UNITED STATES - If you’ve been wondering where the weather pattern La Niña has been, she’s a bit delayed this year. The Climate Prediction Center first issued a La Niña watch in June, when national meteorologists said the climate shift was most likely going to take place between July and September.

Now that timeline has stretched out a bit. As Yahoo! News reported in an update issued last week, La Niña isn’t predicted to form until the fall, specifically between September and October.

The Climate Prediction Center said that, in the meantime, a more neutral pattern is predicted to continue for a few more months. This neutral pattern, known as “ENSO-neutral”, means that neither La Niña nor El Niño conditions are in place.

This delay brings good news for some parts of the country, as typical La Niña years are associated with stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. With this news, the Gulf and East Coast states might be able to breathe a sigh of relief as they brave the rest of the hurricane season.

For the West Coast however, past La Niña years have contributed to severe drought conditions in California and the Southwest due to the dry and warmer conditions caused by a La Niña winter, as is predicted for this year. 

La Niña typically reaches peak strength in the winter when it has the biggest influence over the weather, the report added, so once La Niña does form, there’s a 74 percent chance it lasts through those winter months.

AndNowUKnow will keep an eye out for more updates on this weather pattern, so keep clicking back for more.

PLANT CITY, FL - Wish Farms announced the promotion of James Peterson to Chief Operating Officer, marking a significant step in the company's strategic growth in the berry market. Peterson’s tenure has led to impressive sales increases and operational advancements that have positioned the company for continued success.

With Peterson’s new role, Marcus Caswell and Jason Deis (“JD”), both long-time Wish Farms employees, stepped into expanded positions within the sales department.

“Marcus and JD have a proven track record working with our retail partners, finding the right strategic alignments, and servicing our existing relationships effectively,” remarked Peterson. “I am confident that these roles lean into their strengths, and they will be highly successful in driving our business forward.”

Caswell was promoted to Director of Sales Execution, while JD assumed the role of Director of Business Development.

Joining Wish Farms in 2011, Peterson initially served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. His experience in premium seating sales with major sports franchises, including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Cowboys, brought a unique perspective to the produce industry.

“James is primed for this role. He has an outstanding ability to drive processes and be an effective leader. This move is a great shift, strategically, for our company. I am really looking forward to seeing him flourish in this role,” stated Gary Wishnatzki, Owner.

Under Peterson’s guidance, the company modernized its planning and execution strategies, focusing on exceptional customer service and controlled growth. As a result, Wish Farms experienced a remarkable increase in market share within the berry category, with sales revenue rising 633 percent, according to a press release.

By enhancing operational efficiency and focusing on customer-centric strategies, Wish Farms aims to provide retailers with the support and resources necessary to succeed in the competitive produce market.

The promotion of James Peterson to Chief Operating Officer marks a significant milestone for Wish Farms. As the company enters this new chapter, it is well-positioned to continue its ascent in the berry market under his stewardship.

Congratulations, James Peterson!

YERINGTON, NV - Peri & Sons Farms® has a deeply rooted culture of sustainable farming that took hold long before being earth-friendly became popular.

Back in 1967, David Peri’s father was honored as Conservationist of the Year for proving to be a good steward of the land and working to preserve the farm for generations to come. Over the years, we’ve come to understand that sustainability is not about one big thing. Sustainability is about a Million Little Things. It’s a continuously evolving process of improvements, adjustments, experimentation, and innovation.

Here are the ways we are working toward our Goal of Net Carbon Neutrality:

• Paper Reduction - The farm transitioned to an online work application system saving over 760,000 pages of paper a year! That’s roughly 76 trees saved, annually

• Replacing Plastic - All of Peri’s USDA Certified Organic Onions will be packed in 100 percent plastic-free, biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable Earthbags®

• Paper Clamshells - Our Gourmet Organic Shallots, Cipollinis, and Garlic are packaged in non-plastic clamshells that are biodegradable and compostable

• Minimizing Plastic - Adjustments to our consumer bags have kept about 180 football fields of packaging material out of landfills annually since 2021

• Carbon Footprint - We’re supporting Net-Zero initiatives, such native land restoration, The Cookstove® Project, and the One Tree Planted® program, as part of our carbon offsetting strategy

• Utilize Effectively - Our farm team is Recycling things like drip tape, cardboard, and pallets and we are Repurposing oils, metals, and more in our workshops, right on the farm, rather than trashing them

As an official “Certified Sustainable Farm” since 2005, we’re dedicated to cultivating a thriving, wholesome farming business that’s good for people and the planet, now and for the future.

Learn more about Peri & Sons Farms’ ESG efforts by visiting PeriandSons.com.