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With faint chances for passage but sure promise for passion, immigration and farm labor legislation will again be debated by Congress in June.

Four finalists have been selected to compete in the inaugural Radicle Automation Challenge for a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital.

A 10-acre hydroponic greenhouse complex and a large potato farming operation in O’Neill, Neb., were two of several agricultural businesses targeted in raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association, which jointly launched the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices, are offering a web seminar as they seek endorsers of the document.

Western Growers and the California Farm Bureau, citing issues important to produce growers, are pushing back on Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s AG Act, which the American Farm Bureau Federation is supporting.

Securing adequate labor has been a challenge throughout the California produce industry in recent years, and the labor market tends to get even tighter during the summer.

Cathy Burns encouraged suppliers, importers and buyers at the 50th Nogales Produce Convention to take a close look at the Produce Industry Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices and consider endorsing it.

Growers are suffering from a critical labor shortage, but berry farms that supply Driscoll’s of the Americas have a competitive advantage because they pay their laborers more.

The Equitable Food Initiative is looking back on successes of 2018, including two new certified growers, new website and awards for an updated logo and a video series.

Hundreds of mushroom industry growers, business leaders and researchers will gather in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 14-16 for the 25th North American Mushroom Conference.