SACRAMENTO, CA - With National Strawberry Month set to kick off tomorrow, the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) took a moment to explore the current and future state of the industry, bringing together California growers and legislators for its annual Strawberry Legislative Reception in Sacramento, California.

“Strawberry farming has given immigrants more ownership opportunities than any other major crop. My father and uncle, for example, began picking strawberries in the early 1960s and worked their way up to become the first Hispanic strawberry growers to own their own crop in Pajaro Valley,” said Peter Navarro, Board of Directors Vice Chair. “We all take great pride in what we do, especially growing a crop that comes with many challenges. On behalf of all the strawberry growers, we are thankful for your support to overcome obstacles and continue the legacy of growing the finest berries in the world.”

Growers and industry members met with California coastal state legislators, legislative and district directors, Chiefs of Staff, Senate and Assembly leadership, and the Governor's Office to discuss the unique opportunities of the industry that consists of about 400 growers, shippers, and processors that produce 90 percent of the nation’s strawberries, a press release noted.

During the event, CSC President Rick Tomlinson discussed the importance of California’s fourth-highest-grossing crop and its positive impact in the state, spotlighting several long-time growers from Santa Cruz to San Diego.

In addition to the recent Legislative Reception, the organization also represented the industry last month at Ag Day at the Capitol, an annual celebration recognizing California’s agricultural community. During the celebration, CSC featured fresh California strawberries and engaged with the state legislators, government leaders, regulatory staff, and public citizens in attendance.

A continuation of the commission’s advocacy efforts, Vice President of Public Policy Mark Martinez and a delegation of board members traveled to Washington, D.C. in February to participate in a series of meetings with federal regulatory leadership and elected officials to strengthen the communication between growers and congressional officers. According to the release, the delegation spoke on supporting and advancing automation research, FDA transparency and food safety communications, the proposed Canada plastics regulation’s potential impact, immigration reform, and the Federal Farm Bill.

We applaud the CSC for its efforts to advance the California strawberry industry. For more produce news, stick around.

COLIMA, MEXICO - Highlighting the importance of the Texas/Mexico trade corridor, the Viva Fresh trade show earlier this month was a roaring success. Coming off of this high, Super Starr International reflects on the highlights of the event.

“We showcased our organic and conventional papayas along with additional offerings include melons, honeydews, and a variety of tropicals and Latin specialty mix that the brand can course for its customers,” shared Lance Peterson, President.

The response for such products was overwhelmingly positive, as the interest in securing organic and conventional papayas indicates a healthy demand at the store level. Lance also reported a demand for honeydew and specialty melons.

Another major strategy for the company at Viva Fresh was its latest certification.

“By now, I think our buyer partners appreciate the quality and service they receive from Super Starr, but what we hope they walked away with this year is that we're the only papaya grower who is Fair Trade certified,” Lance shared. “We know consumers are looking for this certification more and more as they're buying products in the marketplace, and it is our absolute pleasure to invest in this as an organization to do what's best for our people, our product, and our customers. Buying direct from the producer has its advantages as we have the most control on the product from the beginning to the end.”

We’ll continue to keep an eye on companies making moves in important regions, so keep tuning in to AndNowUKnow.

REIDSVILLE, GA - An award-winning program designed to raise brand awareness through retail dietitians, nutrition professionals, and school outreach is continuing to inspire healthy choices in-store, at home, and in school.

Here’s What’s In Store.

The Healthy Family Project is on a mission for nutrition. With on-demand kits to give registered dietitians and nutritionists tools to engage with consumers about how to incorporate more fresh produce into their meals, we work to ensure adding our program to your stores is no work at all.

From dietitian-hosted cooking classes, focused social media outreach, and sponsorship opportunities to tailored e-newsletters, we ensure every resource is in your team’s toolbox. Because we understand they aren’t just a member of the staff, they are the gateway to stronger fresh produce sales and, ultimately, your shoppers’ loyalty.

There is a reason the Mission for Nutrition is going into our ninth year, and we’re pleased to be leading the “Food is Medicine” conversation with important stakeholders. Having expanded to a seven-month program and grown our audience to not only retail dietitians and nutritional directors in schools, but also private sector nutrition experts and registered dietitians, we are ready to be the partner you and your customers deserve.

Thank you for watching What’s In Store.