US: Plant breeding, seed priorities highlighted at Senate hearing on Farm Bill horticulture title

Dr. Margaret Leigh Worthington, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA), testified this morning on behalf of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) at a U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research hearing on the Horticulture Title of…

C.H. Robinson appoints Dave Bozeman Chief Executive Officer

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Dave Bozeman as Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors…

"The EU Agreement doesn't favor Moroccan growers"

Since the entry into force of the Association Agreement between the EU and Morocco in 2013, the country has gone from selling 365,695 tons of tomatoes to 557,225 tons in 2022,…

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Ireland: Minister Hackett announces €10 million investment in the Horticulture Sector

The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Horticulture, Senator Pippa Hackett, today announced the opening of the 2023 Scheme of Investment Aid for the Development of the Commercial Horticulture Sector. Giving details of the competitive…

Interfresa releases a statement regarding the German campaign against Spanish strawberries

"Interfresa would like to clarify some things regarding the campaign carried out by Campact (the German platform) urging citizens to ask German supermarkets not to sell…

"We've created a software solution that allows complying with the Food Contract Registry in seconds"

From June 30, it will be mandatory for buyers of raw materials to use the Royal Decree 1028/2022, which was developed by the Register of Food Contracts and was approved on December 20, 2022. The Register of Food Contracts is a digital register in which the food contracts that are signed with primary…

Uganda: Professionalizing farmers’ access to finance

One key challenge to coffee farmers in Uganda is access to finance. During the cooperative assessment performed in November 2018 by Agriterra’s cooperative advisors, it was identified that 70 percent of the farmer members need advanced cash to be used for input labour, school fees and other expenses…

UK gains membership in CPTTP

The member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Treaty of Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreed to accept the accession of the United Kingdom at the end of March 2023. Shigeyuki Goto,…

Maritime UK appoints new Chief Executive Officer

Maritime UK, the umbrella organisation for the UK’s maritime sector, has appointed Chris Shirling-Rooke MBE as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will move over from Mersey…

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During the next three years, 2.5 million euros will be made available

As part of the research project 'Modellregion Agri-Photovoltaik für Baden-Württemberg', the Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and eleven other project partners are building and testing five Agri-PV pilot plants in Baden-Württemberg. Recently, State…

Fiona Simson elected to World Farmers’ Organisation Board

The National Farmers’ Federation is pleased to announce that Fiona Simson has been elected as a Director of the World Farmers’ Organisation. At the 2023 World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly, held in Sun City, South Africa, Fiona Simson was elected to represent the Oceania Constituency of the WFO.…

Arrival of Xavier Unkovic as CEO of the Bonduelle Group

The Bonduelle Group announces the appointment of Xavier Unkovic as Chief Executive Officer of the Group. This appointment will take effect on June 1, 2023. Until that date,…

New Zealand Agritech gets $29.9 million horticulture injection

The recent New Zealand Government Wellbeing Budget provides much-needed support that will drive higher paying jobs and new export revenues in the horticulture sector, says AgriTechNZ Chief Executive Brendan O’Connell. “Technology is both the solution to threats on growing food in Aotearoa New Zealand and…

SA fruit sector welcomes appointment of Culdevco’s new General Manager

Mishkaat Anderson has been appointed as Culdevco’s new General Manager in Fleurbaix, Stellenbosch. Anderson follows in the footsteps of Dr Leon von Mollendorff, who retired…

Früchte Franz

"Staff shortages are becoming a structural problem for the entire industry"

Traders like Thomas Franz from Berlin's wholesale market don't have it easy at the moment. Apart from the lack of staff, there also seems to be an increasing shortage of customers in Berlin's restaurants and pubs. "In 2022, we were satisfied with business. At that time, we were already struggling with…

Can the drought prolong Europe's inflationary spiral?

The ECB has already stated that the inflation in the Eurozone could continue well into 2024 and that there could be another escalation of food prices due to the decrease in…

Chile and Mexico move forward in the bilateral exchange of fresh fruits

The president of the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (ASOEX), Ivan Marambio, and the general manager of the entity, Miguel Canala-Echeverría, met with the ambassador of Mexico in Chile, Alicia Barcena, and Adolfo Maldonado, of Mexico's verification office of origin, to analyze the status of…

Dual managing directors remain at helm of GlobalG.A.P.

GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH Managing directors Elmé Coetzer-Boersma and Markus Philipp, both appointed in 2021, will remain in their roles after Kristian Moeller’s…

Citrus growers choose the best business of the 2022/23 campaign

Naranjasyfrutas.com, a leading platform in Spain that is used by thousands of farmers to announce their productions with their contact details, has carried out its first survey on the sale of this 2022/2023 harvest to reward the business that is best valued by farmers. The award will be presented on June…

Joerg Sonne appointed Senior Managing Director Region North Europe

Joerg Sonne will become Senior Managing Director Region North Europe, succeeding Martin Rolf, who will take over the position of Managing Director Human Resources. Sonne…

New owner appoints new CEO and Board of Directors for Maersk Supply Service

As of May 15th 2023, A.P. Møller Holding A/S has acquired Maersk Supply Service A/S from A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, through closing of the transaction previously announced. In…

Chile and the US strengthen bilateral relations for the exchange of fresh fruits

A delegation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) visited Chile last week with the aim of advancing, together with representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), on issues of…

CEO of New Zealand Avocado to step aside after 12 years at the helm

Linda Flegg, Chair of NZ Avocado Growers’ Association announced the resignation of their CEO Jen Scoular after 12 years in the role. “Jen has served us tirelessly over the…

Managing Director Dr. Kristian Moeller of GLOBALG.A.P. to step down

Kristian Moeller, Managing Director of GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH, has announced he will step down from the role effective May 31. Dr. Moeller has been pursuing the…

"With our payment tracker, customers see the exact status of the foreign payment"

If there is a sharply fluctuating exchange rate, iBanFirst's phone rings more often. "There are often two emotions that dominate, namely fear and greed," notes currency expert…

National Farmers’ Federation Horticulture Council announces Jolyon Burnett as next chairperson

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Horticulture Council has today announced Jolyon Burnett as its next chairperson. The much-anticipated appointment follows an exhaustive…

MEPs renew trade support measures for Ukraine

MEPs approved on Tuesday, by 537 votes, with 42 against and 38 abstentions, a proposal to renew the suspension of import duties, anti-dumping duties and safeguards on…

"Paying in local currency can save fruit and vegetable importers plenty of money"

Italy's fruit and vegetable imports are gaining ground at the expense of exports. Climate change-related production fluctuations and labor shortages increasingly drive the market toward imported products. Italian companies must adapt to the new market conditions, notes Vania Pellizzaro, responsible for…

Budget delivers investment in biosecurity and much needed funding relief for DAFF

A strong biosecurity system is essential to protecting our economy, environment, and ongoing access to clean, safe, and healthy food. The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance…

"Uncontrolled imports from Morocco and EU policy threaten European tomato production"

"The uncontrolled growth of tomato imports from Morocco and the Community's policies regarding plant health and packaging, derived from the Farm to Table strategy, threaten…

“We'll increase our production capacity by 35% and seek to continue growing in exports”

Tropical Millenium, one of Spain's leading avocado, mango, papaya, and pitaya producers and marketers, has just appointed Ramon Ojeda as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ojeda is a graduate of Chemical Sciences, has an MBA, and has carried out various executive programs at IESE and Columbia…

Paola Barba from Chile appointed as new table grape breeder at Sun World

Sun World International has appointed Paola Barba as their new Table Grape Breeder. Jennifer Petersen, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer announced Barba’s…

US: Farm sector Chapter 12 bankruptcies in 2022 lowest since 2004

In 2022, the Chapter 12 bankruptcy rate reached the lowest level in nearly two decades, 0.78 bankruptcies per 10,000 farms. Under Chapter 12 bankruptcy, a financially distressed family farmer can propose and carry out a plan to repay their debts fully or partially, and the total number of these…

New organization of producers for the French almond sector

The almond sector will soon have its own organization of producers. This was announced by the Compagnie des Amandes during a press conference on the first day of medFEL 2023. Amandiers de France will be created to structure the sector and organize the French production. But the Compagnie des Amandes also…

New CEO appointed for Fairtrade Australia New Zealand

Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), the international not-for-profit seeking to make trade fair, is pleased to announce the appointment of Senthil Nathan as its new…

“This agreement will help increase the Chilean fresh fruit's market share in northwest China”

The Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (Asoex) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Municipal Trade Bureau of Dalian, China, in order to promote the…

Bonduelle Group CEO Guillaume Debrosse departs from general management

The Bonduelle Group has announced the departure from general management, by mutual agreement, of Guillaume Debrosse, who was appointed Chief Executive Officer in April 2018,…

Importing EU goods into the UK: more change is underway

Following repeated postponements, the UK Government has finally published its plans to introduce full border controls on imports of goods from the EU.  We explain what this means…

All-Australian grape juice launched into the Japanese market this week

A Victorian table grape grower is launching a new grape juice in Japan this week that uses different-grade grapes to help minimize waste across his production season. Budou Farms co-owner Enrique Rossi says the juice called 'RE:BUDO' also includes loose berries, as this fruit is always edible and has…

Spain's agricultural sector requested authorities to create a Working Group on Drought

The lack of rainfall during spring is increasing the level of plant stress and producers are increasingly more concerned about crop development, especially in the south of the…

Ramon Alcedo appointed as new director of Fairtrasa Peru

Fairtrasa is proud to announce the appointment of Ramon Alcedo as the new director of Fairtrasa Peru S.A. Fairtrasa Peru is part of the Fairtrasa Group, a vertically…

Fruit and vegetables will require phytosanitary certificates in new post-Brexit border proposals

Goods imported into the UK from the EU will be subject to changes from October after the UK government released its 'Target Operating Model.' The new plans will see a more streamlined process than previously announced after a series of delays on more stringent checks on goods coming from the EU to the…

McCain appoints Jillian Moffatt as new regional president for UK operations

McCain Foods has appointed Jillian Moffat as its new regional president for UK operations, replacing Howard Snape in the role. Jillian Moffatt is due to take up the role at…

Mark Piper new CEO of Plant & Food Research in New Zealand

Plant & Food Research - Rangahau Ahumāra Kai in New Zealand announced that Mark Piper has been appointed as CEO from 1 May 2023. Mark takes over from David Hughes who has been…

USDA swears in 32 members to Potatoes USA’s board of directors

On March 14, 2023, the United States Department of Agriculture conducted a swearing-in ceremony for 30 producer members and two importers to join the Potatoes USA Board of…

‘Steering towards a bright future’

HZPC Americas Corp. has announced its new president, Aron Derbidge. Beginning May 1, 2023, Aron will step into the role to lead HZPC operations across the United States and…

New Zealand kiwifruit growers show outstanding support for advocacy group

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. (NZKGI) have been given a strong mandate by kiwifruit growers to work on their behalf for the next six-year kiwifruit levy cycle. NZKGI Chairman Mark Mayston (L) and CEO Colin Bond (R). The Declaration of Result was provided by the independent Returning Officer, Warwick…

McCain appoints Alain Duranleau as new President of Europe

Potato processor McCain Foods has appointed Alain Duranleau as its new Regional President for Continental Europe. Duranleau joined McCain in 2013 and has already held several…