Leafy Greens

Breeding programs focus on consumer of the future

Fruits and vegetables are important parts of a balanced diet, and making sure consumers have an abundant supply of them is part of the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) mandate.Genetic improvements in fruits and vegetables are... more »

Ohio family grows with the market

Three farms. Four thousand acres. Thirty-five commodities grown. Another 30 or so bought from other growers. Those numbers give a sense of the size and complexity of Buurma Farms, based in Willard, Ohio.In the busy... more »

Diversification spurs growth for New York farm

There's life beyond wholesaling – a whole lot of it.The family-owned and run Samascott Farm in Kinderhook, N.Y., started out mainly growing apples and wholesaling them to processors. Along the way, the family discovered farmers'... more »

Farming family creates a niche at home and around the world

Huron, Ohio-based The Chef's Garden used a value-added producer grant it received several years ago to study the feasibility of adding a processing component to its family-owned operations. The company provides more than 600 varieties... more »

National leafy greens agreement still stuck in D.C.

As of press time, the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (NLGMA) was still in limbo.The last official word was in April 2011, when USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced it was seeking public comments on... more »

ERS report confirms what we already know

Much of labor-intensive agriculture ended 2011 scrambling to find enough human hands to complete the harvest. As this article was being written in May, we were reading numerous accounts of actual or expected farm labor... more »

Syngenta vegetable seed varieties united as one brand

Syngenta has announced that ROGERS, Synergene Seed & Technology and Pybas Vegetable Seed Company brand varieties are being transitioned to the Syngenta brand this calendar year. The strengthened brand approach coincides with Syngenta's recent integration... more »

New president wants to strengthen grower, buyer connections

Drawing on his own experience, the new president of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association plans to use his new position to help the state's vegetable growers make more connections with buyers.Brian Campbell was elected president... more »