The International Fresh Produce Association provided a map of its efforts to advocate for improved efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and collaboration at the FDA. The update comes before the Reagan-Udall Foundation is expected to issue a report commissioned by the FDA to provide holistic recommendations to strengthen the foods program. 

Square Roots and Gordon Food Service opened a new climate-controlled, indoor farm today in Shepherdsville, KY.

Since establishing their strategic partnership in 2019, Square Roots and Gordon Food Service have been building indoor farms together across the continent — with the ultimate aim of bringing locally grown food to customers at a global scale. In the past year alone, Square Roots has deployed new, co-located farms on Gordon Food Service distribution centers in Kenosha, WI; Springfield, OH; and now Shepherdsville.

Atlanta is a big city, but it’s also a proud local community. One way many Atlantans express their pride in their city is through their devotion to supporting the local food movement.

That is done, in part, through the city’s residents buying produce at the plethora of farmers markets that are located throughout the bustling and exciting city. These markets bring fresh produce and other local goods to the people of Atlanta, who want to eat delicious and healthy foods.

It might be too dramatic to say that the avocado has had a rags to riches career over the last few decades, but it’s not an exaggeration to note its meteoric and unprecedented volume growth in that time frame.

Virtually everyone agrees that the current cult status of the avocado and its ever-increasing popularity was impossible to predict and a very pleasant surprise. At least almost everyone.

Veteran potato salesman Ken Gad of Cambridge Farms, which is based in South Easton, MA, admits that the current potato marketing situation is very difficult to judge. I'm going right down the middle, he said.  I usually have a strong opinion about what is happening and what is going to happen, but this year I just can’t put my finger on it.

The week following Thanksgiving typically marks a drop in demand for most fruits and vegetables as the heavy holiday pull subsides. This year, the super high prices for so many commodities prior to the holiday left warehouses empty and there has been no change in the supply-demand curve.

A week before Thanksgiving, veteran California vegetable salesman Mark McBride noted the high prices were unprecedented. “If anybody tells you they’ve seen this before, they are lying,” said the Coastline Family Farms sales executive. “I’ve never seen anything like this before, not even close.”