“We rely on the support of farm bill funding and programs to ensure continued U.S. leadership as the provider of the best seed to the world,” said Katy Rainey, Purdue associate professor, at the Senate Ag hearing.

USDA estimates harvested acreage for 2022 at 902,200 acres. That’s down from 935,700 in 2021, which itself was a tight year.

Some of those include environmental social governance (ESG) goals, automation and technology, says Jon Brooks, vice president of retail sales for IFCO.

Retailers saw a jump in sales of packaged produce when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted and shoppers tried to avoid picking up product that others may have touched. Now there’s another reason to buy packaged product.

The organic grower-shipper hosted events at its farm in Sonora, Mexico, including art, music, a ribbon cutting ceremony and remarks from special guest Paul Rice, founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA.

Despite pressure from Congress and from stakeholders in U.S. agriculture, the Biden administration has refused calls to include tariff reduction in its major trade initiative, says Adam Hollowell of Bryant Christie Inc.