The California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission reported that walnuts rank in the top 10 agricultural crops in California and are the fifth-highest exported crop.

“The California walnut industry supports over 80,000 jobs throughout the state,” said Robert Verloop, executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission. “Production has grown to match global demand for this nutritional, plant-based food, with over 1 billion pounds harvested in 2022.”

M. Levin and Co. was founded in 1906 in Philadelphia — owned and operated by the same family for all of these years — and is the among the oldest family-owned-and-operated produce wholesalers in the area.

The Vena family’s roots in the Philadelphia produce industry date back more than 100 years. It’s a legacy that those at John Vena Inc. are committed to keep going strong, and there’s a great buzz around the company in 2023.

This has been a big year for Baldor Foods in terms of people, process and potential.

“We started the year with some technology upgrades — a replatformization of our ERP that will allow us to continue to improve how we serve our customers,” said Bill Hodge, director of sales, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, for Baldor Specialty Foods.

BRS Produce Co., was among the original tenants at the new Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market when it opened in June 2011. It currently occupies units D-2 and D-3, working with all customers who come into the market.

Safety is of main concern for those working on the farms in New Jersey, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture is committed to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and safely.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and the Department of Community Affairs oversee safety in farm labor housing. This includes inspections of housing facilities, worker conditions and potable water wells.

“The NJDA works with those agencies to communicate their messages with the industry,” said Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary and director of marketing for the NJDA.