Kroger Co. is looking to help customers supercharge meals and snacks with fresh in-season fruits, veggies and simple recipes to try during National Nutrition Month and enjoy all season long.

"Preparing dishes with fresh, in-season produce presents limitless, simple options for families to enjoy together as spring and summer approaches," said Carlo Baldan, Kroger group vice president of fresh merchandising. "With guaranteed quality, value and more days of freshness for our customers, we make it easy to create nutritious meals. Fresh is always in season at Kroger."

The retailer specifically

The U.S. Department of Agriculture imposed sanctions on three produce businesses — Roberson Onion Corp., Trooex LLC and US Cargo Solutions LLC — for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. 

These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted

GrubMarket has raised around $50 million in a significantly higher valuated Series G funding round, valuing the company at over $3.5 billion.

"GrubMarket has experienced an incredible acceleration in growth over the last 12 months — our revenues surpassed $2 billion in 2024, and we became the largest private food technology company in the United States, while continuing to maintain a strong and healthy financial bottom line. As our business model is highly sustainable, this funding round was not a necessity, but rather an opportunity to align our valuation with the scale and strength of our

The Fresh Produce & Floral Council is preparing to host two marquee events in Monterey, CA, designed to provide its members with immersive industry experiences, networking opportunities and valuable business insights. The Salinas Valley Field Tours, scheduled for March 31, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at some of the region’s most prominent agricultural operations. The following day, April 1, the Del Monte Golf Classic will bring industry professionals together for a day of friendly competition, networking and brand visibility at the Del Monte Golf Course.

The Salinas Valley Field Tours

This is an excellent time for promoting loose or bagged California navel oranges while the supplies are plentiful. The demand is moderate and the market is about steady. Smaller 113s and 138s are at a current peak right now with sizing starting to shift up to the larger fruit.

Recent rain has temporarily slowed down harvesting production. However, there is still fruit available for some great ad promotions, especially after the rain subsides.

There are also some excellent quality California clementines available for promotions. This is a good time to plan a combined program of both

Babé Farms grows, packs and ships a colorful assortment of baby and specialty vegetables in California’s Santa Maria Valley and things are looking strong at the company in 2025.

“This past year reaffirmed that demand for specialty vegetables is stronger than ever,” said Matt Hiltner, marketing manager for the Santa Maria, CA-based company. “Babé Farms experienced steady growth, leading to significantly increased plantings for several of our specialty vegetables. This momentum has us optimistic that 2025 will be equally — if not more — successful.”

Babé Farms was founded in 1986 and continues