Kurt Zuhlke has been a leader in the produce packaging industry for generations, but even with all his experience, he never saw a month as busy as December of 2021, which he said is the best month his firm, Kurt Zuhlke & Associates, has ever had in its history.

Emerson is launching new premium monitoring services for its Oversight cargo services platform, transforming billions of aggregated sensor data points from GO loggers and trackers into insights customers can utilize to manage their cold chain more effectively.

Consumers can enjoy sweet, juicy cherries through February, thanks to Chile. Chilean cherry exports to the U.S. have doubled this season, and the Chilean Cherry Committee will continue to run both consumer and retail programs through February to drive awareness and sales.

The California Avocado Commission’s 2022 pre-season forecast projects a 306-million-pound crop, which is nearly a 15 percent increase over the last fiscal year. The majority of the harvest will be the Hass variety; Lamb Hass, GEM and other varieties also are being commercially grown.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced plans to increase capacity at the port of Oakland in Oakland, CA, and improve service for shippers of U.S.-grown agricultural commodities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is partnering with the port of Oakland to set up a new 25-acre “pop-up” site to make it easier for agricultural companies to fill empty shipping containers with commodities.

“Organic is a huge focus for us in January and February,” said Patrick Lucy, president of Del Rey Avocado Co., based in Fallbrook, CA. “People are trying to eat healthy starting off the new year, and there is not a better tasting or healthier option for food than organic avocados.”