Blueberries

Hortifrut, VBM to merge

Hortifrut S.A., one of the partner/owners of Naturipe Farms LLC and the leading berry grower/exporter in Chile and South America, and Vital Berry Marketing (VBM) S.A., the second largest berry grower/exporter, have announced a merger... more »

Vilsack appoints USHBC members

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently appointed seven members and their alternates to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. Appointees will serve a three-year term of office beginning Jan. 1.Members include producers Mark D. Hurst of Sheridan,... more »

Group asks for input about Spotted Wing Drosophila

The Northeast IPM Spotted Wing Drosophila Working Group (headed up by Greg Loeb at Cornell Univ.), is gathering information on the level crop damage that occurred on grower farms in the Northeastern U.S.Please take five... more »

EPA extends Guthion usage for a year

EPA recently decided to allow growers to use their existing stocks of azinphos-methyl (AZM) for another year. The new deadline is Sept. 30, 2013. The deadline cancelling the distribution or sale of AZM, however, was... more »

SWD guidelines for management and control in berry production

The 2012 fruit growing season is nearing conclusion almost a month ahead of previous years due to unusual climatic conditions that prevailed for most of the growing season. In addition to the problems created by... more »

Can pilfering PYO pickers be pinched?

Who hasn’t seen someone “sample” the fruit in a pick-your-own stand, or seen kids walk out from the strawberry patch with as many berries on them as they have in the bucket? In some cases,... more »

Is traceability ready to go in 2012?

In the wake of recalls and other safety concerns regarding fresh produce in recent years, the produce industry has felt a push from both consumers and the federal government for case-level traceability. One result was... more »

New storage and packing facility opens markets

North Bay Produce Inc., a grower-owned fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative based in Traverse City, Mich., recently opened a new 36,000-square-foot cold storage and packing facility at the Mid America Airport in Mascoutah, Ill.... more »