Latest News From Amelia Freidline

My first Fresh Summit experience was in 2008 in Orlando, Fla. I had graduated from college five months before, joined The Packer six weeks before, and spent my 21st birthday working on our annual Fresh Summit preview.

Mission Produce's third quarter report shows a 22% increase in its International Farming segment revenue over last year, with higher total revenue and avocado volume sold.

Do you know someone who has done significant work to further the fresh produce industry's marketing efforts? Then nominate them for The Packer's 2021 Produce Marketer of the Year award!

The apple season is underway, and we want to hear from you, Washington apple growers and marketers, about your expectations for this year's crop.

Gabe Bernal of Miami-based Seasons Farm Fresh said the biggest adjustment the company has made from last year to this year is a shift from wholesalers to retailers.

The Packer's Sept. 6 issue includes special coverage of the Northwest pear deal, and we want to hear from you, growers and marketers.

Prices for zucchini around the nation ranged from 88 cents to $1.99 per pound on July 21, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

Cucumbers and beans maintained their No. 1 and No. 2 spots on Produce Market Guide last week, with yellow plums rising three places to No. 3.

Prices for yellow-flesh nectarines around the nation ranges from 99 cents to $2.99 per pound on July 14, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

There were more shake-ups on PMG the second week of July, with cucumbers moving up to No. 1 and beans climbing from No. 6 the previous week to No. 2.

Prices for red or black plums around the nation ranged from 97 cents to $2.99 per pound on July 7, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

The first week of July brought a lot of shuffling of the top 20 produce items on Produce Market Guide, with some summertime specialties joining the ranks of standard favorites.

Prices for cauliflower around the nation ranged from $2.39 to $4.99 each on June 30, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

Although things weren't all red, white and blue on PMG in the week leading up to the July Fourth holiday, seasonal favorites still stacked the top 20.

Prices for strawberries around the nation ranged from 98 cents to $6.99 per 1-pound clamshell on June 23, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

Prices for cantaloupe around the nation ranged from $1.48 to $4.99 each on June 16, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

The PMG top 20 was stacked with summertime favorites in mid-June, with berries taking three of the top five spots.

For the past couple of weeks a certain specialty has been topping the charts on PMG — namely, loquat!

Jacobs Farm del Cabo is introducing paper-based clamshells under its del Cabo brand as an alternative to clamshells made from single-use plastic.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has purchased fresh produce for distribution via food boxes through the Emergency Food Assistance Program and other domestic food assistant programs.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council recently partnered with a TikTok food influencer to create a cookie recipe, and The Packer's Amy Sowder and Amelia Freidline decided they had to try it.

Northwest produce firms Chelan Fresh, Gebbers Farms and Apple House Warehouse & Storage Inc. are helping support families in Pateros, Wash., where childcare is in short supply.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this. I mean, this wiped us out completely,” Uvalde vegetable grower Brandon Laffere said of the devastation wrought on Texas crops by Winter Storm Uri.

There's a new leader on PMG. Blueberries vaulted into the No. 1 spot the week of March 1 after a long stretch out of the top 20 fruits and vegetables.

Brad Wyllie has joined Los Angeles-based JSL Foods Inc. as director of grocery retail sales east.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pharr International Bridge discovered $11.5 million in alleged methamphetamine in a shipment of mixed fresh produce from Mexico.

Strawberries enjoyed a third week in a row at No. 1 on PMG, while pummelos bumped oranges down to take the No. 2 spot, landing oranges at No. 3.

Why is it that we so closely associate Valentine’s Day with strawberries? I mean, sure, the fruit is sweet. It’s beautiful. It’s red. It’s more or less heart-shaped.

Strawberries retained the No. 1 spot on PMG the week of Feb. 1, but apples rose from No. 8 the previous week to take the No. 2 slot.

Pummelos were finally knocked from their weeks-long run at No. 1 when strawberries took the top spot on PMG the week of Jan. 25.

Pummelo, oranges and strawberries carried the top three spots on PMG for the third week in a row, while lettuce rose three places to No. 4, and apples gained four spots to complete the top 5.

Pummelos, oranges and strawberries maintained the top three spots on PMG the week of Jan. 11, but mandarins rose from No. 11 the previous week to No. 4, and cabbage, previously No. 12, moved up to the No. 5 spot.

Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3.

Citrus surged in interest during the last few days of December, taking six of the top 20 spots.

If there’s one thing 2020 has shown us, it’s that expectations can be upended in a second when the unpredictable happens.

Avocados bounced from No. 7 the week of Nov. 30 to take the lead spot on PMG the week of Nov. 7.

Organic pears maintained the top spot on PMG the week of Nov. 30, but citrus showed strong interest overall, taking six of the top 20 spots.

Organic pears, in the PMG top 10 for the past couple of weeks, took over as No. 1 the week of Nov. 9, bumping lettuce to No. 2.

A couple of months ago I wrote about my adventures in growing two of Row 7 Seeds’ vegetables, 898 baby butternut-style squash and Robin’s Koginut mini pumpkins.

The top five fruits and vegetables on PMG saw some dramatic shifts the week of Nov. 9 as lettuce moved up from No. 3 to No. 1, oranges climbed from No. 8 to No. 2, and organic pears moved from No. 6 to No. 3.

Pumpkins regained the top two spots on PMG the week of Oct. 26, leading up to Halloween, while lettuce moved up a couple of places to No. 3.

The top 20 produce items on PMG shuffled a bit the week of Oct. 19, with new citrus items joining the list and tropical fruit getting some interest as well.

Fall is in full swing now, and seasonal favorite pumpkins took the top two spots on PMG the week of Oct. 12.

I love butternut squash — especially during the fall and winter when I want to eat cozy comfort foods but stay healthy at the same time.

As the official start to autumn neared fall staples took more spots among the PMG top 20, but summer items and year-round favorites still held their own the week of Sept. 7.

While peaches maintained their No. 1 spot on PMG the week of Aug. 24, the rest of the top 20 saw some shuffling as fall items rejoined the list.

Cucumbers took back the top spot on PMG the week of Aug. 10, knocking sweet onions to No. 2.

Sweet onions unseated cucumbers as No. 1 on PMG the week of Aug. 10, climbing from No. 10 the previous week, and bulb onions took No. 2.

Cucumbers held on to No. 1 on PMG the week of July 20, but yellow plums vaulted into the No. 2 spot, bumping beans to No. 3 and okra to No. 4.

Cucumbers, beans, okra and peaches held onto the top four spots on PMG the week of July 13, and yellow plums moved up two places to complete the top 5.