Latest News From Social Responsibility

D’Arrigo Bros. of California, Salinas, has donated more than 250,000 pounds of produce to charitable organizations as they struggle to keep up with demand during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Oppenheimer Group and Jazz apple brand owner T&G Global are partnering with No Kid Hungry to ensure children have access to healthy food while schools are shut down because of the spread of COVID-1.

The Produce Alliance has kicked off an initiative to provide boxes of fresh produce to health care professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Demand for fresh produce has skyrocketed at food banks from coast to coast since the COVID-19 pandemic forced non-essential businesses to close, leaving many workers without pay.

Driscoll’s plans to donate more than $4 million globally, with funds to health clinics and food banks, fresh berry donations and community resources in response to the worldwide pandemic.

Southern Specialties Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla., has donated thousands of pounds of specialty produce to hospital staffs, including heirloom tomatoes, white asparagus and yellow beefsteak tomatoes.

The Southeast Produce Council distributed donated produce that was originally for foodservice customers to people in the Tattnall County area in Georgia.

The Mushroom Council has joined B.GOOD restaurants’ mission of donating blended burgers and vegetable bowls featuring mushrooms to health care workers in the Boston area during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fleet Advantage, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., through its Kids Around the Corner foundation, has donated $10,000 to the First Responders Children’s Foundation, to help during the COVID-19 crisis.

The United Fresh Start Foundation has started a new program to increase access to fresh produce for children and families, while creating opportunities for foodservice distributors during the COVID-19 crisis.

Produce Alliance LLC, Chicago, has donated fresh produce to health care workers at an area hospital.

New York City schools are offering three free meals a day to all New Yorkers at 400 locations starting April 3.

Chiquita Brands International, working with Feeding America, the YMCA, school districts and hospitals, has donated a million bananas during the COVID-19 crisis.

Brighter Bites continues to distribute fresh produce to its Dallas participants, with more than 850 families receiving donations in late March during the COVID-19 crisis.

Michigan apple grower-shippers, marketers and processors are donating fresh and sliced apples to school district meal pick up sites throughout the state.

Wish Farms, Plant City, Fla., has been visiting area food banks to alleviate some of the demand spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.

FiveStar Gourmet Foods, Ontario, Calif., is donating 15,000 pre-packaged Simply Fresh brand meal salads to Feeding America.

D’Arrigo Bros. of California, the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California Foundation and its Ag Against Hunger campaign, are teaming up to fight food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sakata Seed America, Morgan Hill, Calif., is donating respiratory masks and gloves used in its seed production to healthcare agencies.

To help alleviate the backlog of foodservice produce inventory and the strain on local retailers and community, the Southeast Produce Council distributed free produce to people in the Jenkins County area of Georgia. 

Eastern Produce Council, Short Hills, N.J. has canceled its April 7th TopGolf event but is calling for applications for a seventh-annual scholarship.

North Bay Produce, Traverse City, Mich., is continuing its food donation program as the COVID-19 crisis widens.

Organics Unlimited, San Diego, is using funds from its Disaster Relief GROW sub-fund to help workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Andrew and Phyllis D’Arrigo Charitable Foundation, Salinas, Calif., is donating to Monterey County non-profit organizations as residents comply with a shelter-in-place order in the county.

Bobalu Berries, Oxnard, Calif., is donating strawberries to school children and families as they pick up meals at schools that have been shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sid Wainer & Son, New Bedford, Mass., has rerouted daily operations and postponed a COVID-19 food rescue pop-up following a fire at its distribution center. 

NEW YORK — Online grocer FreshDirect, Bronx, N.Y., has partnered with all five borough presidents to launch a citywide food drive to help ease the recent spike in food insecurity due to the new coronavirus COVID-19.

Sunkist Growers is donating three truckloads of citrus to schools and food banks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UPDATED: Brighter Bites, which distributes fresh produce to students and families through a network of schools, is working to reach them as schools shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keany Produce & Gourmet, Landover, Md., has donated more than $100,000 worth of fresh produce to food banks and other charities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Gold Coast Packing, Santa Maria, Calif., has a new program called Fantastic Fridays that’s bringing fresh produce to area schools.

The Kroger Co.’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation has donated $50,000 to Brighter Bites to help provide access to fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — When it comes to sustainability in the food world, think of fully using food, not avoiding food waste, Thomas McQuillan told about 50 people at the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show.

The Equitable Food Initiative is marking National Farmworker Awareness Week by encouraging growers and consumers to share messages honoring farmworkers.

Chiquita has released an updated sustainability report.

The Eastern Produce Council canceled its annual volunteer event due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus in a group event.

Hess Bros. Fruit Co., Lancaster, Pa., hosted a roundtable discussion with Pennsylvania agriculture officials, charities and food companies to discuss how to get crops that farmers can’t use to families in the area.

The National Mango Board is changing its name for one day to “National WOmango Board” in celebration of International Women’s Day. 

A group of New York City teens grew enough food in an indoor hydroponic farm to feed more than 2,000 students at lunch, with the help of a Whole Kids Foundation partnership with Teens for Food Justice.

Vidalia onion grower G&R Farms, Glennville, Ga., is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Growing America’s Farmers, the non-profit started by G&R’s co-owner, Walt Dasher.

Providing an in-depth look at the produce industry in an era of unprecedented social and environmental awareness, The Packer’s Sustainable Produce Summit is May 28 at the JW Marriott Palm Desert, Palm Desert, Calif.

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

What role, if any, should buyers have in determining what social responsibility program a supplier should use?

Braga Fresh Family Farms, Del Rey Avocado and Suntreat received recognition from Whole Foods as part of the retailer’s annual Supplier Awards program.

Readers' opinion: What is the most important value associated with the terms of sustainable or sustainability?

Fyffes Anexco pineapple farm in Costa Rica earned Sustainable Agriculture Standard certification by Rainforest Alliance.