By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association’s new consumer-focused social media marketing campaign, #EveryBiteCounts, continues the organization’s effort to educate consumers about the importance of supporting local farmers. With the hashtag #EveryBiteCounts, the goal is to educate consumers about the impact of purchasing in-season domestically grown fruits and vegetables, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the …
Alabama Extension to Host Vegetable Production Meeting
Vegetable producers in Alabama know It is spring planting season. Growers need to be aware of what to expect before plants are put in the ground. Alabama Extension will host a vegetable producers production meeting on Wednesday, April 6. Extension specialist Andre da Silva and Extension agents Shane Harris and Chip East will lead the meeting, which will begin at …
N.C. State Extension to Host Produce Safety Field Days
North Carolina State Extension will host two produce safety field days in April. One will be held at the Horticultural Crops Research Station in Faison on April 6. The other will be held at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River on April 13. Both programs are free and will be held from 10 a.m. to …
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training in Florida
Few tickets are still available for the upcoming in-person Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training scheduled for March 23 in Belle Glade, Florida. The training is a one-day course for produce growers and packers who fall under the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. For more information and registration Click Here! There is also a training scheduled for March 30 …
New Produce Safety Online Course Available
By Clint Thompson A collaborative effort between Auburn University, University of Georgia and Clemson University has led to the development of the Small Fruit Certifications online course. It was developed for Extension agents, specialists and other outreach providers who are not as familiar with produce safety, says Kristin Woods, Alabama Regional Extension agent. “More and more our agricultural agents and …
Florida Farmer: Consumer, Ultimately, Will Have to Pay for This
Freight costs have doubled. Input prices have risen. These increased expenses will have a snowball effect, believes Florida watermelon farmer Laura Land. Land said the pallet shortage is a serious shortage and a serious problem, especially as she prepares for the upcoming harvest for her North Florida watermelons. She still doesn’t have enough pallets to ship on with harvest less …
United Fresh Releases 2020 Fourth Quarter Report
Fresh produce continues its steady growth at retail, with increased sales for fruits and vegetables during the fourth quarter of 2020. That’s according to a new report from United Fresh, detailing the fourth quarter of last year and the 2020 year-end report. Among the fourth quarter highlights, both fruits and vegetables continued to grow as sales surged across categories driven …
United Fresh Launches 2021 Produce Industry Compensation Survey
The United Fresh Produce Association launched its 2021 Compensation Survey on Monday for the fresh produce industry. The data collected will be published in a report that will assist produce industry employers in understanding critical compensation benchmarks. For 2021, additions to the survey include two new positions focused on sustainability and a series of questions related to how companies have …
Registration Closes Soon for Virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Training
Registration will close soon for the virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Training, which will be held Feb. 23 and 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. Registration closes Tuesday, Feb. 16 and is limited to 15 participants. This two-day online workshop is offered to produce growers. The training will cover the standardized curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets …
Marketing Your Crop: Be Better Prepared
As vegetable and specialty crop producers near another spring harvest season, marketing their product remains a focal point of their farming operations. Adam Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, implores producers to be better prepared this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “I really recommend producers think about their marketing and distribution earlier and really at the …