WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s ongoing effort to make the oversight of food safety stronger and more efficient, USDA and FDA announced the alignment of the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices Audit Program (USDA H-GAP) with the requirements of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’s (FSMA’s) Produce Safety Rule. (more…)

A 24-hour hackathon on Friday, June 1 at research location Bleiswijk of Wageningen University & Research, featuring 14 international teams, has determined which five teams will continue in this year’s Autonomous Greenhouses Challenge, organized by Wageningen University & Research. (more…)

Toxic Chemical Chlorpyrifos was Banned from Household Use Nearly 20 Years Ago, But is Still Widely Used as a Pesticide on Fruits and Vegetables (more…)

by Sally Colby

Christopher Currey, assistant professor of horticulture at Iowa State University, says that with the right strategies, growers can manage light throughout greenhouse production. (more…)

by Carl Cantaluppi

Being a good fruit or vegetable grower means becoming a good observer of plants and knowing how the culture, insects, diseases and weather all interact in producing the final outcome as to why the plant doesn’t look or function in a certain way. (more…)

Do you remember when your parents asked you, or when you asked your children, “What did you learn today?” The question becomes a way to connect with a person as well as gain information. And, the question has relevance in the business world as well as in our personal lives, too. (more…)

Tree fruits, brambles, grapes: All are subject to foraging by birds. Protecting the harvest from bird damage remains a serious concern for growers. (more…)

by Sally Colby

Dr. Lori Hoagland, Purdue University, said that tomatoes are one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. “Organic and local production is increasing throughout the nation,” she said. “Tomatoes have a lot of production issues, so the driving force behind the project was to learn more about the production challenges in order to answer them.” (more…)