The United Family donated 50,000 pounds of apples to food banks and other organizations across Texas and New Mexico as part of the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program. The donations took place throughout the last week of April.

In the first 11 years of the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program, United Family stores have donated more than 540,000 pounds of apples and fed more than 167,000 families. Now in the 12th year, the company continues to add to that total.

Being in the agriculture business for over four generations, the United Apple Sales team, with orchards and growing partners in western New York, learned a long time ago that Mother Nature is the great equalizer and ultimately drives the program.

Top-selling fruit brands — Sunkist Growers, Naturipe Farms and T&G Global's Envy Apples — launched a new "Fruitastic" promotion for WildBrain’s new animated Strawberry Shortcake series Berry in the Big City, now available on YouTube and Netflix.

This year’s domestic apple crop experienced a challenging growing season, including early frost, summer drought and excessive heat during harvest, putting a strain on both quality and total production. Domestic supply issues and unprecedented freight challenges have resulted in spiking prices for nearly all produce commodities. Honeybear said Southern Hemisphere apple and pear crop will offer retailers relief in their supply chain.

Equitable Food Initiative announced that CMI Orchards has achieved EFI certification.

More than 50 percent of the captive acreage of apples, cherries and pears marketed by CMI Orchards is EFI certified with the completion of certification of McDougall & Sons, growing partner and owner of CMI Orchards. The certification includes CMI's top-selling Daisy Girl Organics brand and its extensive selection of licensed branded apples in the United States.