Two years removed from the deepest clutches of the coronavirus pandemic, Ryan Flaim of R&R Flaim/Flaim Farms says things are looking up for his family-owned business.

“Everything is falling into place nicely so far this year,” he said May 9. “The weather has been favorable this spring, and the foodservice side of the business continues to come back.”

Flaim said he has had increased demand from his customer base, and in response he upped acreage for summer crops eggplant and peppers by around 20 percent each.

California Giant Berry Farms is accepting entries for its annual California Giant Chef Invitational. Now in its fourth year, the California Giant Chef Invitational is a nationwide culinary competition that calls upon chefs to think outside the box and create innovative, original dishes featuring fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

In the early 1980s, seven farming families on Prince Edward Island banded together to help meet the growing demand for washed potatoes in the marketplace. Officially formed in 1982, Mid Isle Farms is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, with plans to continue modernizing its operations to provide top-quality product and service to its client base.

Naturipe Farms is a grower-owned producer of wholesome, good-for-you fresh berries, nurtured by working family farmers. The company has been growing berries since 1917 and has built a strong community of farms that produce the berries for the Naturipe brand.

North Carolina is home to some of the finest farmers in the United States, assisted by the outstanding efforts of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, which works to ensure that growers in the state have all they can to be successful.

The climate and soil of North Carolina makes it the ideal ground for a variety of produce items.

The Southeast Produce Council announced this year’s SEPC Member Scholarship recipients. It awarded 59 scholarships ($59,000) in 2022 thanks to the dedication of its members.