Sustainable growing practices are core to every step of our farming process, ensuring healthy flowers and soil season after season. This requires the development of new and cutting-edge solutions, continuous testing and research, and a commitment to being good stewards of the land.

We have pioneered and developed an exclusive in-house bio-factory of fertilizers and nutrients, created from natural microorganisms. This has enabled an elimination of 80 percent of the use of chemical pesticides and 50 percent of fungicides.

The Table Grape Committee of ASOEX (Chilean Fruit Exporters Association) anticipates exporting 555,483 tons, equivalent to 67.742 million (8.2-kilogram) boxes, for the 2022-23 season. This is a 1.2 percent increase from the previous forecast — though still down nearly 9 percent from the 2021-22 season, largely the result of varietal replacement within the table grape industry in Chile.

Plum Market, a grocer promoting organic and locally sourced food and essentials, opened its first Florida store, though its official ribbon-cutting ceremony celebration will be Jan. 13.

The Center for Produce Safety has developed a reputation for bringing together today’s diverse stakeholders to work toward the goal of enhancing fresh produce food safety. At the same time, the center is also working to cultivate the next generation of science talent for tomorrow’s produce safety community. 

Retailer registration for Organic Produce Summit 2023 is now open, with qualified individuals from retail and direct-to-consumer buying organizations eligible for complimentary registration and hotel accommodations. The seventh annual OPS will be held July 12-13 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA.

The Salinas River's water level continues to rise as a result of the extreme weather in California. The string of storms will likely cause supply gaps in the coming months; however, the immediate threat is flooding.

“We have concerns the water in the Salinas River are continuing to rise,” said Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto. Residents in the low-lying areas near the river received evacuation orders the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 11.