The quaint hamlet of Milton, in New York’s Hudson River Valley, plays an outsized role in late summer when apple season starts to pick up. Hudson River Fruit Distributors is at the heart of it, as it has been every year since 1963 when it purchased its first orchard here.

The Society of American Florists met for their annual convention Sept. 21-23 at Lowes Royal Pacific Resort in Orlango, FL. Industry members of all stripes reconnected with the floral community while attending educational and informational sessions relevant to the trade.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture imposed sanctions on Florida Cool Cargo Inc. in Miami for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These sanctions include barring the business and the principal operator of the business from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA.

Natalia Wallenberg has joined Ahold Delhaize as chief human resources officer. Wallenberg comes from Syngenta Group, a global agricultural technology business with more than 49,000 associates, working across 90 geographic markets, generating $23 billion in sales.

BOSTON — The New England Produce Council celebrated its 2021 Produce, Floral & Foodservice Expo Wednesday evening, Sept. 29, with a VIP reception and cocktail reception at Kings Dining & Entertainment, here in downtown Boston.

Triple J Produce has a rich history in the sweet potato industry. Led by Joey and Kristi Hocutt, president and sales manager respectively of the family-run business, the company has been involved in farming for three generations.

“We’ve been involved with sweet potatoes for around 36 years,” said Tristian Perry, who is part of the Hocutt family and does crop consulting for their farms.