Last month The United Family donated 50,000 pounds of apples to food banks and food pantries across Texas and New Mexico as part of the annual Take a Bite Out of Hunger program. This year’s donation marks the 15th year of the Take a Bite Out of Hunger program. Thanks to the partnership between The United Family and FirstFruits Farms, more than 650,000 pounds of apples have been donated, helping countless families across both states. “The United Family feels very blessed to be in the position to make these donations for the 15th year in a row,” said Joseph Bunting, produce business director for

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has filed an administrative complaint against Jaspo Inc. for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. Jaspo, operating from Washington, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to seven produce sellers in the amount of $401,276 from Oct. 2023 through Feb. 2024. The company will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond

Pacific Trellis Fruit Co. announced a long-term joint venture agreement with Desert Ghost, a Hermosillo, Sonora, farming entity owned by the Carrillo family of Caborca. Carrillo also owns UVEX, a large table grape operation located in Caborca. Several years ago, Desert Ghost acquired a ranch in Hermosillo known as Campo La Colorada. Desert Ghost invested significant capital in developing the land by installing irrigation systems, building cold storage and packinghouse facilities, offices and a state-of-the-art pack line for all table grape pack styles, including all types of clam shells. The

Misfits Market acquired The Rounds, a startup known for restocking recurring essentials in reusable packaging. This deal comes on the heels of record customer acquisition in April and May 2025, and it marks Misfits Market's second acquisition in three years, following the successful 2022 integration of Imperfect Foods. The company said the addition of The Rounds establishes it as the leading acquisitive force in sustainable grocery, leveraging its scaled infrastructure, deep supply chain expertise, and mission-first model to bring a better grocery experience to more people across the U.S.

Naturipe Farms has promotable volumes of fresh, flavorful blackberries from the Southeast, led by Georgia-grown fruit and featuring its highly sought after proprietary variety, Southern Grace. With Mexico’s crop winding down and domestic production ramping up, this year’s blackberry season is off to a strong start. “Our Southern Grace variety delivers exceptional flavor and consistently high quality, and we’re excited to bring this delightful berry to our retail partners at just the right time,” said Fernando Aguiar, director of business development at Naturipe Farms. “It’s a unique

Members of the 2025 Eastern Produce Council Leadership Class participated in a leadership series from Rutgers University during April and May. “The Pathways for Aspiring Leaders series presented five one-hour virtual sessions that immersed our class in a journey through leadership,” said Susan McAleavey Sarlund, EPC executive director. “Weekly sessions were informative and thought-provoking and provided opportunity for smaller break-out discussions.” The EPC partnered with Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education (OCPE) for the series, which included topics on transitioning from