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Giorgio’s Grill Packs win the Joe Nucci Award for product innovation

Giorgio's Grill Packs have been named the winner of the 2025 Joe Nucci Award for product innovation. The award was presented during the Thought Leaders Keynote Breakfast at the New York Produce Show. Competition was strong, with the Grill Packs standing out among 10 innovative produce products selected by a panel of judges recognized for their expertise in the produce industry.

SEPC accepting applications for Next Generation Leadership Academy

The Southeast Produce Council is now accepting nominations for the fourth class of its Next Generation Leadership Academy. Designed for emerging leaders in the produce industry, the yearlong program blends conscious-leadership principles with practical skill-building. Participants strengthen core leadership competencies, learn to navigate industry complexities and develop a growth-focused mindset. With a mix of in-person gatherings and virtual instruction, the academy provides development opportunities for professionals on both the buy and sell sides of the industry. “The success of our first

The produce industry takes a bite out of the Big Apple at NYPS

The 2025 New York Produce Show trade show kicked off at the Javits Center the morning of Dec. 3 and traffic remained strong throughout the day. The show offered exhibitors and attendees a unique convergence of networking, education and commerce in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Attendees found more than 600 exhibiting companies, featuring a show floor full of suppliers, growers, shippers, importers, distributors and service providers.

Save the date for the 78th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

The 78th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show will return to the Earl Warren Showgrounds from March 20–22, 2026. This year’s theme, “Orchid Escape,” invites visitors to explore the vivid beauty of orchids and the exotic environments they inhabit. Attendees can expect large-scale floral displays in the Exhibit Hall, contemporary floral arrangements, workshops, an international orchid sale and local artwork inspired by orchids. The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Judging will be conducted by the internationally recognized American Orchid Society panel. Tickets are available online

Fall Creek appoints Robert Reiter to board of directors

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery Inc. has appointed Robert (Bob) Reiter to its board of directors. Reiter, former head of research and development for Bayer Crop Science, brings more than three decades of global experience in plant breeding, biotechnology and large-scale agricultural innovation. “It’s a privilege to welcome Bob to our board,” said Kevin Murphy, executive chair of Fall Creek’s board of directors. “As Fall Creek continues to expand its global footprint, the depth of Bob’s scientific leadership and his record of delivering innovation to growers worldwide will help guide our long-term

Red Sun Farms, Heritable Agriculture and CIV partner to accelerate indoor strawberry innovation

Red Sun Farms, Heritable Agriculture and Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti announced significant progress in their collaborative effort to develop leading indoor-grown strawberries at the Vineland Research Station facility. The partnership combines CIV’s expertise in strawberry genetics and germplasm, Heritable Agriculture’s AI-driven breeding models and Red Sun Farms’ indoor growing capabilities to advance how premium strawberries are bred and produced. By using AI simulations to predict crop performance, the partnership is streamlining breeding timelines and optimizing key traits for greenhouse
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From farm to table, food carries with it an inevitable time clock.

This is especially true for fresh produce, though, even processed products have a shelf life of only so long.

These natural limits, combined with systemic inefficiencies and consumer demands for perfection, mean vast amounts of food never make it to the table.

In America, nearly one third of all food is lost or wasted as it makes its way from farm to plate, according to ReFED’s 2025 U.S. Food Waste Report.

Farms account for only a fraction of this food loss. Still, even small steps can make a difference — especially when taken by those rising to the challenge in their communities.

In Santa Maria, CA, Babé Farms has partnered directly with Veggie Rescue to bridge the gap between surplus produce and those in need. At a large commercial farm, even high-quality fruits and vegetables can fall short of buyer expectation. Rather than let that food go to waste, Babé makes sure it ends up where it can do the most good.

Founded in 1986, Babé is right around the corner from celebrating its 40-year anniversary, a testament to its success as a family-owned business. At the forefront is CEO and President Jeff Lundberg, alongside his mother, Judy, who remains involved in day-to-day operations as Chair of the Board.

Babé (pronounced “babe” for us non-French speakers), is known for its beautiful, eye-popping produce. Babé offers more than 60 varieties of specialty vegetables of every color of the rainbow, with clientele that includes top chefs across the U.S. and Canada.

However, Lundberg says at its core, the farm has always been a “family-style” business.

“We’re a family-owned farm. We have 250 employees, and some of them have been with us for 20, 30 years. We don’t have the turnover that a lot of agricultural companies do, and that’s something I’m proud of,” he said.

As a large-scale grower, Babé balances commercial standards with on-the-ground realities. Not every head of lettuce is the right size for a supermarket display, and not every crop can be sold before demand shifts.

For Babé, reducing waste is both practical and principled. While donating the surplus to food banks is ideal in theory, it can only move so much product, sometimes rejecting donations if they are oversupplied.

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