A proposed rule from the USDA would increase the assessment rate for Florida citrus for the 2023-24 fiscal year and subsequent years. Comments on the proposal must be received by March 4.
Co-founder Camilo Penalosa will step away from the company's daily operations Jan. 31, and a new vice president of sales and marketing will assume Penalosa's former customer responsibilities.
A University of Florida scientist has published a milestone study in the journal Insects that provides new products that can be used to battle invasive thrips parvispinus.
Picking for most growers in the Sunshine State got underway in early to mid-November, and supplies were slowly but surely picking up throughout December.
Print, digital and retail promotions such as grocery cart ads, weekly circulars, social media campaigns, shoppable ads and more will be used to spread the word about the Sunshine State’s juicy red strawberries.
If you’re buying Florida strawberries, chances are they’re one of three varieties developed by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
The Florida company is best known for sourcing tropical and exotic fruits and vegetables such as plantains, yellow yams, yuca, avocados and dragon fruit.
It’s not easy being a tomato farmer in Florida, but even as their numbers dwindle, enough die-hard farmers remain to earn Florida the No. 1 ranking for the value of fresh-market tomatoes in the U.S.
The Florida Strawberry Growers Association will aim to entice consumers with the rallying cry, "Love Florida Strawberries!" as part of its marketing initiatives for the 2023-24 winter strawberry season.
Florida locations of Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets Inc. will participate in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Fresh From Florida program during the coming year.
The state's 2023-24 tomato acreage should be similar to last season’s, but volume should be up because Hurricane Ian put a damper on production last year, said Michael Schadler of the Florida Tomato Exchange.
A study recently cited by the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas is designed to “distract from Mexico’s record of dumping tomatoes,” the Florida Tomato Exchange says.
A preliminary University of Florida report assessing agricultural damages and losses from Hurricane Idalia estimates that 3.3 million acres of ag land were affected, along with a $392 million loss in production value.
"The Produce Industry Podcast" has set its sights on an in-person networking event aboard a cruise touring Tampa Bay, Fla., at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure 2024 event.
Sanctions include barring the business and the principal operators of the business from engaging in Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act-licensed business or other activities without approval from the USDA.
The USDA says Florida citrus producers voted to amend the federal marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in the state.
Invaio Sciences says the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has approved its application technology that aims to suppress citrus greening in oranges.
The Southwest Florida grower-distributor says it has given away over 14,000 backpacks and essential school supplies to the Immokalee community over the past 13 years.
After an investigation into the death of a worker in Parkland, Fla., OSHA has cited a labor contractor for a serious violation for exposing workers to hazards associated with heat while working in direct sun.
Weather has had an impact, said Anita Fernandez, manager of the Avocado Administrative Committee, but the 2023-24 season outlook for Florida avocados is still good.
Bigger volumes of Florida mangoes are expected this summer from Miami-based Seasons Farm Fresh Inc. The firm’s Florida mango shipments began in May and will be strong this summer, said Gabe Bernal, vice president.
A delegation of Chilean representatives recently visited Immokalee, Fla., to meet with growers, buyers, farmworkers and U.S. government officials to discuss the possible expansion of the Fair Food Program in Chile.
The USDA has announced that WWD Fruits LLC, doing business as B Fruits, satisfied a $60,725 reparation order issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act involving unpaid produce transactions.
HBO TV show "Last Week Tonight" with John Oliver recently highlighted some of the challenges faced by farmworkers, suggesting the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Fair Food Program as one solution to combat exploitation.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides the Fresh From Florida-branded bins to retail partners, and they can be used as endcaps or stand-alone floor displays.
Customers and consumers alike are demanding suppliers to grow, pack and ship sustainably, and for many of the state’s producers, sustainability is nothing new.
Some Florida spring produce items are getting off to a slower start than usual, but grower-shippers expect volume to pick up quickly and say quality should be top notch.
Economists have confirmed that Florida citrus crops sustained the most extensive hurricane damages, estimated at over $247 million, in a study of Hurricane Ian's impacts to Florida agriculture.
The USDA will conduct a referendum April 3-May 1 on proposed amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida.
Doral, Fla.-based PJ Citrus continues to grow its business with a variety of citrus options and a focus on customer service, says Julyann Borges, president.
Florida citrus production was staggered by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole last fall, but those setbacks are temporary, says Steven Callaham, CEO of Dundee Citrus Growers Association.
The integrated citrus company is purchasing Vero Beach, Fla.-based J&J Fresh Produce assets, which includes 1,000 acres of farmland and a 185,000-square-foot cold storage and packaging facility.
Florida strawberry production for Wish Farms should see an increase in volume for 2022-23, says Nick Wishnatzki, public relations manager for the Plant City, Fla.-based grower-shipper.
Florida strawberries are expected to show increasing volume for Christmas and New Year celebrations, says Sue Harrell, marketing director for the Florida Strawberry Growers Association.