Latest News From Texas

Following a failed vote in 2020, a producer vote on the future of the South Texas onion marketing order will occur from Sept. 1 to Oct. 3, the USDA reports.

The Texas 1015 Sweet Onion (TX1015) marketing campaign wrapped up the inaugural TX1015 Sweet Onion Restaurant week promotion on May 8.

As the USDA readies another referendum on the future of South Texas onion marketing order, the South Texas Onion Committee has said it is currently seeking producer and handler nominees.

On March 22, the USDA and the Texas Department of Agriculture established a new Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine in Zapata, Zapata County, Texas.

After a successful trial with the Hazel 100 fruit treatment in 2021,  Spicewood, Texas-based The Fredericksburg Peach Co. has committed to the technology for 2022.

A March 31 fire at San Juan, Texas-based Rio Fresh Inc. has significantly damaged a large portion of the company's fresh onion packing facility, according to a news release.

The USDA has announced that LS & CX LLC satisfied a reparation order in the amount of $73,586 issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) involving unpaid produce transactions.

Census Bureau data shows that Texas experienced double-digit value gains in 2021 imports of tomatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, bananas, citrus and melons.

The South Texas Onion Marketing Order isn’t dead yet.

Effective immediately, the USDA is establishing three new quarantine areas and expanding two existing quarantine areas for citrus canker in Cameron County, Texas, to prevent the spread of the disease.

Mission Produce Inc. on Sept. 29 announced the grand opening of its new mega center in Laredo, Texas, in celebration of the Company’s first anniversary of its initial public offering on Oct. 1.

This September, London Fruit of Pharr, Texas, celebrates its 40th year anniversary in business.

The 2020 – 2021 Texas 1015 Sweet Onion (TX1015) marketing campaign has wrapped up for the season.

Brothers Produce, established in Houston in 1985, is proud to announce its expanding its line of cold storage services.

Houston-based nonprofit Brighter Bites received a $40,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, in collaboration with Feeding America, to expand Texas programming.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows from North Dakota to Texas, all the way west to California, the most severe levels of drought didn’t ease across the U.S. this past week. 

“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.

Two weeks after the devastating freeze that hit south Texas, industry experts said the damage the cold caused is coming into sharper focus.

With mid-month freezing cold and extensive crop damage, Texas growers had a rough February.

The Packer's editors Tom Karst, Ashley Nickle and Amy Sowder cover key topics of the week, from foul weather and its effects on Texas citrus and Chilean grapes to developments in the greenhouse growing space.

In what some are calling the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, an extended period of cold weather destroyed some crops in Texas and damaged others in mid-February.

Historic freezing temperatures in Texas in mid-February are expected to hurt yields for many crops, but Dante Galeazzi said it is too early to make any firm conclusions.

Shipments of oranges and grapefruit from Texas should be up slightly this season, according to the November citrus forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Consumers typically turn to citrus to load up on vitamin C during cold and flu season, but this year, suppliers hope they’ll stock up on even more grapefruit, oranges, mandarins and lemons to keep COVID-19 at bay.

A survey of small Texas farms indicates a “significant gap” in food safety protocols and resources, according to a new study from the University of Houston.

Beets, cabbage, greens, herbs, parsley, potatoes, radishes and spinach are some of the produce crops Texas produce suppliers will be shipping in December.

Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce has announced the opening of a new 185,000-square-foot facility in Laredo, Texas near its current distribution center. 

The idea worked the first time, so the Texas International Produce Association is bringing back the Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge.

San Antonio-based value-added produce marketer Fresh From Texas, doing business as Fresh Texas, has purchased the production facility of Austin-based CeCe’s Veggie Noodles.

Multi-million dollar federal contracts have been awarded to three firms to provide fresh produce to military customers and select schools.

Members of the South Texas produce industry joined others at the Pharr International Bridge to kick off the start of the import season, when the volume of trucks crossing the bridge significantly increases.

Students from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are working paid internships alongside Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists, inspecting fresh produce from Mexico.

Construction has begun on a $40 million project to cut wait times for produce and other agricultural goods at a busy Texas port of entry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended application deadlines for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program for farmers and ranchers in Texas and Louisiana affected by Hurricane Laura.

Customs and Border Protection officers in South Texas have made another multi-million seizure of drugs piggy-backing into the U.S. in a commercial load of fresh produce from Mexico, this time avocados.

Irving, Texas-based Apptricity has introduced a new 20-mile ultra long-range bluetooth beacon. 

As virtual conferences become the new norm in 2020, Dallas-based DMA Solutions has new services to help fresh produce brands stand out and attract buyers in this new virtual event space.

Officers stopped a load of produce crossing into the U.S. at Pharr, Texas, and found almost $20 million in meth — bringing the total seizures of the drug at that port to more than $70 million in recent weeks.

Texas citrus growers are assessing the damage to the crop from Hurricane Hanna, but early estimates are 20% to 30% of the fruit was knocked off the trees

Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a load of broccoli containing $16.1 million of methamphetamine as it crossed into Texas.

¡Yo Quiero! Brands, Rhome, Texas, is partnering with the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys.

Maglio McAllen, a division of the Fresh Group Ltd., McAllen, Texas, has added consolidation to its list of services offered to produce distributors nationwide. 

Four Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge participants lost more than a total of 160 pounds in six months.

Texas is taking a big share of Mexican import growth in recent years.

Texas grower shippers are looking forward to a bountiful season for fruit and vegetable crops.

The decision to cancel the 2020 Viva Fresh Expo was a tough decision to make, but was the right thing to do, said Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association.

The Texas International Produce Association has postponed the Viva Fresh Expo, and is considering whether to cancel it altogether, as concerns about COVID-19 escalate.

A load of fresh broccoli entering the U.S. at a Texas border entry was found to have almost $18.5 million worth of narcotics hidden in the trailer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture have established a Mexican fruit fly quarantine in Willacy County, Texas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on three Florida and one Texas business for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.