The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is thrilled to have had a conventional winter that allowed for soil recharge — and without major swings — to allow for the beginning of an excellent looking season for growers in the state.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has filed an administrative complaint against Jaspo Inc. for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

Jaspo, operating from Washington, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to seven produce sellers in the amount of $401,276 from Oct. 2023 through Feb. 2024.  

Pacific Trellis Fruit Co. announced a long-term joint venture agreement with Desert Ghost, a Hermosillo, Sonora, farming entity owned by the Carrillo family of Caborca. Carrillo also owns UVEX, a large table grape operation located in Caborca.

Misfits Market acquired The Rounds, a startup known for restocking recurring essentials in reusable packaging. This deal comes on the heels of record customer acquisition in April and May 2025, and it marks Misfits Market's second acquisition in three years, following the successful 2022 integration of Imperfect Foods.

Naturipe Farms has promotable volumes of fresh, flavorful blackberries from the Southeast, led by Georgia-grown fruit and featuring its highly sought after proprietary variety, Southern Grace. With Mexico’s crop winding down and domestic production ramping up, this year’s blackberry season is off to a strong start.

Members of the 2025 Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class participated in a leadership series from Rutgers University during April and May. “The Pathways for Aspiring Leaders series presented five one-hour virtual sessions that immersed our class in a journey through leadership,” said Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC executive director. “Weekly sessions were informative and thought-provoking and provided opportunity for smaller break-out discussions.”