources, lowers operating costs, and gains tighter control over water quality. That control is critical in producing clean plants that meet rigorous industry standards.

This approach reinforces a reputation the company has built over decades. Nourse Farms is known for plant quality, and investments like these demonstrate that systems, not just expertise support quality. Clean water, clean facilities, and controlled environments all contribute to healthier plants and more predictable outcomes for customers.

For Pearl, these projects are also about resilience. Climate variability, regulatory pressures, and resource constraints are realities facing agriculture everywhere. Infrastructure that conserves water and improves efficiency helps insulate the business from those uncertainties while aligning with broader environmental goals.

Leadership rooted in trust

Despite the scale and complexity of his work, Pearl remains notably grounded. Colleagues and partners describe him as approachable, gregarious, and easy to talk to. That demeanor has helped him build trust across teams and disciplines, especially in an organization where collaboration is essential.

Teamwork is a core value at Nourse Farms, and Pearl’s role depends on it. Facilities decisions affect growers, lab technicians, logistics teams, and leadership. Pearl spends significant time listening, asking questions, and translating needs into actionable plans. That collaborative approach has been critical as the company expands across state lines and integrates new technologies.

Outside of work, Pearl’s priorities are clear. Much of his free time revolves around his daughters. He has twin daughters in college and a 14-year-old daughter, all of whom are active athletes. He is also an avid golfer, enjoys riding his motorcycle, and spends time at a condo just south of Portland, Maine, a place he has grown particularly fond of.

The past year and a half has also been personally challenging. Pearl’s wife has been battling breast cancer during much of his tenure at Nourse Farms. He speaks openly about how difficult that period has been and how meaningful the company’s support has been.

“If anything, it reinforced that I made the right decision coming here,” he says

That sense of gratitude and loyalty shows up in how Pearl approaches leadership. He understands that work and life are deeply connected, and that organizational culture matters most when people are under pressure. His experience has strengthened his commitment to creating environments where people can succeed professionally while being supported personally.

As Nourse Farms moves into its next chapter, Pearl remains focused on execution and continuous improvement. The facilities coming online today are not endpoints. They are platforms for future innovation. With automation, sustainable systems, and a collaborative team in place, the company is well-positioned to continue leading the berry propagation industry.

For Pearl, the work is both demanding and rewarding. It requires balancing biology and construction, speed and precision, ambition and humility. It also offers the satisfaction of building something lasting.

Pearl is a leader more interested in results than recognition. In helping Nourse Farms scale responsibly and sustainably, Pearl is shaping not just buildings, but the future of how food plants are grown and delivered.