Taking that next career step is something to be proud of – let’s celebrate some of our industry’s next generation and their AFE internship awards!

This year, eight outstanding students will pursue a freshly awarded internship opportunity through AFE’s Vic & Margaret Ball Intern Scholarship Program and Mosmiller Intern Scholarship Program.

Carl Sam Maggio, who had a produce career stretching six decades, died Aug. 19 of natural causes after battling health issues for the previous two years. He was born Jan. 23, 1933, making him 89 at his death.

Two coasts, 12 states, 3,028 miles, 175,000 vertical feet over three mountain ranges, all at an average speed of 17 miles per hour. “And we only had two flat tires,” Karin Gardner, executive director of marketing at Oppy, said of her team’s impressive top-category finish in the 2022 cycling event Race Across America.

BelleHarvest has been involved in the apple industry for more than 50 years and is one of the largest apple shippers/packers in the state of Michigan. The company was established back in 1957, therefore its roots within the apple industry are deep and its reputation is strong.

In a typical year, the company packs around 1.6 million boxes of apples.

This summer, Bako Sweet hosted a retail merchandising contest that ran from May 20 to July 4. Produce managers from Sprouts Colton Distribution Center were challenged to create the most creative displays using the brand’s organic sweet potato bags and Traeger grill-themed bin to promote sweet potato consumption during historically low sales months. As a result, stores that participated saw significant sales lift.

Bobalu Berry Farms continues on its growth track as the company celebrates 60 years of farming fresh strawberries this year in California.  Another staff position has been added to help streamline packaging, supplies and inventory management throughout all growing regions.