Naturipe Farms increases Sunshine State strawberry production
Naturipe Farms is expanding its strawberry holdings in the Sunshine State. The global berry producer has enlarged its Florida strawberry operations by bringing more than 200 acres of strawberries into Central Florida. The Chavez family... more »
IFPA global produce show a “Force for Fresh” in Atlanta
IFPA's recent global produce show was a "Force for Fresh." The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) recently wrapped up its annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia, after what's being described as a transformative three days for... more »
Avoid these common mistakes in direct-to-retail vegetable marketing
Marketing can take up to 30% of a grower's time, making it vital to use that time wisely. In direct-to-retail vegetable marketing, several common mistakes can undermine sales and customer relationships. By identifying these pitfalls... more »
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance urges congressional action
Congressional lawmakers are hearing from the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) about the importance of supporting of specialty crop growers in the farm bill. The Washington, D.C.-based organization wrote the following in response to... more »
USDA plans data users confab
USDA has scheduled its biannual data users meeting. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is set to host the biannual Data Users’ Meeting on Oct. 15-16, which provides an online forum for stakeholders to discuss... more »
USDA provides organic market development grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service is providing organic market development grants. AMS has awarded an additional $9.7 million for 13 grant projects through the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program. The... more »
Editor’s Letter: Food safety, harvest and a new focus are all in the forefront
Welcome to Vegetable Growers News' (VGN) food safety issue. With harvest over or ending for many growers, VGN examines steps growers are taking to ensure the safety of the crops they plant, grow and harvest.... more »
Sweet corn movement declines
U.S. sweet corn movement is down from last fall. On Sept. 17, the USDA’s Specialty Crops Market News Federal and State Market News Service reported seasonal sweet corn movement was 4.5 million 42-pound packages, down... more »
U.S. land prices stable with regional shifts’ opportunities, risks
Despite land values reported as stable nationally, regional shifts are creating new opportunities and risks while nationally. A new report reveals national stability in the price of land but at the same time, the market... more »
Managing increased customer traffic at your farm market
On a recent sunny morning, I visited a well-established farm market to talk with the manager. The parking lot was nearly full and inside the market, there were three registers in operation, and they still... more »
