Twenty years ago there were at least two dozen citrus houses in the state of Texas. That number has now dwindled to four, not due to attrition but to mergers and acquisition, which makes it all the more remarkable that Lone Star Citrus in Mission, TX, has thrived and prospered.

Giorgio Fresh Co. and Modern Mushroom Farms have reached an agreement to transition the Modern Mushroom fresh mushroom business to the Giorgio family of brands.

Under this agreement, Giorgio will manage Modern’s packing facility in Chester County, PA, and purchase those mushrooms from Modern’s growing operations. Additionally, the Modern sales and customer service teams will become a part of the Giorgio team. Both the “Modern Farms” and “Green Giant Fresh” brands will continue to be in the market, and Green Giant Fresh will continue featuring Box Tops for Education.

The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee, the Idaho Potato Commission and Clear Springs Trout teamed up to host the 2012 Best of Idaho chefs and food writers tour Oct. 3-5, which gave chefs, culinary instructors and food editors the opportunity to visit farms and packinghouses across the state of Idaho and learn how onions, potatoes and trout are raised, harvested and packed.

Within days, the new crop of California oranges will hit the market and California growers are promising that they will deliver a tastier product because of the all-new California Standard.

In 1894, Henry C. Precythe founded what would over the following century evolve into Southern Produce Distributors Inc., now headquartered in Faison, NC. It was operated under his name until his death in 1933.

When President Barack Obama ran for president four years ago, an informal and unscientific poll of the industry seemed to show that he had significant support in the fresh produce industry. Four years later, the same can be said.