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The USDA has announced that it has signed its first cooperative agreement under the new Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) with the Colorado Department of Human Services.

Imagine: Using drones to detect and remove landmines at Ukrainian farms. Or to deliver lettuces to a salad bar in North Carolina and pick apples from a commercial orchard in Wisconsin.

Here are the top 10 commodities searched for on Produce Market Guide in 2021.

At Viva Fresh Expo on April 23, just outside Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, expect a live podcast broadcast on-site.

Calavo Growers, Inc. has announced plans to reorganize its business to execute Project Uno integration efforts and better serve customers while improving efficiencies and cost savings, according to a news release.

An extra inspection imposed by the governor of Texas has caused long delays to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Over the course of a few days, the action led to a trucker blockade at the border.

San Francisco-based Imperfect Foods has announced the hiring of Corey Farrell as chief operating officer, Kelly Nigh as chief merchandising officer, and Hetu Patel as chief financial officer.

Irvine, Cali.-based UnitedAg has recently announced the appointment of five new directors in both California and Arizona, as well as the appointment of its first female board chair, Veronica Urzua-Alvero.

Denver-based Potatoes USA, the marketing and promotion board for the potato industry, elected new leadership during its annual meeting on March 9.

Gem-Pack Berries and Red Blossom Sales merged last fall to accommodate farming growth and draw on synergies in staffing, technology and capabilities. The company now farms approximately 5,000 acres of strawberries.

The Vidalia Onion Committee is kicking off the 2022 season by announcing the sweet onions will once again be included on the official menu of the Kentucky Derby.

West Pak has added Apeel treatment capability to its Michoacan facility. The addition will allow the company to offer extended life avocados year-round.

USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists believe they have begun to unravel some of the mystery behind an underlying pattern of seasonal E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks linked to bagged romaine lettuce.

A Florida woman pleaded guilty on April 6 to a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized Mexican agricultural workers admitted into the U.S. under the H-2A temporary visa program, according to a news release.

Castroville, Calif.-based Ocean Mist Farms is celebrating its 98th year of growing artichokes in the Castroville, Calif., region.

Cincinnati, Ohio-based ProAmpac has introduced ProActive Recyclable R-2000S, a recyclable packaging option that withstands the demands of a microwave heating environment, according to a news release.

Lewis Center, Ohio-based Triple T Transport is launching Stay In Your Lane, a weekly podcast tackling the issues facing the modern logistics and transport industry, according to a news release.

Rio Rico, Ariz.-based Fresh Farms is ramping up its early season production of some of the tastiest table grapes on the market this season.

A new government report says fuel price increases are stoking the flames of inflation.

These news items were gathered from media releases and booth information at Fruit Logistica, which took place April 5-7 in Berlin, Germany.

Bobalu Berry Farms is a fourth-generation farming family and vertically integrated strawberry company. It is celebrating its 60th anniversary and continuing on a growth track.

If you are like most growers, who are challenged to find a place to rework distressed produce, or simply need a cold storage facility, we are here for you!

Beating the pandemic odds, Toughkenamon, Pa.-based Manfredi Cold Storage & Distribution is in expansion mode, says President Frank Manfredi.

Quick, name one vegetable ready for snacking in its original form.

Social media’s importance in marketing to families can’t be overstated. And the strategy is changing.

The Packer sits down with Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation, to discuss the organization's upcoming annual Consumer Connection Conference.

U.S. fresh apples in storage on April 1 totaled 53.3 million 42-pound cartons, 4% more than the inventories reported last April and 1.9% less than the April five-year average, according to the U.S. Apple Association.

Eastern Produce Council had its annual Casino Night gala April 9 at Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, N.J.

Well-Pict Berries is a marketer of 100% proprietary variety strawberries and raspberries. The company offers conventional and organically grown strawberries, as well as conventionally grown raspberries.

Millions of consumers benefitted from Healthy Family Project’s annual Mission for Nutrition initiative — and so did produce brand partners.

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2022 - Yesterday, after experiencing mild symptoms, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tested positive for COVID.

Sharply higher fob prices for selected vegetables may cause some fresh pain to consumer pocketbooks in the coming weeks.

Increased regulation and the search for better work-life balance are two factors leading to a shortage of truck drivers in the U.S. Walmart is now increasing the starting salary for drivers to try to attract new people.

The 2022 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award went to the Amela tomato by Granada La Palma from Spain, according to a news release.

Despite industry backlash and inconsistent findings from several government agencies, EWG has released its controversial 2022 “Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" fruit and vegetable lists.

Out on the show floor and in business sessions, sustainability was a hot topic as was the need for the industry to continue to innovate and drive fresh produce consumption.

The Packer and CPMA recognize Mimmo Franzone, senior director of produce, floral and merchandising services for Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, as Canadian Produce Person of the Year.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, Inc. has announced a collaboration with Bakersfield, Calif.-based Anthony Vineyards, Inc.

Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, is the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Ag Association Leader of the Year for 2022. 

The April 5-7 Fruit Logistica show in Berlin was the backdrop of several developments at TOMRA Food that recognized the company’s past growth and future ambitions.

Potatoes USA Launches New Educational Video Series for Retailers

A coalition of farmers and organizations ran an ad in the Wall Street Journal to educate consumers on the fact that farms producing much of the food in the U.S. shouldn't be taken for granted.

The Packer will once again honor excellence in sustainability marketing by companies throughout the fresh produce supply chain by presenting the second annual Best of SPS Marketing Awards.

Newly launched venture capital fund Regeneration.VC  has announced the final close of its $45 million inaugural fund to “supercharge consumer-powered climate innovation,” according to a news release.

The B Lab, a nonprofit organization, measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact in its standards for this certification.

The pandemic has changed the world, and more consumers than ever are affecting the global marketplace with their strong commitments to positive social and environmental impacts through their purchasing power.

In March, total U.S. online grocery sales diminished to $8.7 billion from $9.3 billion in March 2021 — a 6% decline, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey fielded March 28 and 29.

Giving back to the community, Immokalee, Fla.-based Lipman Family Farms hosted the eighth annual 5K Run for Backpacks as a hybrid event in early April.

While the pandemic created intense discomfort, it also taught the industry it can change and change quickly, said Ron Lemaire at the 96th annual CPMA Convention and Trade Show.

11% of customers purchased apricots within the past 12 months. They were the No. 1 fruit that shoppers bought as organic periodically, with 50% of buyers saying they selected organic fruit at least some of the time.