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While a rocky economy and heavy dependence on migrant labor during the COVID-19 are big concerns, global produce industry leaders at the closing general session of United Fresh LIVE! also cited reasons for optimism.

Specialty crop growers have only received a small portion of CFAP funds, and panelists on a United Fresh LIVE! session said the direct payment program for growers is targeted for changes by industry lobbyists.

It is worse than you think.

Chinese customs officials are demanding U.S. ag exporters sign a form guaranteeing their exports are free from COVID-19, trade and government reports say.

With fall school schedules uncertain because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving school districts flexibilities in how they serve school meals.

There can never be enough sweet corn or cherries for Fourth of July retail promotions, and that is especially true this year.

Moving about 1 million boxes a day to food banks and other charities, the USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program is gaining speed and is on track to hit 44 million boxes delivered by the end of June.

The Packer’s West Coast Produce Expo has a new date and format to provide streaming and digital content to complement the Palm Desert, Calif., event. with an expo that encourages social distancing.

I was talking with an East Coast distributor the other day who mentioned that fruit buying patterns have been unusually hard to anticipate.

Awe Sum Organics, Santa Cruz, Calif., expects to have Pacific Northwest blueberries starting June 22.