RJO Produce Marketing, a leading innovator in field-based inspections and quality management, has been selected by Google to test Google Glass in its Bird Dog field inspection program. RJO  has been using Google Glass since late December 2013, exploring the emerging technology and its possible integration with their Bird Dog App.

The latest apple from Enza has a following any new fruit would Envy. The aptly named apple will surpass the 100,000-carton mark out of Washington this season for the first time ever, as growers endeavor to feed the demand that continues to outpace supply.

The United Fresh Foundation launched Let’s Move Salad Bars to MIDWEST Schools, a new multi-year campaign to increase children’s produce consumption by donating salad bars to schools in six Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

United Fresh announced the campaign at its Winter Leadership Meeting in Miami, and introduced 12 Midwest produce industry leaders who will co-chair the campaign:

eHarvestHub, a leading provider of user-friendly and affordable technology for mid- to small growers, has launched its free produce traceability platform.

"Available to all mid- to small growers, it is the only free traceability solution that meets the Produce Traceability Initiative standards," the company stated in a press release.

The latest research on the effectiveness of commodity promotion programs has once again shown that advertising works.

Richard Sexton, an agricultural marketing economist and professor at the University of California-Davis, recently completed an extensive project with a colleague measuring the effective of the promotions done under the auspices of the Hass Avocado Board. These promotions include those done by the board as well as the California Avocado Commission, the Mexican groups that were forerunners to Avocados from Mexico and the Chilean Avocado Importers Association.

Market Fresh recently hired Dana Summer as its senior director of global operations. She will develop and execute strategies to improve procurement processes, policies and tools.