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More than half of consumers polled about sustainability by The Packer earlier this year said that eco-friendly packaging helps them define whether a product is sustainable.

The Maine crop was harvested and under cover with great quality, said Mike Hart, director of sales and marketing for Fryeburg, Maine-based Green Thumb Farms Inc.

Farming is kind of a whole lifestyle. You’ve heard this before from farmers: it’s your work, it’s your lifestyle, it’s your life. It’s what I’ve done most of my life... that’s as much passion as there is.

The Washington Apple Education Foundation announced its 2021 Volunteers of the Year.

Live Oak Farms, Calif. Based, has added Bonny (Choate) Iten to their sales staff.

Side Delights offers shoppers Thanksgiving recipes and reasons or reminders to give thanks this year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it is accepting applications for the new Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) grant program first announced on Sept. 7, 2021.

A new clinical study published in the scientific journal Nutrients found that consuming grapes significantly increased the diversity of bacteria in the gut which is considered essential to good health overall.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, Inc. has announced a partnership with Fresno, CA-based Mirabella Farms, Inc., a family-owned table grape grower/packer/shipper with over 60 years of industry experience.

Oregon native Nicole Harrison, winner of Fresh Del Monte’s BUNCH OF GOOD™ sweepstakes, presents a check for $10,000 on behalf of Fresh Del Monte’s ‘Bunch of Good Society’ to Nate Crone of Feeding America.

Robert Lichtenberg, Director of Purchasing for Earl’s Organic Produce on The SF Market is retiring after a career spanning almost 50 years.

Agriculture Capital (AC) has released its fifth annual Impact Report, measuring the positive impact of its regenerative management practices on the environment and the community.

Megan McKenna, Senior Director of Marketing & Foodservice, National Watermelon Promotion Board, as the recipient of the 2021 Betty Bastion Outstanding Service Award.

It’s not for nothing that we refer to different social media — LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter in this case — as platforms.

There should be plenty of California winter vegetables available this season, with generally strong markets for grower-shippers and reasonable prices for retailers and consumers.

Heat seal coating specialist Sappi Rockwell Solutions has launched a recyclable, lightweight, heat seal, lidding film designed specifically for the fresh produce market. 

More and more consumers can use their health insurance to buy fresh produce online and have it delivered to their homes, and now those who qualify can supplement that by using their SNAP/EBT cards online.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reported that the industry is recalling certain Broadwood Farm brand microgreens from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Produce executives can have a better sense of what online grocery shopping will be like in 2022 after an October survey shows some stabilization at higher levels than in pre-pandemic times.

Los Angeles-based POM Wonderful is kicking off the 2021 California pomegranate season with its largest digital marketing campaign ever to raise brand awareness and continue to drive category growth. 

The Chilean Blueberry Committee projects global export volumes of 117,000 metric tons in 2021-22,  similar to the total exported the previous season.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers is bringing increased volume of organic Honeycrisp and SweeTango to the market in the 2021-22 season.

Foodservice sales that plummeted during the pandemic are edging upward once again, but avocado importers say labor shortages are preventing the business from reaching pre-COVID-19 levels.

Moving fresh asparagus from Peru to the U.S. is increasingly costly and challenging, and shipping the vegetable from importers’ warehouses to customers’ distribution centers in the U.S. isn’t a piece of cake.

The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement is has published its annual report.

My passion for produce began during the time I worked for Publix supermarkets starting in 1989. My produce journey took me all the way to the produce manager role in 1993, where I broke district sales records.

With more than 307 commodities available to track, Los Angeles-based ProducePay is finding many of its users are taking advantage of the company’s Daily Market Report (DMR).

John D’Arrigo, President, CEO and Chairman for D’Arrigo California has been honored by the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as an influential visionary and agricultural leader.

Misfits Market — a direct-to-consumer online grocery platform focusing on sustainability, affordability and accessibility — has launched in California, delivering to every zip code in the state.

The South Texas Onion Marketing Order isn’t dead yet.

Despite forecasts for a smaller production of all oranges and grapefruits this year, Florida citrus growers said favorable growing conditions are resulting in a strong, high-quality Florida citrus crop.

The saying that the “consumer is always right” seems unlikely when it comes to food safety perceptions.

China is the kingpin customer of U.S. ag commodities while openly attempting to destroy America’s position atop the global ladder. Does the odd paradox portend feast or famine for U.S. farmers?

Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Apeel today announced the hiring of Jim Smits as Vice President of Retail Advisory, a new role designed to align Apeel’s solutions with the needs of retail grocery executives.

Ontario, Calif.-based Costco is upping its global cuisine offerings with the new Tandoori Chicken Bowls with Green Chutney and Cool Yogurt Sauce from FiveStar Gourmet Foods, producers of the Simply Fresh Kitchen brand.

The USDA announced that OM Vegetable Inc. satisfied a reparation order in the amount of $17,518 issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) involving unpaid produce transactions.

The Colombia Avocado Board is excited to reveal their new brand image as part of a new strategic plan to increase Colombian avocado imports to the U.S.

With most of the 2021 apple crop now harvested and in storage, Washington apple shippers have lowered their estimate of the state’s fresh apple volume by 5.3% compared with an earlier estimate.

The 124,000-square-foot facility will service a greater number of customers in Philadelphia and, for the first time in its history, in southern New Jersey.

All the elements are in place for a great year for the Maine potato supply from Presque Isle-based Cambridge Farms.

Williamsville-based Tops Markets and Schenectady-based Price Chopper/Market 32 have completed a merger, enabling the combined companies to maintain separate brands with the benefits of scale and efficiencies.

I’ve had the privilege to form relationships over the years with so many people we do business with, who become friends more than colleagues.

A well-known veteran of the produce industry has joined the team at Mastronardi Produce to help support their recently expanded Western business operations.

Lifestyle retailer and design company Concepts International has used the kiwi fruit as the inspiration behind its latest collaboration with New Balance footwear.

The Organic Grower Summit, Presented by Western Growers and the Organic Produce Network will honor long-time organic grower Vic Smith as the recipient of the fourth annual Organic Grower Summit’s Grower of the Year.

Vero Beach, Fla.-based IMG Citrus has announced a new Florida grapefruit brand and specialty product, YELLOS.

A special offer for Indoor AgCon attendees - Download The Packer’s 2021 Sustainability Insights magazine today!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is inviting citrus suppliers to compete to sell fresh oranges to government feeding programs.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is rolling out a new eco-friendly bag for organic fruit in the 2021-22 season.

Market conditions for potatoes were running above year-ago levels in late October and early November.