FOLSOM, CA - The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has been awarded $1.5 million from the second round of the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture’s (USDA) Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). Earlier this year, USHBC received $1.3 million in RAPP funding.

RAPP funds are designed to diversify and expand market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products in emerging global markets. According to a press release, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced in October 2023 that USDA would use $1.2 billion from the Commodity Credit Corporation to establish RAPP.

“The impact of funding for export promotion is profound for the blueberry industry. This second-round grant will help the USHBC continue to build off of our successes in leading the effort to drive global consumption of blueberries,” said Kasey Cronquist USHBC President. “These grants are critical to our efforts to expand into markets like Vietnam, India, and South Korea, and we’re grateful to have been a recipient of a grant for the second time this year as we continue to spread the word about the quality, versatility, and health benefits of blueberries to new markets.”

USDA received proposals for RAPP grants from a range of agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, and state agencies. Proposals for the second round exceeded the available funding, with eligible entities submitting more than $1 billion in project requests.

Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, second-round grants totaling $300 million are expected to go to 67 partners. The latest investment brings total RAPP funding to $600 million in 2024.

For more updates from the USHBC and more, click back to AndNowUKnow.

WASHINGTON - After successfully entering the United States market with its flagship store in Bellevue, Washington, T&T Supermarket announced another expansion in the state. As the retailer’s Washington State expansion continues, a second store is planned for Lynwood in the summer of 2025.

According to Fox 13, part of the retailer’s success lies in its store format and offerings. Thousands of visitors flock to the Asian grocery chain daily. The news source noted that the grand opening of the Bellevue location included a traditional lion dance, Japanese Taiko drum, and a sushi dragon show.

Lynwood’s store will offer its customers a similarly unique shopping experience, offering a wide selection of fresh produce, live seafood, and much more.

The retailer also plans to expand into California in 2025, with a store tentatively planned for San Jose.

We’ll be on the lookout for more retail news, so stay tuned!

IDAHO FALLS, ID - The fresh produce industry moves quickly. Fruits and vegetables have to move from fields to grocery store shelves while maintaining the peak of freshness, taste, and quality. As those in the industry continue to seek Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems that are intuitive, efficient, and capable of meeting the demands of the fresh produce industry, the Fresha team found their perfect fit.

“We wanted to go to a system where we weren’t the guinea pig. We needed to knock out our pain points in the first round,” remarked Drew Schmidgall, Controller, Fresha. “We had our non-negotiables and needed to make sure it worked.”

Fusionware is an operations platform built for growers, packers, processors, and shippers. According to a press release, it prioritizes simplifying workflows and creating efficiencies across the supply chain. With automated software that consolidates data and improves inventory management, companies like Fresha have chosen Fusionware to help them.

“Our ERP system replaces outdated systems and overly complex solutions by providing a platform that is as intuitive as it is powerful. We help produce companies like Fresha streamline their operations so they can focus on delivering fresh, quality products to market,” says Creg Fielding, Chief Executive Officer at Fusionware.

As the release outlined, Fresha immediately recognized that inventory management with Fusionware would be a game-changer for them. The team could make sales decisions quickly, manage inventory accurately, and utilize scheduled dock times to move loads quickly and efficiently.

“Fusionware’s support and responsiveness was outstanding. They sought to understand how we were set up and, at the same time, how we could get better,” says Schmidgall. “They adapted to our needs and accepted feedback.”

“When we can implement a company like Fresha in just a few months, that is how we like to operate,” adds Fielding. “They can move forward with confidence in their system.”

Fresha continues to reap the benets of its decision to implement Fusionware, a program that proved intuitive and perfectly aligned with its needs. “The system has allowed us to be proactive,” says Schmidgall. “We can adapt and forecast potential interruptions before they become a major issue.”

From the three-month implementation journey to where they are today, Fusionware has transformed how Fresha operates. What began as a commitment to simplifying their teams’ workow has become a partnership that delivers reliable, data-driven insights, driving efficiency, streamlining processes, and fueling growth.

The results speak for themselves—Fusionware is the solution the produce industry needs to take its operations to the next level. To learn more about Fresha and Fusionware, visit their websites at www.freshaproduce.com and www.fusionware.com.

For more of the latest industry updates, you know where to click.

SALINAS, CA - In a recent blog post, Taylor Farms announced its third annual collaboration with Pajama Angels to further its goal of spreading holiday cheer.

As Taylor Farms outlined in the post, "With the success of the last two years, we knew we had to keep the momentum going. This year, the initiative has expanded even further, reaching seven communities where our team members live and work."

These include:

• Taylor Farms Southern California: 310 pajamas for Preschool-2nd grade students at Ramona Elementary School in Montclair-Ontario School District for their pajama day on December 19
• Taylor Farms Florida: 100 pajamas to students at Palmetto Elementary School in Orange County and 40 blankets to a special needs school in Orlando
• Taylor Farms Texas: 29 pajamas for two kindergarten classes
• Taylor Farms Guadalupe: 130 pajamas for 2nd-grade students at Mary Buren Elementary School in Guadalupe Unified School District
• Taylor Farms Southwest: 350 pajamas for Pre-K through 3rd grade students at Tolleson Elementary School District
• Taylor Farms Salinas: Pajamas for 354 students (TK-2nd grade) at Santa Lucia Elementary and 75 students (TK-8th grade) at San Lucas
• Taylor Farms Illinois: 100 pajamas to students at Logan Square Elementary School

"One of the most beautiful aspects of Pajama Angels is that it’s entirely employee-funded," the blog post continued. "Instead of the company simply writing a check, our team members personally pick out and donate the pajamas. It might be easy to overlook this detail, but it’s what makes the initiative truly special."

For more on how Taylor Farms continues to support its communities throughout the year, click here.

As always, AndNowUKnow will deliver the latest in fresh produce updates like this.