Water
Cantaloupe groups gain traction on safety
The only way to go is up.Still smarting from a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., in 2011, followed the next year by a salmonella outbreak tied to... more »
FDA releases long-awaited food safety rules
FDA has released its long-awaited implementation documents for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The two rules were placed in the Federal Register Jan. 4, and will be available for public comment for 120 days... more »
Farm marketers find ways to survive 2012
What lessons did farm marketers learn from last year's short crop?That was the subject of a panel discussion at the 2012 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO held in December in Grand Rapids,... more »
A little rain and a lot of faith
In the heart of the drought that hammered much of central Illinois this summer, at least one farm got just enough moisture to pull off a good season. The Garden Spot in Princeville, Ill., owned... more »
Sandy causes market closures, wind damage
Hurricane Sandy, the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, was a tough blow to growers who already had to deal with a rough spring.Sandy was the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane in history, only surpassed by Katrina in... more »
Keeping muck soils sustainable takes monitoring
Muck soils are an economically important, non-renewable resource for Michigan agriculture. Satisfactory soil conservation and nutrient management practices are needed to sustain these soils for future crop production.Muck soils are the result of a transformation... more »
New MVC president wants to tackle labor, public relations
Ralph Oomen is in line to become the next president of the Michigan Vegetable Council (MVC). Currently the vice president, he'll start his two-year term as president in 2013.Ralph's family has been farming in western... more »
Tomatoes at the center of growing trade dispute
The 1996 tomato suspension agreement between the United States and Mexico is at the center of a growing trade dispute between the two counties. The agreement has governed the price of tomatoes imported from Mexico... more »
