More than 15 salad bars are coming to schools in the Salinas/Monterey County area in California, thanks to the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.

At the 74th annual GSA Golf Tournament and Gala Events, produce industry leaders raised more than $43,000 to support the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation's More Produce in Schools Program and United Fresh Produce Association Foundation's campaign to place salad bars in schools across the country.

Gills Onions and Duda Farm Fresh Foods will host an event July 11 to unveil the world's largest vanadium flow battery and 37,000 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels, respectively. The companies' latest initiatives highlight the continued growth of Ventura County, CA, as a sustainable corridor, ripe with innovative, environmentally responsible practices, particularly within the fresh-cut industry.

The Oppenheimer Group, based in Vancouver, BC, recently hired JULIA HASHIM as its new business development representative at the company’s office in Newark, DE.

In her new role at The Oppenheimer Group, Ms. Hashim will focus on “executing impactful promotions for primary brands, providing solutions for retailers, and creating interest in and excitement for each of Oppenheimer’s key categories at retail,” stated a company press release.

Salinas lettuce shippers were experiencing lower demand over the past month in direct proportion to the rise in production of California melons, grapes and stone fruit. California and New Mexico yellow onion shippers were seeing steady and fairly good demand. Idaho russet shippers had modestly improved carton demand.

TRANSPORTATION & FUEL

Demand for trucks and the cost of freight remain at peak levels and are expected to continue as such through July.  

CITRUSDAL, South Africa – While the Western Cape of South Africa has a climate that is ideal for growing citrus, it also supports one of the main pests that would present a barrier to shipments to the United States: the false codling moth.

This season, the label for organic blueberries marketed by Rainier Fruit Co. has been redesigned, making it easy for consumers to identify organic product.