Costco Wholesale Corp. CEO Craig Jelinek will step down from his position, effective Jan. 1, 2024. The board of directors elected Ron Vachris, president and chief operating officer since February 2022, as president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.

Jelinek and Vachris have worked hand in hand over the last 21 months in Vachris' role as president and for many years before that. The company said this is the culmination of a long-standing succession plan that Jelinek had discussed with the board.

Nash Produce, which offers state-of-the-art storage, packing and transportation services, also maintains deep-rooted relationships with its grower base to supply the highest-quality product year-round. 

Its facility and dedicated team of local growers and employees enable the company  to dependably supply sweet potatoes to retail, foodservice and processing facilities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

The International Fresh Produce Association applauded the introduction of the Continuous Improvement in Organic Standards Act.  The bill is a product of a coalition of industry partners, including the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, Organic Trade Association, Organic Produce Association, National Organic Coalition and the Organic Farmer’s Association.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Pharr International Bridge seized $10.7 million in methamphetamine from a shipment of fresh Jalapeño peppers.  

Due to growing customer demand, Joolies Dates, a leading name in the world of California-grown premium date products, has launched its latest product offering:  Post-Recycled Tubs, featuring a wide range of organic and conventional dates, including its beloved Medjool Dates and now expanding to Deglet Noors as well as coconut and almond roll varieties. This expansion in the Joolies product lineup is a testament to the company’s commitment to offering retail customers an even broader selection of high-quality options, making Joolies a true one stop date shop.