TUCSON, AZ — The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas kicked off its second annual SWIPE convention Jan. 22 with a festive opening reception at the JW Marriott Star Pass Resort, here. Formerly held in November, this marked the first year that FPAA held SWIPE in January.

Publix has been recognized on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies list. The company has been named on this list annually since 1996, marking the 31st consecutive year of earning this honor. This list acknowledges companies that make it a priority to commit to associates’ well-being, community engagement, sustainability efforts and being a great place to work, among other criteria.

Applications are now open for Class 56 of the California Agricultural Leadership Program, a transformative leadership experience for individuals shaping the future of California agriculture. The program invites mid-career individuals from across the agricultural industry to apply.

Officials at Grapeman Farms are focusing a lot of their attention on Latin America, confident that expanding its footprint in this region will continue to allow them to meet customer demand for consistent year-round supply and to align with regions that offer competitive production economics and access to newer, higher-performing varieties.

The Southern California-based company, founded in 1974, is a table grape sales, marketing and production-management platform that works with independent growers across multiple origins. 

When it comes to knowing what works in the produce industry, Patrick Mills has been there, done that — and then some. The retail promotion director-West/Canada for the Idaho Potato Commission relies on his 38 years of experience in retail produce to offer an array of strategic solutions for whatever kinds of challenges his retail customers are facing.

Monthly online grocery sales accelerated dramatically in December, with total sales surging 32 percent year-over-year to finish the month with a record high $12.7 billion, according to the latest Brick Meets Click Grocery Shopper Survey. This robust performance reflects higher order frequency, spending rates and a larger user base than December 2024.