Latest News From Industry

The Packer’s Editor Tom Karst attended the 2021 Washington Conference, which was attended by nearly 300 industry leaders and featured more than 80 in-person visits with members of Congress and their staff.

The Packer and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) are joining forces to expand their content offerings.

Work, with all its transitions and challenges, doesn’t have to define you, but the way you handle those challenges can, said former New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson, pro football hall of famer.

Work continues on cleaning up from Hurricane Ida with logistical problems remaining for moving grains. Now, Risk Management Solutions is estimating total insured losses between $31 billion and $44 billion.

As the supply chain snarled, prices spiked. Prior to Hurricane Ida, a New Orleans barge of urea to ship in September to destinations across the U.S., Canada traded at $450 a ton. After, the price jumped to $552 a ton.

Agricultural groups in California are expressing appreciation for Governor Newsom's veto of AB 616.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will open the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program in early October 2021.

Seems counterintuitive to suggest in a social media column that you take a social media break, no? But yeah, we all need a break now and then.

Expect more cooperation between some big-picture thinkers and Mexican growers of small and medium-sized farms.

Senate ag committee leader Debbie Stabenow stressed the importance of industry engagement on immigration and climate change legislation in an address to the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference.

The National Organic Program (NOP) is pleased to announce a new course in the Organic Integrity Learning Center.

Mission Produce, Inc. hosted its much-anticipated ninth annual philanthropic golf tournament in support of The Mission Foundation, which gives 100% of revenue from the event back to local charities.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Grower-Shipper Association of Central California has been honored as the 2021 United Fresh Produce Association’s Produce Advocate of the Year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Revealing the breaking news to the United Fresh Washington Conference by video message on Sept. 21, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said she has introduced the Fresh Produce Procurement Reform Act.

Senior Adviser to President Biden Cedric Richmond will keynote Tuesday’s Luncheon General Session during the United Fresh 2021 Washington Conference at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

As part of their SEPC Cares initiative, the Southeast Produce Council is proud to partner with the Society of St. Andrew and Publix Super Markets to deliver drinking water after the devastation left by Hurricane Ida.

A national coalition has urged Congress to include resources for additional water, forestry and ecosystem restoration programs in the reconciliation process. 

USDA Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt will keynote the Sept. 21 opening session at the United Fresh 2021 Washington Conference at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

They say the third time is a charm, and as far as charity golf tournaments go, the Choptank Transport Community Foundation’s 10 Better Than Par Heroes Edition event on 9/11 broke the company’s previous records.

Laws Logistics, formerly known as Lawgistics, has recently completed a company rebranding and launched a new website.

Key Technology, a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, introduces their VERYX® 2.0 line of digital sorters at Pack Expo Las Vegas, booth #C-4225.

The Biden Administration’s policies are expected to impact roughly 100 million working Americans. Here’s what you need to know.

Produce Marketing Association (PMA)  has decided it will be unable to put on Fresh Summit 2021 scheduled for October 28-30 in New Orleans, Louisiana, due to the impacts of Hurricane Ida and Tropical Storm Nicholas.

From an organic mushroom farm to an innovative food company, Leep Foods continues to grow outside the produce department.

Western Growers (WG) and S2G Ventures are now accepting applications for the 2021 AgSharks Competition.

Empire State Development (ESD) and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement has announced the 20 finalists for year three of Grow-NY.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., will keynote the Sept. 22 general session breakfast at the United Fresh 2021 Washington Conference in Washington, D.C.

Goldies Onions, the only no-tears, no-onion-breath onion, which was introduced to consumers in 2020, captured three awards in the most-recent National Agricultural Marketing Association.

Mucci Farms announced that they have entered an exclusive marketing agreement with Casey Houweling to market all produce grown in the Camarillo, California facility under the Mucci Farms brand and trademarks.

Bayer still faces exposure from future claims. As long as glyphosate is on the market, there will be a potential for new claims to continue to rise.

Village Farms International, Inc. today unveiled new corporate branding and launched its new corporate website at www.villagefarms.com.

Schools, universities and other large institutions are fully open and back to in-person activities, which means foodservice is picking up significantly in the Michigan area.

Demand for ag workers has employers turning to the H-2A program more often. New data from the Department of Labor shows the highest rate of growth is in the fruit, nuts and vegetable categories, up more than 330%.

Has the bizarre 40-year-old mystery been solved surrounding the identity of a mummified coon dog trapped in an oak tree?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a final rule changing the handling regulations under the federal marketing order for Irish potatoes grown in certain counties of Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon.

Paul Neiffer says one of the biggest benefits in the House’s proposed plan is farmers won’t be hit with increased taxes at death, as the transfer tax is no longer included and the full step-up in basis remains.

These are the social media posts from the produce industry that caught our attention this week.

Minnesota’s leisure and hospitality sector is coming back from pre-pandemic lows, but the restaurant trade is far from all the way back.

When it comes to fruit and vegetable consumption indicators, Minnesota is decidedly above average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

St. Paul, Minn.-based Bix Produce Co. has upped its investment in efficiency tools to reduce its labor needs and increase customer satisfaction.

St. Paul, Minn.-based Co-op Partners Warehouse is seeing increased interest in promotional programs and is adjusting to accommodate that demand, said Tom Rodmyre, warehouse director.

CMI Orchards is partnering with the firm’s retail customers in new ways this year with the customized digital and omnichannel vehicles now available.

DMA Solutions, a full-service marketing agency serving the fresh food and floral industry, reveals the upcoming topics and dates for its informative webinar series, Marketing Matters.

The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program more than doubled in size in less than ten years, and fruit, vegetable and nut growers were a big reason for the growth.

Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, reports a reversal in consumer comfort with reopening activities as concern over the Delta variant leaps. 

The GAO’s new report on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s pandemic-era Food Box Program said the agency lacks data to accurately measure how well the program succeeded in meeting all of its goals.

To equip the industry for success, the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is launching a Love One Today page on their website.

The more innovative your company is, the more your sales will improve, according to a study revealed at the Southeast Produce Council’s Sept. 9-11 Southern Innovations show in Savannah, Ga.

Okanagan Specialty Fruits® (OSF), developer and grower behind the Arctic® apple varieties, recently launched a sampling event in the San Francisco Bay area with huge success.

Many U.S. apple businesses won’t qualify for critical COVID-relief assistance that was announced today by the Agriculture Department, said the U.S. Apple Association.