An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but shoppers may ask exactly which variety of apple are they talking about.

The answer may be quite difficult. Today, across the globe, there are about a staggering 7,500 varieties of apples being produced.

Domestically, that number is still a shocking 2,500 different varieties of apples, though industry experts say that only about 100 are commercially viable at this point.

Two transportation brokers report that truck rates are extremely low without a lot of hope of overall improvement on the horizon. On the other hand, a San Joaquin Valley grape shipper said his rates have been climbing as he recently secured a load to Texas that was about 15 percent higher in mid-August than it was earlier in the month.

The Garden State is home to more than 9,900 farms covering 750,000 acres, and New Jersey is among the leaders in many forms of agricultural production. That includes spinach, Bell peppers, peaches, blueberries and cranberries — all produce items in the top 5 of the nation.

New Jersey also does a great deal with tomatoes, corn, apples, strawberries, potatoes and soybeans, among others.

SpartanNash appointed Kerrie D. MacPherson to its board of directors, effective immediately. As an independent director, MacPherson will serve on the audit committee.

BJ's Wholesale Club will open its third club in Tennessee in early 2024. The club will mark the retailer’s 244th club in the U.S.

The company previously welcomed its very first Tennessee club in La Vergne this past spring, with its second club in the state coming soon to the Mt. Juliet community this fall.

Michigan’s official apple crop estimate for 2023 is above average, coming in at 32 million bushels.

“This fall brings the second large Michigan apple crop in a row for our industry,” said Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee. “As growers continue to plant high-density orchards and adopt other innovative growing practices, Michigan’s apple crop will continue to grow.”