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The produce and allied industries continue to help during the COVID-19 crisis.

Rarely has the produce industry less predictable than it is now.

Dole, Western Growers, Imperfect Foods and other industry members are donating food and equipment, and offering services directly targeted to easing hardships during the pandemic.

Delving into the detail of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, Robert Guenther visited April 21 with The Packer’s Tom Karst.

Companies awarded contracts through the USDA’s Buy Fresh program will be boxing the produce themselves to distribute to food banks, and the program is expected to last for six months at $100 million in produce a month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning on buying $470 million in surplus food, including $105 million worth of produce, as growers cope with disrupted supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is the future of the U.S. trading relationship with China?

The SEPC is transforming its Southern Innovations conference in September with the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, practicing safety measures and focusing presentations on the change caused by the virus.

Companies are reacting in their own ways to the pandemic, from organizing donations of food and money, an attention to worker safety and a little levity to brighten employees’ days.

The Produce Marketing Association has cancelled its annual foodservice show in its traditional format, moving to PMA Foodservice: Delivered, a digital event.