If you could develop your own produce budget, where would you begin? I asked this question to several produce directors and the majority of the answers were, “I’d start with a realistic gross profit.”

Mother Earth LLC, a fifth-generation company, operates 53 growing houses throughout southern Chester County in West Grove, Oxford, and Landenberg, PA, remaining a big player in the organic mushroom industry.

As the calendar turned to 2022, the company was employing a winning strategy for attracting business.

Mission Produce Inc., a leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, recently announced the launch of the “It’s Your Game Too” campaign. In anticipation of the largest avocado-consumption event of the year, the initiative aims to bring Mission Avocados to the forefront of Big Game festivities by inspiring consumers to indulge in a game-time #guacuterie board.

The Produce for Better Health Foundation welcomes its 2022 Executive Committee, including 2022 Chairman of the Board, CarrieAnn Arias, vice president of marketing for Naturipe Farms, LLC. Approved during the recent PBH Board of Trustees Meeting, PBH’s incoming executive leadership will ensure PBH continues to advance the organization’s mission to improve fruit and vegetable consumption in America.

Experience shows that Mother Nature always has the final say even against the bast laid out agriculture business plans. Last fall’s apple season was directly impacted by devasting weather incidents regionally and in the Pacific Northwest. This was coupled by economic challenges with supply chain issues, scarcities in packing material, daunting labor shortages in every aspect of operations, and a transportation market that defied any normalcy with either pricing or availability.

The last weekend of January is expected to see temperatures flirting with freezing in Florida’s strawberry production area near Plant City. Combined with rain during the Jan. 23-29 week, strawberry production is expected to be tight heading into the Valentine’s Day pull.