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Jill Dutton

Jill Dutton, associate editor of The Packer, specializes in retail produce news, market trends and urban farming initiatives. With expertise in the rapidly evolving e-grocery landscape, she provides analysis on how digital platforms are reshaping food distribution. Jill is a prominent voice on sustainability and consumer trends, offering actionable insights that help businesses navigate shifting market demands. Her work explores the full produce journey — from farm to retail — featuring grower profiles, supply chain insights and emerging production models that shape American food systems.

Latest Stories
At the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Charlotte, N.C., The Farmlink Project CEO, Eliza Blank, highlighted how the organization is moving away from volume-heavy metrics like “pounds diverted” to act as a sophisticated, rapid-response logistics partner capable of clearing surplus farm produce within a tight 24-to-48-hour window.
Celebrating excellence in greenhouse growing, the 2026 Greenhouse Competition in Leamington, Ontario, recognizes the award-winning innovations from Red Sun Farms, Del Fresco Pure, Nature Fresh Farms and Sunset.
The industry faces a pivotal tension between using packaging to extend shelf life and to reduce food waste and navigating emerging material regulations and Extended Producer Responsibility mandates, according to a panel at the ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit.
Deep Roots CPS Farm uses regenerative family homesteading, ancestral agricultural science and circular community partnerships to dismantle food insecurity and build an independent economic engine for growers in Charlotte, N.C.
By shifting from late-day, expiration-driven discounts to proactive, morning markdowns fueled by real-time sell-through data, U.S. grocery retailers can transform avoidable produce shrink into a powerful lever for both financial discipline and environmental sustainability.
Hannaford Supermarkets’ latest annual impact data reveals a considerable scale-up in hunger relief and regional investment, totaling millions in direct funding for schools, health initiatives and local farms across five states.
The Taylor Farms census reveals a highly regionalized retail landscape where search data for bold, functional and “swangy” flavor profiles provides a roadmap for grocery leaders to tailor their fresh assortments to the “30 plants per week” consumer movement.
Jesús Gutiérrez Manuel is a distinguished farmworker leader who combines 15 years of agricultural expertise with a background in nursing to advocate for innovation, food safety and the holistic well-being of his peers.
Magaly Alfaro Avalos is a veteran harvest leader and aspiring agronomy engineer who has spent 18 years at NatureSweet, blending elite technical performance with a deep commitment to community advocacy and the mentorship of women in agriculture.
The Equitable Food Initiative and The Packer have revealed the the top five nominees for the third annual award, recognizing the essential leaders who ensure the success and safety of the fresh produce industry.