In my new role leading business development and member engagement, sponsorship is a topic that comes up in almost every conversation. Companies sponsor programs, events, research and initiatives to align their brand with work that matters to the industry. Sponsorship is a way to show up visibly and invest in the ideas and efforts that will move the produce and floral sectors forward.

But sponsorship is not just for brands. 

Before stepping into this role, I led IFPA’s talent and education initiatives. In that work, I spent a lot of time thinking about how careers develop, how leaders grow and

Great Place To Work and Fortune media have recognized Wegmans Food Markets Inc. as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2026. This is Wegmans 29th year being named to this prestigious list, this year coming in at fifth place. 

The 100 Best Companies to Work For list honors companies that build a high-trust workplace environment, measured through Great Place To Work’s proprietary survey platform. Confidential feedback from more than 1.3 million employees in the U.S. is matched against HR data from participating companies. Only companies with consistently high survey responses

Healthy eating is more fun for kids when they get involved in the selection and preparation of foods that promote good health. That’s the idea behind California Kids Cook, a new pilot program from CA GROWN and Gelson’s, designed to bring the “farm-to-store-to-fork-to-school” journey to life for local students.

“It is immensely important to educate — and engage with — our future shoppers,” said Cherie Watte, executive director of CA GROWN. “CA GROWN is thrilled to partner with Gelson's and the Ojai Pixie growers — and Franklin Elementary and the Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast — to

Food Lion customers and associates came together once again to support hunger-relief efforts through Food Lion Feeds’ annual Orange Bag campaign, helping provide more than 13 million meals to individuals and families experiencing hunger across its 10-state footprint.

During the campaign, held Feb. 25 through March 17, customers supported hunger-relief efforts by purchasing specially marked bags filled with fresh navel oranges and making donations at the register or through Food Lion’s eCommerce platform, Food Lion To Go. Each contribution helped support local communities through Food Lion Feeds

Superfresh Growers expanded its Equitable Food Initiative certification, building on its certified apple and pear acreage and now covering the majority of the company’s cherry acreage as it enters the 2026 season. Additional apple, pear, blueberry and cherry acreage is scheduled for certification over the next two years, extending EFI standards across the company’s full range of operations. The expansion reflects a multi-year commitment to making EFI the operating standard across Superfresh Growers’ farms and production facilities, with a particular emphasis on apples and blueberries in the

If you spend any time in the produce industry, you know that conference season can feel a little like living out of a carry-on. Flights before sunrise. Long days of meetings. Networking receptions that stretch late into the evening. Then you wake up the next morning and do it all again.

Travel for work is exciting and energizing, but it can also quietly chip away at your wellness if you’re not intentional about how you manage it. Anyone who travels frequently knows the common advice: maintain a routine when you can, try to fit in a walk or workout, and pack light so transitions between airports