Patrick Mills jumped into action last January as retail promotion director-West/Canada for the Idaho Potato Commission, eager to share his 37 years of retail produce experience with stores throughout the region. A year later, the industry veteran said he loves being able to focus in on one of the most rewarding parts of his job: building relationships.

The trustee in bankruptcy of DecoNova Young Plants B.V. at Roelofarendsveen and Nieuwveen has concluded an agreement with Straathof Plants B.V. An urgent takeover was necessary to preserve the quality of the plant material, and to secure the future delivery of orders to customers.

Inclement weather conditions from past storms heavily damaged the tomato crops in Florida, reducing supplies. That along with a decreased amount out of California and Mexico created a supply-and-demand imbalance. But now the supplies have started to improve along with lower market pricing.

Bigger is better for Idaho potato supplies this year, with plenty of anticipated availability for larger-sized spuds from the 2024 growing season.

“The harvest conditions in 2024 were probably the best I’ve ever seen,” said Travis Blacker, vice president of industry relations and research for Idaho Potato Commission. “The weather was just fantastic — warm and sunny. Even with a frost that hit all around the state on Father’s Day weekend, the growing season was also very good.”

As the new year begins, ZAG Technical Services encourages businesses to prioritize IT and cybersecurity to ensure smooth and secure operations.

The Southeast Produce Council is embarking on the third year of the SEPC Next Generation Leadership Academy (NGLA), and it is now accepting applications for the 2026 Class.