Wholesum released its 2024 Conscientious Company Report, titled People, Power, Progress. This annual report is a comprehensive reflection of the company’s values in action, from environmental innovation to human empowerment. The company said the report demonstrates its commitment to responsible agriculture.

Whole Foods Market and Mad Agriculture announced a transformative collaboration to launch a national biodiversity highway initiative aimed at reconstructing native ecosystems across American farmland. This visionary program, beginning in and around the Lowery Creek Watershed in Wisconsin, seeks to create a connected highway of climate-resilient habitats restoring biodiversity, improving soil and water health, and strengthening the long-term resilience of the food system.

On the heels of successful asparagus and sweet corn seasons, Todd Greiner Farms Packing LLC announced the start of its fall shipping season, offering a full lineup of pumpkins and winter squash starting the week of Labor Day.

JOH, a leading independent food broker based in Billerica, MA, hired Julia Costanza as a produce business manager in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland region.

GardenChoice announced that Bloomin’ Easy Plants Inc. has joined as a full partner. GardenChoice’s mission is to bring leading edge genetics from independent breeders to the global market. It is a strategic alliance between Rick Grazzini’s GardenGenetics LLC, global lily leader Zabo Plant Inc., perennial input producer Pioneer Gardens Inc. and now Bloomin’ Easy Plants Inc., the brand for young homeowners.

There is an abundance of different melon varieties. The most popular are cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons. However, there are other choices available, such as Crenshaw, Persian, Canary, Galia — and actually thousands of watermelon varieties as well.