Nominations are now open for the Southeast Produce Council's The Unseen Hero Award. This prestigious honor is dedicated to the tireless individuals who work behind the scenes, ensuring the produce industry continues to flourish without ever seeking the spotlight.

In an effort to better highlight the diverse talent across the entire supply chain, and due to the overwhelming response of nominees this past year, SEPC expanded the award into three distinct categories: retail, foodservice and grower-packer-shipper.  

“As we look at the produce industry as a whole, we recognize that its success

As we move deeper into April, the spring transition is starting to take shape. This is the first full week of processors in Salinas, and with that comes the usual early-season challenges. Load times are a bit slower as crews get settled, and supply is still working to catch up as more acreage comes online.

We’re already seeing markets respond. Lettuce, Romaine, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and celery are all starting to inch higher as the desert winds down and the coast continues to ramp up.

Salinas saw some early rain to start the week, which brought some welcome moisture but also slowed

Instacart has acquired Instaleap, a global enablement and fulfillment solutions services platform that empowers retailers to streamline and scale their online operations. The acquisition supports Instacart’s strategy to expand its enterprise offerings globally and build the technologies that can power every single grocery transaction.

Instaleap offers purpose-built grocery technology, designed to address core retailer needs, including marketplace integrations and fulfillment solutions services, and complements Instacart’s broader portfolio of enterprise offerings. With operations in nearly 30

Taylor Farms has launched its new line of fresh snacks, salads and vegetable kits inspired by Illumination’s beloved Minions. As a leading global producer of salads and healthy fresh foods, this collaboration between Taylor Farms, Universal Products & Experiences and Illumination coincides with the riotous new chapter in Illumination’s joyful animated universe, Minions & Monsters, hitting theaters July 1. 

“Illumination’s Minions are a global phenomenon with broad cross-generational appeal,” said Bryan Jaynes, senior vice president of product. “With the new film’s release just around the corner

Dollar General plans to roll out an enhanced, AI-enabled in-store audio network across approximately 6,000 stores in 48 states. Through a new partnership with QSIC, Dollar General will deliver more relevant, localized and measurable audio experiences to customers while providing brand partners with accountable, data-driven advertising across one of the nation’s most expansive retail footprints. 

This rollout will double DG’s existing in-store audio presence and significantly increase measurement capabilities at scale, bringing the total number of DG stores with in-store audio capabilities to 12

An overwhelming majority of America’s farmers who responded to a nationwide survey say they cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year, according to American Farm Bureau Federation, which conducted the survey and published results today.

More than 5,700 farmers, from all 50 states and Puerto Rico — both Farm Bureau members and non-members — took the survey. Conducted April 3-11, the survey shows 70 percent of respondents say fertilizer is so expensive that they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need.

Farm Bureau economists analyzed the results by