Vegetables

Michigan asparagus season gets underway

Michigan’s asparagus is now underway, despite unusually cold weather. Late-season blizzards dropped six inches of snow on asparagus fields. April snows and cooler-than-usual temperatures did delay this year’s crop, but Michigan asparagus season is now... more »

USDA launches PACA license search system

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) recently released ePACA, a tool to facilitate the marketing of produce and improve Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) services. This new system includes PACA Search, an online function providing access... more »

USDA revises processed vegetables grades

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has revised the U.S. standards for canned lima bean, canned mushrooms, pickles and green olives to remove the term “midget.” AMS replaced “midget” with “petite”... more »

United Fresh announces ‘best new vegetable product’ finalists

Dozens of new products this week were announced as finalists for the United Fresh Produce Association’s 2019 Innovation Awards. This year’s finalists will compete in seven categories for the title of Best New Product at... more »

PMA, FPAA, Tomato Exchange respond to termination of Tomato Suspension Agreement

A variety of produce industry groups responded to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s May 7 termination of the agreement suspending the antidumping investigation on fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The Produce Marketing Association issued the following statement: "Trade... more »

Report: US to impose 17.5 percent tariff on Mexican tomato imports

There has been much discussion surrounding the withdrawal of the Tomato Suspension Agreement in recent months and on May 7, 90 days after the initial termination announcement, Reuters reported the United States will impose a... more »

Onion developer Leonard Pike posthumously honored in Texas

The Texas International Produce Association recently honored Leonard Pike with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Viva Fresh Show in San Antonio. Pike, pioneer of the 1015 onion as well as other vegetables that contributed... more »

Purdue horticulture professor one of eight faculty Fulbright Scholars

“A lot of people don’t know this, but tomatoes originated in the Andes Mountains,” said Lori Hoagland, associate professor of horticulture at Purdue University. “For that reason, understanding soil biodiversity there has major implications for... more »