Awe Sum Organics and organicgirl teamed up last week to throw their epic Sunset Beach Party following the Organic Produce Summit welcome reception. The party was full of industry friends, live music, a premium bar and local fare. Awe Sum Organics Co-Owners David and Brianna Posner played host to a lighthearted evening that overflowed onto the beach as party-goers found ideal spots by camp fires to roast marshmallows and catch a perfect view to the setting sun.

The 2023 Organic Produce Summit saw record crowds, interesting educational sessions and two back-to-back keynotes addresses. The Monterey, CA, event, which took place July 12-13, was the seventh iteration and featured almost 1,900 attendees, 300 retailers and in excess of 160 exhibitors, showing the ever-increasing significance of organic produce. The buyers, exhibitors and other attendees represented a who’s who in the fresh produce industry.

The seventh annual Organic Produce Summit was held July 12-13 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, CA. The much-anticipated two-day event is specifically designed to bring together organic fresh produce growers, shippers and processors with retailers and buying organizations from across North America. The trade show featured more than 170 exhibitors from across North America and was a flurry of activity throughout the day.

MONTEREY, CA — The eighth annual Organic Produce Summit kicked off July 13, here, with an opening reception — sponsored by Starr Ranch, Divine Flavor and Rowdy Rabbit — at the Portola Hotel. Attendees mixed and mingled ahead of the much-anticipated trade show, which features more than 170 exhibitors from across North America.

Following its first tour in mid-April to South Carolina, the Southeast Produce Council's 2023 STEP-UPP class took to the road again in mid-June, this time to visit six more premier grower-shippers in south Georgia as well as a college that lies in the heart of south Georgia agriculture.

This second tour was sponsored by RPE Inc., L&M Cos., Southern Valley Fruit & Vegetable Inc., Baker Farms, Local Bounti, Leger & Son Inc., Alpine Fresh and the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Tifton campus.

As in the first tour, the 10 members of the class on the

California Giant Berry Farms named Steven Halliday of Gordon Food Service as the winner of the 2023 Chef Invitational. Halliday won the title of California Giant Berry Farms’ Top Chef with his dish: red Thai berry chicken curry with blueberry lemon rice.

In addition to the prestigious title of Top Chef, the chef semi-finalists had the chance to win the People’s Choice vote. The website received an overwhelming response to this voting option, crowning Chef David McGurn as the People’s Choice Chef with his recipe, congee with brulee berries and quick berry pickles.

The finale event included a