Industry
Take a look at what drives these producers and the strategic vision for the future that guides their growth as well as the growth of the industry.
Fresh Del Monte is warning such a shortage is on the horizon, with shifting climate patterns and disease pressures resulting in diminished supplies in key growing regions like Costa Rica, where production is down 23%.
Bjorn’s insights from the Wall Street Journal’s Global Food Forum detail how the company leverages premium genetics, navigates labor and trade challenges and responds to the shifting consumer to drive the category.
The state’s ascent to the world’s fourth-largest economy is powered in no small part by its $59 billion agriculture sector, which dominates national production and global exports of key commodities.
The Packer’s annual survey examines strong shopper sentiment for spending on local and specialty produce items — and whether their actions reflect that desire.
Ag industry groups recognize the crucial role that immigrant workers play in the U.S. food system.
President-elect Donald Trump has talked about increasing tariffs on foreign goods, arguing that such import taxes would keep manufacturing jobs in the U.S., shrink the federal deficit and help lower food prices.
“The agricultural economy is inherently cyclical, and ag lenders are navigating the changing conditions across the sectors they serve,” said Jackson Takach, chief economist of Farmer Mac.
The event, hosted by The Packer, is set to draw retailers, grower-shippers, wholesalers, importers, exporters and other decision-makers from across the fresh produce industry.
In statements congratulating the president-elect, the groups said they want to see their priorities addressed in the new administration, such as the farm bill, labor and nutrition.
Following diminishing valuations in 2023 and layoffs, the indoor vertical grower is reportedly closing its doors and laying off its employees, according to a PitchBook report.
The International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show featured a full slate of new product showcases, crop outlooks and opportunities for companies to connect with customers.
Exhibit space for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association 2025 Convention and Trade Show, set to take place April 8-10 in Montreal at the Palais des Congres, is sold out.
Milton threatens to inflict wind damage in the northern two-thirds of Florida’s citrus belt this week, according to Commodity Weather Group.
The partnership aims to address food insecurity, improve health outcomes and promote preventive care for vulnerable populations.
Cory Reed, president of Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, spoke about layoffs, citing lower demand due to falling net farm income, higher interest rates and market volatility.
In the last quarter of 2023, a 19% shortfall existed between the cost of a moderately priced meal and SNAP’s average maximum benefit.
It’s no surprise that the education session on the tomato suspension agreement at this year’s Viva Fresh Expo was a packed house, given the extensive discussion recently over its future.
Bananas top the list of “must-buy” fruits and vegetables on shoppers’ grocery trips, followed by grapes and apples, finds a new national banana survey commissioned by Dole Food Co.
A contentious issue for decades, the terms of the U.S. tomato trade with Mexico again hung in the balance in 2023.
Will they or won’t they? Opposition remains as the planned transaction between the two retail grocery giants appears to be moving ahead.
Take a look at the fresh produce industry stories and topics that topped The Packer’s coverage during the year.
More than ever, fresh produce growers needed guest workers to harvest their crops in 2023. At the same time, the escalating wage costs of the H-2A program — up nearly 20% since 2020 — have many desperate for relief.
As inflationary pressures wage on this holiday season, the Cincinnati-based grocer continues to promote affordable and convenient meal planning ideas.
The National Grocers Association Foundation has officially launched the SNAP EBT Modernization Technical Assistance Center website.
The Fresno, Calif.-based stone fruit producer has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, seeking a third-party sale or conversion of existing debt into equity ownership.
From the proliferation of compostable packaging options to a snack-sized supernova, fresh produce purveyors unveiled the most exciting updates and products at the 2023 Global Produce and Floral Show in Anaheim, Calif.
Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research & Action Center, said the group is troubled that a recent USDA report reveals hunger in America soared in 2022 after falling the previous year due to pandemic relief efforts.
Attendees brought their A-game to the show floor at the IFPA’s 2023 Global Produce & Floral trade show, creating an inspired, and at times raucous, display of products, people and innovations.
The International Fresh Produce Association has kicked off its annual show, bringing together a diverse industry and delivering programming and parties with its signature showmanship and panache.
“For us, it was a perfect, unicorn type of an event — you just don’t get these kinds of opportunities very often, if ever,” Frutura’s CEO David Krause tells The Packer in a Q&A about what these acquisitions mean.
The Kingsville, Ontario-based greenhouse grower has announced it has leased two Kentucky greenhouses — one in Richmond and another in Morehead — which represent a combined 120 acres of fully lit production.
As the dust settles in recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, a new controlled environment agriculture company from the Netherlands is poised to secure AppHarvest’s 30-acre farm facility in Somerset, Ky.
International Fresh Produce Association CEO Cathy Burns and current and incoming board of directors chairs say technology and innovation will be a constant drumbeat throughout the 2023 Global Produce & Floral Show.
United Farm Workers has endorsed Biden, citing his labor rights track record and appointment of Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughter of Cesar Chavez and daughter of UFW’s Arturo Rodriguez, as campaign manager.