Considering the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on packaging trends, The Packer’s Tom Karst visited June 2 with Jay Singh, professor at Cal Poly and packaging program director at the school.
House Democrats are raising concerns about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, saying it fails to recognize the premium value of organic crops and does not fully account for the farm value of some specialty crops.
Moving about 1 million boxes a day to food banks and other charities, the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program is gaining speed and is on track to hit 44 million boxes delivered by the end of June.
The Packer’s West Coast Produce Expo has a new date and format to provide streaming and digital content to complement the Palm Desert, Calif., event. with an expo that encourages social distancing.
Shay Myers, CEO of Parma, Idaho-based Owyhee Produce, is The Packer’s 2020 Produce Man of the Year. The Packer “presented” the award in a video presentation during United Fresh LIVE! on June 17.
Losses suffered by apple and potato growers have not been fairly considered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, according to groups that represent the growers.
Specialty crop growers have only received a small portion of CFAP funds, and panelists on a United Fresh LIVE! session said the direct payment program for growers is targeted for changes by industry lobbyists.
