By the time Hurricane Hilary hit land and headed up through California, it had been downgraded to a tropical storm, which was clearly great news for homeowners and farmers alike.

The storm did some damage across the state, with the Palm Springs area and other desert towns being the hardest hit. It continued on that northeasterly path from Baja California with much of its power and rain unleashed in the Sierra foothills or on the other side of the Sierras. As such, the San Joaquin Valley was not hit as hard as expected.

Ahhh, the sweet onion. Consumers’ love affair with the mild, sweet onion has turned it into a kitchen staple. The sweet onion is popping up on consumers‘ grocery lists all year, thanks to its naturally sweet flavor and its many health benefits — from reducing the risk of cancer to improving heart health. And luckily for us, industry leaders like Bland Farms ensure we have sweet onions available all year.

In a partnership that celebrates a shared commitment to health, vitality and active living, Chiquita and Brooks Running launched the "Ready, Set, Peel!" promotion.

After a successful first collaboration, both parties are re-joining forces to inspire and motivate runners of all levels across the globe in enhancing their fitness journeys, while showcasing the importance of well-rounded nutrition and performance footwear.

The U.S. Apple Association named a new chair to lead its board of directors. Washington grower and shipper Steve Clement, CEO of Sage Fruit Co., will serve the 2023-24 term.

Sage Fruit has five warehouse/packing partners and ships more than $280 million of fresh fruit globally. Clement has been with Sage Fruit for 18 years. He also sits on the governing board of the Northwest Fruit Exporters. His immediate past role at USApple was vice chair of the board of directors.

F&S Fresh Foods hired Jay Schneider in its newly created role of director of sales operations. Schneider is in charge of helping to grow top-line sales, driving awareness of the company’s capabilities and products to current and future clients. He is drawing on his vast experience gained during a quarter-century with Acme Markets, giving him insight into what retailers want and need to grow product sales.

CMI Orchards introduced new pear-packing technology with strong benefits to retailers and consumers. Its recent expansions on the technology used to pack, market and sell pears is something the company has been working toward for a while.