CALABASAS, CA - GLOBALG.A.P. North America has announced the publication of its United States national interpretation guideline for Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) v6 GFS for fruit and vegetables, providing US producers, auditors, and certification bodies with country-specific clarity for the globally recognized food safety and sustainability standards.

The new guideline highlights GLOBALG.A.P.’s alignment with leading industry metrics such as those from the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC). By referencing tools like the SISC calculator, producers can efficiently establish baseline sustainability metrics and track improvements in key areas including water, energy, GHG emissions, habitat and biodiversity, nutrient use, soil health, and food waste.

“In line with evolving market requirements and our holistic approach to farm-level operations, our newest version, IFA v6, includes enhanced criteria for environmental responsibility. This guideline provides US producers support and clarification on how to approach these criteria," said Roberta Anderson, President of GLOBALG.A.P. North America, in the recent press release. “Tools like SISC help producers connect what they are already doing to what is needed for GLOBALG.A.P. certification and broader sustainability goals.”

SISC is a multi-stakeholder initiative to develop a system for measuring sustainable performance throughout the specialty crop supply chain. The project offers a suite of outcomes-based metrics enabling operators at any point along the supply chain to benchmark, compare, and communicate their performance. SISC does not seek to set standards, but rather to provide a yardstick for helping growers move towards continual improvement and measuring sustainable outcomes over time.

“The alignment with SISC metrics within the GLOBALG.A.P. guideline streamlines sustainability reporting, reduces duplicative efforts, and helps producers ‘measure to manage’ for continuous improvement,” added Ed Treacy, VP Supply Chain, International Fresh Produce Association and SISC Steering Committee member.

The US national interpretation guideline was developed through extensive collaboration led by the US National Technical Working Group, comprising certified producers, grower groups, buyers, technical experts, and certification body representatives. The guideline clarifies key implementation topics, including continuous improvement indicators, biodiversity practices, worker health and safety, and compliance with national programs such as OSHA and NRCS.

MONTEREY, CA - Organic Produce Summit (OPS), the industry's only event exclusively dedicated to organic fresh produce, concluded July 10, uniting over 300 influential retailers and buyers from across North America in what marked the largest summit in the event's history.

For its landmark ninth year, the expanded exhibition showcased revolutionary products and solutions from more than 200 organic growers, shippers, and processors, with 40 first-time exhibitors highlighting the event's growing influence. Industry powerhouses included Melissa's Produce, displaying a range of vibrant produce from plums to artichokes; Sol-ti, captivating attendees with innovative organic living beverages; and Row 7 Seed Company, showcasing their cutting-edge ‘Sweet Garleek', among much more.

OPS 2025, co-sponsored by Braga Fresh and Earthbound Farm, delivered a strategic and forward-thinking two-day agenda. The summit transcended beyond conventional conference formats with a powerful combination of thought-provoking educational sessions addressing emerging industry opportunities, specialized networking events connecting growers directly with buyers, exclusive behind-the-scenes field tours, and a comprehensive exhibition showcasing groundbreaking organic produce innovations.

"OPS creates valuable opportunities for in-person collaboration across the organic ecosystem. The focused nature of this event delivers efficiencies impossible to achieve through traditional sales channels," said Keigan Roos, Event Manager, Informa Markets, in the recent release. "By bringing the entire supply chain in one location, we facilitate partnerships that drive sustainable industry growth. In today's competitive marketplace, the connections made at OPS directly translate to business success."

This year's summit attracted decision-makers from North America's most influential retail and buying organizations, including Whole Foods, Costco, Trader Joe's, and Sprouts Farmers Market. These industry leaders participated in strategic networking sessions, dynamic panel discussions, and one-on-one meetings with organic producers, generating substantial opportunities for business development and long-term partnerships.

"The farm tours are amazing. Being able to go on these tours that our buyers might never otherwise experience deepens the connection we have with some of these growers and reinforces what we're doing and why we do it in the first place," said Hilary Craig, Misfits Market, an attending retailer.

Organic Produce Summit serves as a vital platform for advancing the organic industry through knowledge exchange on sustainable farming practices, direct market access for producers of all sizes, consumer trend insights driving product development, collaborative approaches to industry challenges, and unified advocacy for organic agriculture.

For more information about the Organic Produce Summit, please visit www.organicproducesummit.com.

OPS will return to the Monterey Conference Center for its 10th year anniversary in Monterey, CA on July 14-16, 2026.

SACRAMENTO, CA - 2024 was a year of great loss for many in our industry, as many titans who had helped build and elevate the fresh produce sector were taken from us. At the fourth annual Besties event earlier this month, AndNowUKnow honored the individuals we have lost.

“It’s important to honor those we have lost by memorializing them,” remarked Robert Lambert, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of AndNowUKnow, when commenting on the In Memoriam video that played at the beginning of the Besties event. “Their passion, dedication, and the ways in which they evolved the industry will never be forgotten.”

The In Memoriam video below looks back at some of the industry members we’ve lost since the summer of last year.

Our hearts go out to those impacted by their loss and touched by their lives.

Thank you to all who contribute to the successes and the struggles that mark the true beauty of our industry. We continue to write these stories for you.