Goldenberry Farms is looking to boost the profile of its namesake fruit in the United States while also improving the lives of the farmworkers who grow it. The U.S.-based company, which has an operations hub in Colombia, is a grower, packer and exporter of exotic and tropical fruit.

As one of the most important inputs in growing fresh produce, having a company’s comments heard on the proposed FSMA Produce Safety Rule’s Agricultural Water Guidelines it vital. And to that effect, the Texas International Produce Association and the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas want to make sure that the voices of the international community have that same opportunity.

The 2021-22 U.S. citrus crop is forecast to be 6 million tons, down 13 percent from the final output for the 2020-21 season, according to the USDA. Declines in overall production are due to smaller orange and grapefruit crops in California, Florida and Texas, and smaller Mandarin crops in California and Florida.

The Well•Pict trade show crew will be at the CPMA 2022 convention and trade show in Montreal, QC. The timing is perfect because spring has sprung and Well•Pict Berries is ready for its busiest season of the year.

“Recent rains in Oxnard and Santa Maria have caused a harvest disruption, but the overall benefits far outweigh the temporary pause on picking,” said Dan Crowley, vice president of Well•Pict. “As the rain drives down the salt buildup in the soil, it acts as a natural fertilizer that we call 'sweet water.'"

The fourth Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class saw first-hand the increasing complexity of the produce logistics and distribution system with a tour of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market and Holt Logistics on March 22.

McDaniel Fruit Co. is a third generation, family-owned produce business, specializing in avocado production. “You know, we’ve been at it for a while,” said Rankin McDaniel, president of the seventy-five-year-old company.

Purchasing its first acreage in 1944 in Vista, CA, the Southern California grower takes pride in its legacy. From that first parcel purchase to helping establish the global avocado market, McDaniel Fruit Co. has developed partnerships with growers in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru giving it a year-round portfolio of premium avocados.