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Driven by an unusually warm spring that accelerated bloom cycles across the state, California growers are entering fall harvest several weeks ahead of schedule while delivering standout sweetness, classic sizing and high fruit quality.

At Newtopia Now, Whole Foods Market leaders revealed how emerging brands can win shelf space through story-driven packaging, practical product innovation and data-backed pitch strategies.

Rice Fruit Co. President Ben Rice earned top industry honors for securing state disaster aid, advocating for local orchards and strengthening regional storage capacity.

Revised criteria and new action-plan tools go live ahead of a September dashboard reset for retail buyers.

The funding addresses critical local needs as new data reveals nearly 1 in 5 children in Collier County lives in a food-insecure household.

Advanced nutrient analysis is giving fresh produce growers the hard data they need to prove soil health directly translates to superior crop quality, opening the door for better margins at retail.

While compostable packaging offers promising circular sustainability for produce, widespread adoption remains constrained by higher costs and performance trade-offs.

Federal trade officials set an initial duty on winter strawberries from Mexico following allegations that low-priced imports have damaged domestic producers.

As summer market volatility forces growers to adjust harvest schedules and field acreage, industry leaders call on retailers to help share food safety facts and restore stability ahead of winter planting.

The deal cements a major grocery expansion for C&S, transitioning leadership to Raymond Rhee while maintaining the supermarket chain’s operational presence in Jacksonville, Fla., through early 2027.