Mastronardi using social channels to talk flavor
With the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit convention just weeks away, Mastronardi Produce, based in Kingsville, ON, released a three-minute video via its Facebook page and YouTube channel talking about what flavor means to its staff.
"We came up with the idea over the summer to help our customers and consumers understand what flavor means to our staff each and every day," Chris Veillon, director of marketing, said in a press release.
O.C. Shulz welcomes return to normalcy in conditions for potato production
It’s not déjà vu all over again for O.C. Shulz & Sons Inc. And Dave Moquist, the company’s secretary-treasurer, said that’s a good thing. “It was such a pleasure this year compared to last,” he told The Produce News on Sept. 12.
“We had adequate moisture and excellent conditions for planting and the early stages of growing. It turned hot and dry for the rest of the growing season after July 4. It looks like the moisture in our area turned out to be adequate.”
Garber Farms finishing sophisticated climate controlled storage system
Garber Farms in Iota, LA, has been in business for 131 years, giving the owner, Wayne Garber, some deep insight into growing issues, trends and changes throughout the years.
He explained to The Produce News that there is an aspect of growing where different crops compete for the same piece of land.
Fresh market mushroom sales on the rise for 11th consecutive quarter
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service issued its annual mushroom report Aug. 20. It states that sales of the 2011-12 U.S. mushroom crop totaled 900 million pounds, up 4 percent from the previous year. Value of sales for the 2011-12 crop is $1.1 billion, up 8 percent from the previous year.
As global demand for Georgia pecans skyrockets, growers plan to increase production by 50 percent
In a typical year, Georgia leads the nation in pecan production and has for decades. But with the nut’s rising popularity and migration to the produce department, Georgia growers have enough new trees in the ground to increase production by about 50 percent between now and 2020. More importantly, Georgia growers believe they will find a welcoming market for those additional pecans.
Research on orange flesh sweet potatoes continues to amaze
The U.S. Sweet Potato Council, along with growers, marketers and state-based organizations, has a lot to be happy about these days. Sweet potato demand has grown by approximately 20 percent per year for the past several years. Hardly a day goes by that sweet potatoes aren’t popping up in front of consumers’ faces in food magazines, cookbooks and on television shows. And the more scientific research that is done on sweet potatoes, the more good news surfaces about its nearly miraculous benefits.
Mississippi Sweet Potato Council anticipates solid crop of great quality
Benny Graves, executive director of the Vardaman, MS-based Mississippi Sweet Potato Council, told The Produce News that growers in the state started harvesting in August and were between 25 and 30 percent into the crop in mid-September.
“We have some good-looking potatoes coming out,” said Mr. Graves. “There are a couple of isolated spots that got a little too much moisture, but they are minimal, and overall we have some of the best shapes and qualities that I’ve seen in a while.”
Atlanta Farmers Market working to become more user-friendly
The Atlanta State Farmers Market had its origins in Atlanta’s West End in 1939 before moving to the current facility in 1959. In the intervening decades it has sprawled into a 150-acre hub of commerce and transportation so busy it has its own supermarket, restaurants, visitors’ center, gift shop and police force.
Lone Star harvesting first crop citrus from its new trees this season
Heading into its sixth full citrus season, Lone Star Citrus in Mission, TX, has plenty to celebrate. In short order the company has become one of the state’s top providers of citrus. The company recently inked a deal to be the exclusive provider of Texas grapefruit for Sunkist. And this season, Lone Star will mark a major milestone when it harvests the first fruit from the first trees planted in its own groves five-and-a-half years ago.
The latter is a particular source of pride for the company.
Rio Queen expects excellent season for its top-quality Texas grapefruit and oranges
Started with a 20-acre grove and a Missouri businessman’s curiosity, Rio Queen Citrus Inc. in Mission, TX, has over the last half-century become one of the larger grower-shippers of citrus in the Lone Star State. This year, the firm is set up for an excellent citrus season thanks to terrific weather and an early end to the California citrus season.