In early November, the Texas International Produce Association opened up booth registrations as it continued its quest to curate a great experience for its Viva Fresh Expo, which will be held April 11-13 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Houston.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses — Cadence Gourmet, San Isidro Fresh Produce and First Quality Produce — for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA.

Smith’s Farm made its name growing broccoli and potatoes in Maine, but Florida has played an important role for the company in building the strategy that continues to fuel its growth today.

In today’s digital age, I’ve witnessed a remarkable transformation in the way we acquire knowledge, thanks to the never-ending stream of information on social media. With every scroll, I find myself learning something new, be it a fascinating fact, a practical life hack or a deep dive into a topic I’ve never explored before. It’s an experience that resonates with countless individuals of all generations, where social media has evolved beyond just a means of connection and entertainment — it has become an indispensable source of education.

Three construction projects that will ultimately double capacity and significantly improve efficiency at the Pharr Bridge border crossing in South Texas are on track and should all be completed by 2026.

“Once it is all done, we will see a significant difference in the way we operate,” said Bridge Director Luis Bazan of the city-owned Pharr Bridge. “We will double the capacity and we will see a significant reduction in wait times. Today’s wait times which are typically 30 minutes to an hour will be cut to 10-15 minutes tops.”

Working in Florida historically has been an important component of the produce sector in the United States. In addition to being a major growing area, supplying items like peppers, squash, eggplant, tomatoes and berries, the Sunshine state is the perfect gateway into the U.S. for products grown in South America and Central America.

Florida’s agriculture sector has more than a $132 billion economic impact across the state, while providing more than 2.2 million jobs and local sources of food.