The Texas International Produce Association delivered high-impact education at the 2026 Viva Fresh Expo, equipping produce leaders with both real-time market insights and a forward-looking strategy to compete in a rapidly evolving global landscape.  

Headlining the education program, futurist economist Richard Kottmeyer of FutureBridge challenged attendees to look beyond consumer-related volatility and rethink how fresh produce can be positioned as a higher value, health linked, consumer-relevant category over the next decade.

In flower production systems, substrates can offer several advantages over soil, including lower pest and pathogen pressure, fewer weed seeds, reduced risk of heavy metal contamination and lighter weight.

With May’s arrival, California stone fruit is officially in season and available for retail promotion. Early harvest apricots are coming in first, boasting exceptional quality, though a smaller crop may lead to an earlier finish. Cherries are also being shipped out but are priced higher due to a shortened season caused by late rainfall, which cut supplies by up to half. Expect cherry shipments to taper off quickly by late May, resulting in a gap until Washington cherries enter the market.

The Western Growers Women Program marked its third annual Leadership Retreat in Rancho Mirage, CA, bringing together 35 women for an experience centered around growth, connection and leadership. 

On March 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture filed an administrative complaint alleging that National Fruit Product Co. Inc. of Winchester, VA, failed to make full payment promptly in the amount of $353,349 to two sellers for multiple lots of produce purchased, received and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

As the Georgia produce season gets underway, Producers Marketing LLC is taking a measured and strategic approach in 2026, focusing on consistent production, strong specialty pepper demand and maintaining quality across its core commodities.