🌱 Fruit Logistica’s innovation award winner

🌱 Good afternoon, and welcome to today's fresh newsletter! 

In today's email:

• USDA Resumes Paused Agriculture Funding

• Fermata’s Croptimus Wins 2025 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award

• Trivia: Which Fresh Produce Was Pioneered in an Urban Rooftop Greenhouse?

• Fresh Picks: Our Handpicked Produce Content from the Web

• Berlin Summit: Global C-Suite Leaders Tackle Industry Challenges

• Pure Flavor: Greenhouse Innovation for Year-Round Freshness

• Tip of the Day: Weekly Free Sample & Education Campaign

USDA

USDA Resumes Paused Agriculture Funding

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the partial release of $20 million in previously frozen agriculture funds under the Inflation Reduction Act.

This decision allows essential programs the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program to resume, ensuring farmers receive promised support.

The freeze was initially imposed to review spending transparency and alignment with agricultural priorities.

Rollins emphasized the need for accountability while reaffirming commitments to farmers amid economic challenges.

While further evaluations continue, this move signals the USDA’s intent to balance oversight with direct support for producers.

Farmers welcomed the decision as a necessary step toward stabilizing funding for sustainable agriculture and land conservation efforts.

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INNOVATION

Fermata’s Croptimus Wins 2025 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award

Fermata, an Israeli data science company specializing in AI-driven agriculture, has won the 2025 FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award for its Croptimus™ platform.

This technology uses computer vision and machine learning to detect crop diseases and pests early, reducing scouting costs and pesticide use while improving efficiency.

Croptimus™ continuously scans plants, identifying threats like nutrient deficiencies and mechanical damage, allowing farmers to take swift, targeted action.

The platform’s success reflects a broader industry shift toward data-driven, automated agricultural solutions, especially as climate challenges grow.

Fermata's recognition highlights the increasing role of AI in optimizing food production while minimizing environmental impact.

CEO Valeria Kogan emphasized the team’s five-year effort to create a user-friendly tool that translates complex data into actionable insights.

The FLIA award is expected to boost interest in Croptimus™, attracting more farmers, investors, and industry players looking for sustainable and cost-effective farming solutions.

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TRIVIA

By harnessing controlled‐environment agriculture, one of the world’s first urban rooftop greenhouses proved that you could grow a high yield of _____ right in the heart of a bustling city.

This pioneering success in sustainable urban farming paved the way for local food production with significantly reduced water and space requirements.

📈 Del Monte Posts $4.28B in 2024 Revenue | Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. reported $4.28 billion in total revenue for 2024, with $1.01 billion generated in the fourth quarter. The Florida-based food producer posted a fourth-quarter profit of $20.4 million, translating to 42 cents per share (26 cents adjusted for non-recurring gains), and closed the year with a total profit of $142.2 million, or $2.96 per share. (FoodManufacturing.com | Feb 24, 2025)

🫑 4 Organic Pepper Research Studies Worth Reading | Four recent studies highlight advances in organic pepper cultivation, including the use of rootstocks to improve yield, liquid fertilizers from organic waste to enhance productivity, and zinc oxide nanoparticles as biological agents to control soil-borne diseases. (GrowingProduce.com | Feb 21, 2025)

🍐 Global Market Overview: Pears | Global pear markets are experiencing mixed trends, with North American exports declining sharply, European markets maintaining strong prices despite varying production levels, and South African and Chinese exports growing, while Argentina faces production declines but sees record exports. (FreshPlaza.com | Feb 21, 2025)

🗒️ Industry Viewpoint: Saving Freshness, Reducing Waste With Retail Rescue | Feeding America’s retail rescue program recovers surplus produce from grocery stores, reducing food waste and providing fresh food to families in need. In 2024, it rescued 2.3 billion pounds of food, including 630 million pounds of produce, by collecting unsold but edible items and distributing them through food banks. (TheProduceNews.com | Feb 20, 2025)

🧑🏾‍🌾 Sowing Change: The Legacy and Future of Black Farmers in the U.S | Black farmers have played a crucial role in U.S. agriculture despite systemic barriers, and today, a new generation is reclaiming land, promoting food sovereignty, and addressing food insecurity through innovative urban farming initiatives across the country. (ThePacker.com | Feb 20, 2025)

🍊 ICL’s FruitMag Wins Seal Award for Citrus Preservation | FruitMag, ICL's innovative citrus preservation product, won the 2025 Seal Sustainable Product Award for its natural, residue-free formula derived from Dead Sea magnesium, which reduces post-harvest loss and complies with global regulations (FruitNet.com | Feb 18, 2025)

SUSTAINABILITY

Berlin Summit: Global C-Suite Leaders Tackle Industry Challenges

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) hosted nearly 150 executives from 27 countries at the Executive Leadership Summit in Berlin, held alongside Fruit Logistica.

The event focused on sustainability, supply chain challenges, and evolving market trends in the fresh produce, fruit, vegetable, and floral industries.

Key discussions included strengthening supplier–buyer relationships, economic insights from Rabobank, and advocacy strategies shared by industry leaders.

Executives emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation, and regulatory adaptation to ensure sustainable and high-quality food production.

IFPA highlighted the global relevance of these discussions, announcing the next summit in Sydney.

A summary of key insights was made available to industry stakeholders, reinforcing IFPA’s commitment to knowledge sharing and industry advancement.

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Pure Flavor: Greenhouse Innovation for Year-Round Freshness

Pure Flavor traces its roots to Leamington, Ontario, where its founders and leadership draw on four generations of greenhouse growing experience.

From the outset, the company made it a priority to supply fresh produce to major U.S. cities within 24 hours, an ambitious goal supported by the strategic placement of distribution centers.

Over the years, it opened additional centers, including one in San Antonio, Texas, and later in Edinburg, Texas, which serves as a key cross-dock facility for rapid transit of produce across the border.

More land was added over time, and with each expansion came new technologies, such as supplemental LED lighting and efficient heating systems that allow cultivation through every season.

Pure Flavor offers a wide variety of products: tomatoes in multiple formats, from beefsteak and Roma to bite-sized snacking varieties; cucumbers, including the mini, cocktail, and English seedless types; and an array of peppers in different sizes, shapes, and hues.

Additional specialties include a Craft House Collection, with items such as shishito peppers and baby eggplants, and smaller, snack-focused lines like Mini Munchies, which package bite-sized vegetables suited for lunchboxes or on-the-go snacking.

Part of Pure Flavor’s approach is to champion sustainability in every step of the greenhouse process.

The use of bumblebees for pollination is a key example of its reliance on natural solutions; integrated pest management also involves ladybugs for natural control, minimizing the need for chemical pesticides.

Over time, Pure Flavor has garnered attention for both its farming innovations and its community-centered approach.

In various regions, the company supports schools through the Adopt-A-School program, providing greenhouse-grown vegetables and promoting healthy eating habits.

It also sponsors events such as the Pure Kids Triathlon Series, aligning with its broader goal of encouraging an active, health-focused lifestyle.

The brand introduced Tiki Tomatoes described as small, tropically sweet cherry tomatoes that have received an international Superior Taste Award certification and recently launched an additional format to meet club store and retail demands.

Another noteworthy addition is the OMG Tomato, a golden cherry tomato that stands out for its citrusy sweetness.

Reflecting its commitment to keeping the tomato category dynamic, Pure Flavor has also teased a new mini roma on-the-vine variety called Rocco Reds, marketed as “The Chef’s Tomato” due to its robust flavor profile.

In the melon category, the company’s third greenhouse-grown melon, the Amora mini melon, seeks to make Charentais-style varieties accessible all year.

Today, Pure Flavor’s portfolio includes nearly 1,000 acres of greenhouse production across multiple locations, with more expansion on the horizon.

Leadership has indicated that they remain open to additional acquisitions and investments, particularly those that allow them to meet increasing consumer demand and strengthen their distribution network.

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YOUR COMPANY HERE

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TIP OF THE DAY

Weekly Free Sample & Education Campaign

Many consumers hesitate to buy new produce because they’re unfamiliar with how it tastes or how to use it.

Solve this with "Try It Tuesday", where you offer free samples of a featured fruit or vegetable along with quick recipe ideas, storage hacks, and nutrition benefits.

Here are some examples:

• Kohlrabi Crunch - Never tried kohlrabi? Grab a sample! It’s great in salads or roasted with olive oil.

• Dragon Fruit Delight - Taste this tropical superfruit and get a smoothie recipe to take home!

To boost engagement, run a “Review & Win” promotion, where customers share their thoughts on the featured item via social media for a chance to win discounts or a free produce bundle.

By making produce shopping an interactive, educational, and delicious experience, you encourage customers to step outside their comfort zones and try new items, driving sales while building brand trust and loyalty.

Feel free to share your thoughts on what you'd like to see next.

We read every comment and truly value your feedback.