Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations at the Pharr International Bridge cargo facility were busy recently with a seizure of alleged methamphetamine valued at $8.2 million discovered within a commercial shipment of fresh strawberries.

Philadelphia-based Ryeco continues to invest to keep business current. Last year, the company purchased a new 30,000 square-foot warehouse in South Philadelphia to support its PWPM facility and operations. “We use it to support our main store here at the market,” said Filindo Colace, vice president operations at Ryeco. “We can store more items there to send to the market as needed and it enables us to handle more variety of product.”

The Southeast Produce Council held its first STEP-UPP Virtual Classroom within the SEPC Virtual Garden on Wednesday, April 28. STEP-UPP, which is an acronym for Southeast Training Education Program for Upcoming Produce Professionals, is SEPC’s flagship program giving retail and foodservice produce professionals a greater understanding of the industry through an emphasis on strategic orientation, personal leadership and hands-on field experience. 

Weis Markets Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Jonathan H. Weis announced the company’s plans to invest $135 million in its growth during 2021.

Weis made the announcement during the company’s annual shareholder meeting in Sunbury, PA. He said the company continues to invest in new stores, remodels, fuel centers, information technology upgrades and more than a thousand smaller store improvement projects.

Valerie Shepler has joined Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc., as commercial manager for the United States and Canada, where she is responsible for establishing and developing strong relationships with the company’s blueberry nursery and genetics customers, overseeing the implementation and administration of new plant preview and genetics licensing programs, and managing the customer service, sales, and grower support team. Based in the company’s Lowell, Ore. office, she reports to Scott Cully, regional director for the U.S.

Produce Marketing Association has officially opened registration and hotel reservations for PMA Foodservice 2021 which will be held in Monterey, CA, from July 21-22.  The event invites all industry members and partners from across the foodservice supply chain, including operators, retail foodservice buyers, growers-shippers and more, to come together to connect, share insights and find innovations.