Latest News From Industry

The Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, if approved, would increase WIC spending by $1.03 billion.

Nomination applications are due April 1 for eight member seats: two domestic producers, two importers and four total alternates.

The company said it will highlight the popularity of its Stokes Purple sweet potato and how its slate of dragon fruit fit with healthy diets and popular culture.

New Jersey is one of 35 states that will participate in the USDA’s new Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program to provide more food availability to children and families in need during the summer months.

As the potato industry eyes its role in the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans, those in the industry say marketers should focus on nutritional benefits and trends to grow interest among younger shoppers.

A bipartisan coalition of 30 U.S. House members is urging Agriculture Committee leaders to prioritize federal support for specialty crop mechanization research and development in the 2024 farm bill.

New research from FMI, Oliver Wyman, and Circana reveals opportunities for food industry partners to meet evolving shopper values.

Licensed table grape growers from 14 countries took part in the symposium, which focused on global planting plans, local agronomy support, quality assurance, retail relations and an overview of global marketing plans.

Reusable packaging container provider IFCO says it has acquired BEPCO, a reusable packaging pooling company based in Tallinn, Estonia.

Coral Gables, Fla.-based Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has revealed quarterly and full-year earnings through December that report the company has reduced its long-term debt and increased its quarterly dividend.

Trinitas Farming, an almond grower in the Central Valley cites high borrowing costs, low almond prices and lower production as reasons for its filing.

PTF Holdings, the parent company of Pacific Trellis Fruit and a portfolio company of Arable Capital, has agreed to purchase the equity share of Los Angeles-based grower, packer and shipper Progressive Produce.

The vertical indoor strawberry grower says the funds are expected to accelerate growth. The brand plans to open a solar-powered facility, expand distribution to new markets and continue to invest in advanced robotics.

USDA says about $26 million in funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program will aim to help build, coordinate and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises.

Upside's survey highlights the evolving landscape of loyalty programs, revealing gaps in consumer behavior and retailer expectations despite widespread enrollment.

Titan Farms has introduced a redesigned website highlighting its fresh peach offerings, featuring recipes, nutrition facts, team insights and an interactive timeline.

Launching March 1, the “Mushroom Loyalist” campaign is expected to reach the top third of mushroom buyers who account for almost 75% of all mushroom dollar sales and 68% of all mushroom purchases.

Following legal battles and declining health, the Assemi family reportedly will seek to sell 52,000 acres of farmland and a nut processing facility.

The Watsonville, Calif.-based berry grower is part of a consortium that has purchased the Costa Group, a leading Australian grower, packer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The American Seed Trade Association and U.S.-based agriculture companies recently convened in Japan to explore breeding tools, including genome editing, with the aim of bringing improved varieties to market.

The survey asked produce professionals to choose among biodegradable packaging, recycled content packaging, reduced packaging and reusable packaging.

Rabobank’s RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness team in North America has announced the publication of the North American Agribusiness Review.

The Packer's Fresh Trends 2024 survey asked consumers if they purchased packed produce in the past year. Here's what the data shows in various shopper demographics.

The Eastern Produce Council is set to honor former president Marianne Santo at the John McAleavey Annual Gala on April 6.

The Los Angeles-based producer and year-round supplier of premium superfruits has signed an agreement to introduce large-scale farming operations in the Yunnan province of China.

Do you know someone who is advancing the Canadian produce industry, creating change and giving a voice to the underrepresented in fresh produce? The Packer wants to hear from you. Deadline for nominations is March 18.

CHEP U.S. aims to help growers and their partners across the supply network transport fresh produce more efficiently, sustainably and safely, says Jason Adlam, vice president of new business development.

Consumers appreciate the economy of bulk produce, but packaged produce also has strong consumer appeal, according to The Packer's Fresh Trends 2024 survey.

The three-day event has a focus on collaboration and networking; UnitedAg said the event’s attendance will include over 300 representatives from member organizations, partners and other influential ag leaders.

BERLIN — International Fresh Produce Association's annual Executive Leadership Summit, held one day prior to Fruit Logistica, welcomed more than 120 executive leaders from 24 countries.

BERLIN — From new tech to new tastes and so much more, innovation filled the aisles at the recent Fruit Logistica, held Feb. 7-9 at Messe Berlin.

The Packer's Fresh Trends 2024 showed that 44% of all surveyed consumers indicated they try to avoid buying produce in plastic packaging.

Within the broad horticultural products group, fresh fruits and vegetables imports are forecast to grow at a relatively strong annual rate of 2.1% over the decade, the USDA said in its long-term trade projection.

For a sixth straight month, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below growth neutral, according to the February survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy. 

The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas recently hosted Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs at its headquarters for a roundtable discussion.

This year’s Fruit Logistica, held Feb. 7-9 at the sprawling Messe Berlin, was once again filled with innovation, inspiration and the topic of sustainability.

Amid workforce cuts, Instacart says its COO, CTO and chief architect are exiting for personal reasons.

With the planned merger looming, Kroger says it has released details showing how it lowered prices in previous mergers, while outlining how it plans to do so again.

The U.S. government-measured year-over-year inflation rate in January was pegged at 3.1%, slightly lower than the annual rate recorded in December.

Business at Toronto’s Ontario Food Terminal got off to a rather slow start this year, say some of the produce distributors there, but there’s plenty of time for sales to pick up.

With the new partnership, Oppy will expand its year-round reach in Peru, Brazil, Chile, South America and Mexico with Sun Grape’s nearly 1,500 acres in production in California.

Exhibitors at this year’s Fruit Logistica brought their A-game, sharing the latest industry innovations and engaging in candid discussion around the challenges and opportunities facing the global produce industry.

Washington Tree Fruit Association President Jon DeVaney talks about state legislation's affect on the fresh produce industry there and what that could mean for the rest of the country.

The Portland, Ore.-based company says the new name — Pacific Coast Fresh Co. — better reflects the company’s evolution and current offerings.

Drought is a significant long-term challenge for Chilean fruit producers, but there has been some relief in the past year, a new USDA report on the country’s economic outlook says.

The Hass Avocado Board's recent avocado holiday retail recap showed strong Independence Day and Labor Day sales, as customers purchased more than 2 million bagged avocados in the third quarter.

Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture have encouraged federal agencies to develop strategies that address agricultural labor shortages across the country.

Brighter Bites joins a variety of organizations and companies to elevate USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate’s mission to encourage healthier eating habits and choices.

Projects include researching the giant hornet, pest detection in stone fruit, and disease-free citrus planting materials.

Through a competitive grant process, states and territories will issue subawards of infrastructure grants available through a USDA-administered Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program.