Latest News From Archived Content

Memorial Day kicks off the official start of summer. USDA wants to remind you to prevent foodborne illness before you light up that grill and pack up the cooler.

Western Growers, Irvine, Calif., has hired Eric Trost as vice president of employee benefits for the Insurance Services group.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Have a Plant will succeed Fruits & Veggies — More Matters as the new consumer marketing message from the Produce for Better Health Foundation to promote fruit and vegetable consumption.

Taylor Farms, Salinas, Calif., is reporting a year-over-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 12,190 metric tons in 2018 — 94% more than in the previous year.

Florida citrus is slowly trying to fight its way through the devastation of Citrus Greening and some ideas are working.

Index Fresh, Riverside, Calif., is again shipping Gem avocados, to complement full-size hass avocados grown in California.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Pharr, Texas, seized more than $6 million worth of methamphetamine concealed in a shipment of fresh honeydew melons.

Americans are eating less produce, but this decline is largely driven by potatoes, orange juice and lettuce. Meanwhile we’re eating more variety. So, should you be concerned? John Phipps shares his thoughts.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited four California and one Florida company for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

Terra Exports, Las Vegas, has hired Manuel Escandon, who is based in Chile, as part of its South American expansion.

IMG Citrus, Vero Beach, Fla., has purchased a 4,000-acre grapefruit grove in St. Lucie County.

Apple growers from across the country participated in the U.S. Apple Association’s Capitol Hill Day, meeting with more than 100 legislative offices on trade, labor and farm bill issues.

DENVER — Crowd-sourced nutrition fads, low-carb diets, the “snackification” of America and global competition are some of the challenges facing the U.S. potato industry.

A new economic model from Cornell University found that the economic effect of the New York apple industry is 21% larger than traditional models had estimated.

Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids, Mich., has formed an exclusive partnership with indoor farming company Square Roots, expanding the greenhouse company’s reach from its New York base.

Speakers from Microsoft, Wells Fargo and other companies are scheduled on the Produce Marketing Association’s Tech Knowledge Symposium agenda.

Driscoll’s is seeing increases in its Baja California, Mexico, Fair Trade program, with a 14% hike in acreage in 2019 and a goal to have all production certified by the end of the year.

After more than 60 years, the International Organization of Citrus Virologists conference is returning to Riverside, Calif., in connection with the International Research Conference on Huanglongbing.

State officials will be joining the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association in an update of state agricultural funding.

A North Carolina agriculture asset management firm has purchased Yakima Valley, Washington-based apple companies Legacy Fruit Packers, Valley Fruit and Larson Fruit Co.

Two recent purchases of Washington state growers and packers of apples and other tree fruit signal a trend that will continue, according to industry and financial experts.

Netherlands-based Manter International B.V. showcased its new bag placer and semi-automatic bagger at Berlin’s Fruit Logistica recently.

Citrus growers in California’s Central Valley will be checking for possible damage in the coming weeks as some areas saw temperatures drop to as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chiquita Brands International, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has a new dedicated container service from Central America to Europe.

Last year proved to be a difficult year for the leafy greens sector, with three outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce.

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

BERLIN — With the export season in peak volume, the 2019 Fruit Logistica comes at a busy time for the Chilean fruit industry.

Greenhouse grower Red Sun Farms, Kingsville, Ontario, will be growing next-generation OZblu blueberries at its Mexico facilities, which promise to deliver a firmer, crunchier and more flavorful berry.

Earthbound Farm surveyed more than 500 shoppers to learn about who is buying organic food, and the company found the organic shopper profile has shifted toward the mainstream.

Hy-Vee has launched a pilot program that lets shoppers buy products approaching their “best before” date at a significant discount.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — While the polar vortex prevented some from making the trip to the Global Organic Produce Expo, those who were able to come were pleased with south Florida weather and the show.

Houweling’s Group has partnered with investment firm Equilibrium to modernize and expand production at its greenhouses.

Branded apples have disrupted core variety sales, and given retailers another tier of apples promote, along with core variety organic apples.

Windsor, Ontario-based LabelPac, a company providing equipment that prints and applies labels on fruit, has a partnership with Australian company Label Press.

Jac. Vandenberg Inc., Yonkers, N.Y., is recalling cartons of Chilean peaches, nectarines and plums shipped to retailers in 18 states for Listeria monocytogenes concerns.

The Produce Marketing Association is seeking nominations for the PMA 2019 Science & Technology Circle of Excellence award.

Jim Allen, vice president of marketing for New York Apple Sales and former president of the state’s apple association, has been honored by the New York State Agricultural Society.

Satur Farms, Cutchogue, N.Y., is recalling baby spinach and mesclun mix over salmonella concerns.

A Canadian company has recalled red chili from Vietnam for potentially containing salmonella.

The number of huanglongbing (HLB) detections in California increased 160% from 2017 to 2018, according to the California Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program.

Chilean grape production started slowly but picked up steadily this year.

The California Fresh Fruit Association has prioritized issues for 2019, with federal immigration policies and their effects on the labor force as the leading issue.

California growers are expected to produce 80 million cartons of navel oranges during the 2018-19 season, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s an 11% increase over last year.

AUSTIN, Texas — John Keeling is The Packer’s 2018 Potato Man for All Seasons.

A new Michigan company, Applewood Fresh Growers LLC, Sparta, is shipping Michigan apples.

Michigan Apple grower-shipper Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. has acquired the sales operation of Jack Brown Produce.

Fresh mushroom grower-shipper Giorgio Fresh Co. is acquiring Country Fresh Mushroom’s packing and distribution/sales operations, through subsidiary Giorgio.

University of California-Davis researchers are taking an innovative approach to guarding fruits and vegetables against microbial cross-contamination by seeking a way to make produce containers fight against pathogens.

Warehousing, logistics and e-commerce fulfillment company Symbia Logistics, Denver, saw massive growth in 2018, with three acquisitions.

Tropical fruit grower, packer and shipper WP Produce, Miami, is kicking off its 2019 season with green-skinned avocado varieties that will be available year-round.