Longtime California agricultural leader Don Smith, who remained active in the industry and in his farming operation until the end, died on July 3 at the age of 95.

The first grapes shipping from California’s San Joaquin Valley will see some overlap with the last of Mexico’s crop, but Grapeco Farms Co-owner Jared Lance said the high quality of both crops is a good sign for retail demand for the fruit from California.

With its 2025 campaign, Savor Summer’s Sweetest Moments, Bland Farms invites families to do more than enjoy a harvest — it encourages them to pause, connect and savor the simple joys of the season: meals shared, memories made and the unmistakable sweetness of summer.

Festival Foods is kicking off the peak of cherry season in a big way – literally. On July 16, the De Pere, WI, Festival Foods location will host the largest cherry display in company history: a nine-foot wide, 30-foot long, six-foot-high mountain of fresh cherries hand-picked from Pacific Northwest orchards.

The Independent Grocers Alliance and the National Watermelon Promotion Board partnered to launch a robust second-half 2025 shopper marketing and retailer education campaign designed to boost watermelon awareness, drive in-store engagement and support IGA retailers in delivering fresh, family-friendly solutions to their customers. 

Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet has named Andrea Montagna co-CEO. The company said the introduction of the co-CEO structure is part of a thoughtful, long-term succession plan designed to build on Seald Sweet’s rich heritage while accelerating growth and innovation across the United States.

Montagna will serve alongside current CEO Mayda Sotomayor, combining their expertise to further strengthen the company’s position as a trusted leader in fresh produce.