USDA Foreign Ag Service — We see them every time we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables: price look up (PLU) labels. The little coin-size stickers are stuck to everything from apples, bananas, and cantaloupes to watermelons, yams, and zucchini. According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition , PLU labels have been used globally for more than 30 years with the International Federation for …

In the United States, blueberries are the second-most produced berry, and their popularity has grown exponentially in less than 30 years – up from 45,000 tons grown in the 1990s to 339,000 tons in 2019. ARS researchers are working hard to help farmers keep up with consumer demand. Researchers at the Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research (HPCGIR) Unit in Corvallis, OR, are …

Announced by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPD), the CDFA’s Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantine program now requires all harvesters/farm labor contractors (FLCs) – referring to any person/establishment who employs people to perform work related to grove management and/or harvesting commercial citrus fruit – to have a valid compliance agreement to …

The 2022-23 Valencia orange forecast is 16.2 million cartons. This forecast was based on the results of the 2022-23 Valencia Orange Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was conducted from January 9 to February 28, 2023. Estimated fruit set per tree, fruit diameter, trees per acre, bearing acreage, and oranges per carton were used in the statistical models estimating production. The …

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), a small fly native to Asia that first appeared in Michigan in 2010, isn’t like most pests. Populations of crop-damaging insects tend to have distinct generations. Not SWD. Several generations overlap and build through the year, attacking vulnerable agricultural crops and wild plants. The situation has created a major challenge for the Michigan berry and cherry …

Westfalia Fruit, the market leader in growing, ripening, handling, and distributing quality avocados, announces the start of its 2023 GEM® avocado season, expecting a strong supply of fruit from mid-April through mid-July. Westfalia Fruit US is excited to present the GEM® avocado to the United States market. GEM is a gourmet avocado that Westfalia holds exclusive marketing rights in Africa, …

To teach PCAs about citrus mealybug (an emerging concern for citrus growers) this field day will focus on lectures on pest identification and biology, scouting/monitoring, and management, lecture on ant control.  With this knowledge, PCAs can monitor the fields for mealybug infestation and develop informed management strategies.  Attendees will receive instruction from Sandipa Gautam and David Haviland from the UC …

A new generation of leaders has graduated from the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) Board Leadership Development (BOLD) program with specialized training and real-world experience that ensures a stronger future for the industry. The robust, year-long program exposes emerging leaders from across the supply chain to experts and resources essential to forming a well-rounded understanding of the business and being considered …

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) recently received approval from the Chinese government for its registration as a Foreign Nongovernmental Organization (FNGO). When USHBC initially launched its China program, we immediately began seeking this registration to comply with the “Law on Administration of Activities of Overseas Nongovernmental Organizations in the Mainland of China,” which was implemented by the Chinese government …

Hass Avocado Board — The U.S. avocado industry faced several challenges in 2022, which kept markets, and marketers facing challenges with their customers and with consumers, that had not been seen in recent years. Despite increasing shipments from every source of supply, except one, the industry actually went backwards on supply directed to the U.S. market, and the ensuing shortage …