North Carolina Strawberry Project looking to breed better berries with help of culinary experts
In a dynamic, first-of-its-kind partnership, North Carolina State University at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis and Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, joined forces for the N.C. Strawberry Project.
South Carolina peach season set to hit full swing by 4th of July; North Carolina emerging as world-class research hub
Agriculture continues to grow and is an ever-increasing part of North Carolina's economy, a new study shows. Meanwhile, South Carolina peach producers are preparing for a bountiful and perfectly timed summer crop that should hit its peak in July, along with domestic top 10 production of greens, tomatoes and watermelon.
Steve Junqueiro elected 2013-14 chairman and president of WAFC
Steve Junqueiro, president and chief operating officer of Save Mart Supermarkets, was recently elected 2013-14 chairman and president of the Western Association of Food Chains at the organization’s 92nd annual convention, held at the JW Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Desert, CA.
Mr. Junqueiro was previously the vice president of WAFC and has been involved with various other industry organizations throughout his career, including the Produce Marketing Association, the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Food Marketing Institute.
Loop-Lund partnership eases product movement from Rio Grande Valley
Loop Fresh Produce in McAllen, TX, and the Allen Lund Co., headquartered in La Cañada, CA, are several months into a new alliance to meet the needs of mutual customers shipping product from south Texas, and by all accounts the program has been a rousing success.
JemD’s Jim DiMenna reflects back on term as 2012 CPMA chairman
TORONTO — The 2013 CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Toronto marked the end of Jim DiMenna’s term as chairman of the association
New Zealand pipfruit volume showing gains in 2013
This season, New Zealand's pipfruit producers will infuse global markets with increased tonnage for apples and pears.
"We anticipate our export volume to be just under 17 million cartons or just over 305,000 tons," Alan Pollard, chief executive officer of Pipfruit New Zealand Inc., told The Produce News. "This would represent an increase of 6 percent over 2012. Production acreage is approximately 1 percent more than in 2012."
House, Senate committees to mark up farm bill May 14-15
WASHINGTON — The 2013 farm bill will take center stage May 14-15 when the Senate and House agriculture committees mark up different versions of the stalled five-year bill.
With the 2008 farm bill expiring Sept. 30, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has pledged to give farmers certainty and pass the bill before the next deadline.
Most but not all programs, including specialty crop research funding, are being implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a nine-month extension.
Zespri kiwifruit due for an early arrival in North America
New Zealand's Zespri announced its that its green, gold and organic kiwifruit varieties would be arriving in North America in mid-May, two weeks earlier than expected.
CMI preparing for fruitful future
CMI, one of Washington state's larger grower-shippers of premium-quality conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries, announced that one of its owners and growers, McDougall & Sons, has broken ground on a new state-of-the-art facility.
CMI's expansion project will be done in two phases and is projected to be open for business by Sept. 1.
FresCo now with three divisions: imports, terminal market, foodservice
“We have been very busy building new programs and divisions,” Charlie DiMaggio, president of FresCo, located at the Hunts Point Terminal Market, told The Produce News. “This is only our second year in business, and like the first, it has been a very positive one.”