Produce Crops
Michigan apple marketers Belleharvest Sales Inc. and Michigan Fresh Marketing are combining sales desks in a union that will represent about 150 growers and three million bushels of apples.
California blueberries grown under the T&G Orchard Rd brand are being sent to Vietnam for the first time.
NEW YORK — You may have heard the term “ugly fruit.”
California Avocado Month (June) is drawing to a close, but the California Avocado Commission has launched a new program to support the brand through the rest of the season.
California pear grower-shippers say they anticipate ample supplies of fruit, although the first promotable volumes likely will be a bit late during the 2019 season.
Sweet potato grower-shipper Wayne Bailey Produce Co LLC, which closed after 85 years this spring, left creditors with more than $8.1 million in unpaid debt, according to the USDA.
The USDA has filed an administrative complaint against sweet potato company Southern Produce Distributors, Faison, N.C., alleging the company failed to pay $3.49 million to produce sellers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has revised rules that govern the movement of plant pests.
Red Sun Farms, Kingsville, Ontario, highlighted its Sweetpops tomatoes and Sweetpeps peppers at a recent United Way fundraiser that pairs local greenhouses with a chef and local student.
SiCar Farms has completed a distribution center in McAllen, Texas, and the facility, which can handle three times the previous South Texas capacity, uses conservation processes that SiCar is rolling out company wide.
Numerous produce industry and other groups have issued statements in the wake of a new agreement setting floor prices for Mexican tomatoes sent to the U.S.
The USDA’s 2018-19 mushroom production report had some surprises for the industry, showing an 8% drop in both sales and volume, which at 846.5 million pounds is the lowest production since 2009-10.
CHICAGO — The U.S. Apple Association estimate for the 2019 crop is forecast at 247.76 million (42-pound) cartons, 2.2% lower than the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s estimate of 253.09 million cartons.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Pharr, Texas, seized more than $6 million worth of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment of fresh honeydew melons.
Greenhouse grower Red Sun Farms, Kingsville, Ontario, will be growing next-generation OZblu blueberries at its Mexico facilities, which promise to deliver a firmer, crunchier and more flavorful berry.
CHICAGO — Canada’s apple output is down slightly, but Mexican apple production is way up this year, according to industry reports at the U.S. Apple Association’s Marketing Conference.
BERLIN — With the export season in peak volume, the 2019 Fruit Logistica comes at a busy time for the Chilean fruit industry.
Hundreds of mushroom industry growers, business leaders and researchers will gather in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 14-16 for the 25th North American Mushroom Conference.
Citrus growers in California’s Central Valley will be checking for possible damage in the coming weeks as some areas saw temperatures drop to as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
The relief of reaching a new tomato suspension agreement between Mexican tomato growers and the Department of Commerce has come with misgivings about the effect of mandatory inspections at the border.
As those crunchy, juicy globes of ruby, green and gold trickle into the market, fourth-generation grower-marketer-distributor Alisha Albinder Camac updates us on the 2019 Eastern apple season.
Terra Exports, Las Vegas, has hired Manuel Escandon, who is based in Chile, as part of its South American expansion.
IMG Citrus, Vero Beach, Fla., has purchased a 4,000-acre grapefruit grove in St. Lucie County.
As the Chilean avocado season starts, consumers can download a daily reminder of the imported fruit.
Mother Nature delivered more large lemons than usual this season thanks to extra rain, and Santa Paula, Calif.-based Limoneira has lowered its guidance for the year as a result.
An abridged version of Florida’s 44th Tomato Conference, canceled due to Hurricane Dorian’s approach in the Atlantic, has been rescheduled for Oct. 2-3 in a new location.
Greenhouse grower and marketer Houweling’s Group plans to use Apeel Sciences’ shelf life technology to do away with the plastic wrap on its English cucumbers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first report on grapes in cold storage this season shows grape holdings at their lowest point in the past four seasons.
North Shore Living Herbs and Greens has hired Debbie Remblence as sales manager.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has named new members to the National Watermelon Promotion Board.