The Produce Industry Podcast w/ Patrick Kelly

Join host Patrick Kelly and longtime guest Michael Chavez from Golden Star Citrus as they delve into the escalating costs impacting growers, packers, and shippers across North America. This episode breaks down fuel, packaging, and operational pressures, exploring innovative strategies and industry collaboration needed to thrive amid tightening margins. Tune in for a grounded conversation on adapting to the new normal in fresh produce supply.#risingcost #supplychain #agriculture #freshproduce #northamerica

This week on Fresh From the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man, we’re talking spring. Four items that are really shining right now.Savoy or Bloomsdale spinach, fresh harvested English peas, young spring radishes, and new crop California blueberries.Then we take a trip to the farmers market and catch up with Eric Arias of Castellano Farms out of Dinuba, California. He gives us an update on the upcoming stone fruit season, with fruit expected to hit the market mid-May.It’s a crop update, and we’ll tell you what, the fruit is on the horizon, and it’s looking good.Fresh From the Field Fridays is brought to you by the Produce Industry Network and powered by AgLife Media. Head over to aglifemedia.com and check it out.

Regenerative agriculture is no longer a niche concept—it’s becoming a defining force in the future of global fresh produce. In this episode of the Global Fresh Series, we explore how farmers, retailers, and multinational food companies are working together to restore soil health, improve resilience, and reshape supply chains from the ground up.From large-scale initiatives across Europe to retailer-backed programs supporting farmers with data, training, and long-term investment, this episode dives into the real-world impact of regenerative practices. We examine how these efforts are addressing climate challenges, strengthening food security, and creating new opportunities across the value chain.Regenerative agriculture is reshaping the future of fresh produce. This episode explores how farmers, retailers, and global brands are working together to restore soil health, improve resilience, and build a more sustainable—and scalable—food system.

In this milestone episode celebrating six years of the Produce Industry Podcast, host Patrick Kelly welcomes Rob Austin, CEO of Empower Fresh, for an in-studio conversation about the transformative power of AI and hands-on training in the produce supply chain. Discover how Empower Fresh University is reshaping team training, driving consistency, and helping retailers reduce shrink with cutting-edge AI tools. Tune in to learn actionable insights on revolutionizing your produce department and why the human touch remains crucial in the era of smart technology.https://empowerfresh.com/for-retailers#empower-fresh-university

This week, we’re talking Gravenstein apples, a Sonoma County classic that is fading fast.Up in the Yuba City area, peach orchards - gone!At the same time, a whole wave of new fruit and berry varieties is coming your way.And in the bigger picture, restaurants are closing left and right. What is really going on out there?Plus, seasonal specialties like fiddlehead ferns and baby artichokes.And a juicy strawberry romance story from Dan’s younger days.It is all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man, from the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media.Check out aglifemedia.com today.

his week on the Global Fresh Series, we dive into a major joint venture between two industry powerhouses that is set to redefine the fresh-cut fruit landscape in France. With a strategic location, integrated logistics, and a focus on convenience-driven consumption, this partnership highlights the rapid evolution of value-added produce across Europe. We explore what this means for suppliers, retailers, and the future of fresh fruit consumption in one of Europe’s most promising growth markets.#freshcutfruit #Prepworld #Omer-Decugis&Cie #freshberries #produceindustrynetwork

How did the humble date palm become entangled in the great age of empire? Why did steamships, railways, and the opening of the Suez Canal transform an ancient oasis crop into a global commodity? And how did a handful of date palms - smuggled across deserts, nearly lost to a curious dog, and later replanted in California - come to shape the modern global date industry?Join John and Patrick for the second part of their story on the history of dates, as imperial expansion, desert espionage, and ambitious American plant hunters carry this ancient fruit from the oases of North Africa and the Middle East to the highways of Southern California, and even back from seeds two thousand years old.----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Patrick Kelly dives into the recent silence in USDA's National FOB Review reports, exploring what it means for fresh produce market transparency and how industry professionals can adapt. From private data solutions to strategies for maintaining supply chain awareness, tune in to learn how buyers, sellers, and procurement managers can navigate this reporting gap with confidence.Reference: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/publication/national-fob-review

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man dives into what this early spring heat wave here in California could be doing to the cherry crop, those blossoms still hanging on, and how it may impact early stone fruit still on the trees.Then we head over to the produce table where he has purple snow peas, Padrón peppers, Ojai Pixie tangerines, jumbo heirloom artichokes, and red seedless Muscat grapes. Real springtime gems, good for your soul, good for your health, and flat-out enjoyable.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays, brought to you by the Produce Industry Network and AgLife Media. Check out aglifemedia.com today.

How did a humble desert fruit help build some of the world’s earliest civilizations? Why did ancient farmers in Mesopotamia become master matchmakers for palm trees? And how did the date palm come to symbolize life, victory, and divine blessing across the ancient world? Join John and Patrick as they explore the astonishing origins of the date - from prehistoric hunter-gatherers and the orchards of ancient Mesopotamia, to Roman trade networks and the sacred traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In part one of this two-part series, they uncover how a single tree helped sustain empires, shape desert societies, and become one of the most important fruits in human history.----------In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

Join host Patrick Kelly live from the vibrant Florida Citrus Tailgating event in Fort Pierce! In this episode, Quentin Roe co-hosts with Patrick on-site at the event. They chat with industry leaders and longtime friends about the latest in Florida citrus, community connections, and innovations shaking up the produce world. Grab a glass of fresh-squeezed juice and celebrate the spirit of Florida citrus with us!#farming #future #supplychain

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man dives into St. Patrick’s Day cabbage—a classic that’s been showing up on produce stands and dinner tables for generations.Then we take a trip over to the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, where we talk with growers about Gem and Zutano avocados and what makes those varieties special.We also get into spring onions and the famous calcot onions—those sweet Spanish grilling onions grown using a special mounding technique that chefs love to roast over an open flame.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays from the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media.Check out AgLifeMedia.com today.

What does a Roman emperor’s craving for cucumbers have to do with feeding eight billion people? How did a 15th-century Korean cookbook quietly invent heated agriculture centuries before Europe’s glass palaces? And how did Victorian spectacle, world wars, hydroponic ambition, and Dutch engineering transform the greenhouse from aristocratic indulgence into global infrastructure?Join John and Patrick as they trace the extraordinary history of climate control in the service of fresh produce - from Tiberius’s selenite-covered cucumber beds, to the heated ondol systems of the Joseon Dynasty, the imperial glasshouses of Palace of Versailles and Royal Botanic Gardens, and the hydroponic battlefields of the Second World War.Because this is not just a story about architecture. It is a story about anxiety, empire, science, and survival. About humanity’s refusal to let winter - or war, or geography - dictate what ends up on our plates.From Roman villas to vertical farms... this is the history of the greenhouse, and the quiet revolution that changed how the world grows its food.----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

What does conflict in the Middle East have to do with the price of food on your table? More than you might think.In this episode of The Global Fresh Series, we explore how geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf—particularly disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—are sending ripple effects through the global agriculture supply chain. While headlines often focus on rising oil prices, another critical commodity is at stake: fertilizer, the essential nutrient that supports nearly half of the world’s food production.With countries in the region supplying a significant portion of the world’s nitrogen fertilizers, any disruption in shipping lanes can tighten supply, drive up costs, and ultimately impact farmers, crop yields, and food prices around the globe. From the fields of the Northern Hemisphere preparing for spring planting to vulnerable regions facing rising food insecurity, the effects are far-reaching.Join us as we unpack the hidden connections between energy, fertilizer, global trade, and fresh produce, and examine how today’s geopolitical challenges could influence tomorrow’s harvests.#agriculture. #geopolitics #fertilizer. #freshproduce

Join host Patrick Kelly on-location at KDC in Vineland, New Jersey, for an exclusive deep dive into winter produce imports and family-run business excellence. Hear from industry leader William Kopke as he shares insights on building trust, operational innovation, and the future of fresh produce in a rapidly changing market. Discover what it takes to lead a global produce hub and why collaboration is key to thriving together in the supply chain.#freshproduce #agriculture #supplychainhttps://kopkefruit.com - Check out the latest and greatest from Kopke!

In this episode of the Global Fresh Series, we take you inside the energy and excitement of the SEPC Southern Exposure 2026 in Orlando, Florida—one of the fresh produce industry’s most anticipated gatherings of the year.From the vibrant trade show floor to meaningful conversations with growers, shippers, retailers, and innovators across the supply chain, this episode captures the spirit of collaboration that defines Southern Exposure. We discuss the standout moments from the expo, including innovative booth presentations, new product introductions, and the growing role of storytelling and digital media in connecting fresh produce with buyers and consumers.We also highlight the educational sessions that addressed key industry topics—from supply chain challenges and market trends to the importance of building stronger relationships across the industry. As always, the show was not just about business—it was about community, networking, and celebrating the passion that drives the fresh produce sector forward.#freshproduce. #SEPC2026. #agriculture

What was the United States government’s first move, when it decided that what Americans ate was a matter of national concern? Why, from the depths of the Civil War to the height of the culture wars, has Washington repeatedly redrawn the nation’s plate - sometimes to fight hunger, sometimes to win wars, sometimes to battle heart disease and obesity? And how did fruits and vegetables move from quiet supporting players to nutritional protagonists, caught between science, industry, and politics?Join John and Patrick as they trace the extraordinary history of U.S. dietary guidelines - from the founding of the United States Department of Agriculture in 1862, through wartime rationing and the “Basic Seven,” to the rise and fall of the Food Pyramid and the fierce debates of today. As public health, agricultural economics, and political ideology collide at the dinner table, one question lingers: when the government tells you what to eat, who (and what) is really being served?----------In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

Join host Patrick Kelly as he welcomes special co-host Jonathan Buettner of Buettner Processing Solutions, LLC. for a lively discussion from the Southern Exposure 2026 event in Orlando, Florida. This episode dives into the heart of the produce supply chain community, highlighting trade show insights, industry collaborations, and innovations shaping the future of fresh produce. Tune in to hear about networking, new technology, and the spirit of support that keeps this industry growing strong.

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan has King Oyster mushrooms on the produce table. Learn how you can turn these incredible mushrooms into vegan pulled pork and delicious tacos.Also on the table is Dazzle variety sweet apples, Ataulfo mangoes, Kinnow mandarins, and three varieties of blood oranges to taste and compare.It’s all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays with Dan the Produce Man, brought to you by the Produce Industry Network, powered by AGLife Media.Check out aglifemedia.com today!

What kind of fruit was designed to be swallowed whole by giant sloths? How did a sacred Mesoamerican tree become the green badge of millennial brunch culture? And how did a humble postman’s backyard seedling end up conquering global agriculture?Join John and Patrick as they trace the astonishing history of the avocado - from the forests of ancient Mexico and the courts of the Maya and Aztec, to the chandeliers of the Alexandria Hotel, the rise of Calavo, and the accidental genius of Rudolph Hass. Along the way: plant explorers, freezes that nearly wiped out an industry, marketing masterstrokes, cartel violence in Michoacán, and the birth of the Super Bowl guacamole ritual.This is not just the story of a fruit. It’s a tale of extinction and survival, empire and branding, crime and cultivation - a relic of the Pleistocene that somehow became the taste of modernity.----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

Join Patrick Kelly, the voice of the Produce Industry, as he shares firsthand insights from his recent travels through California's Central Valley and previews the highly anticipated Southern Exposure trade show in Orlando.This episode dives into the latest innovations in pre and post-harvest solutions with AgroFresh, tackles the challenges of unpredictable weather on crop quality, and highlights exciting industry events and sponsors. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at the evolving produce supply chain and key trends shaping the season.

Join Ross the Produce Boss as he fills in for Dan with special guest Patrick Kelly to dive into the role of fresh produce in fueling athletes at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Explore how Italian cuisine and seasonal fruits and veggies are powering peak performance, plus insider tips on what’s fresh and local this season. Tune in for fresh industry insights, Olympic highlights, and a celebration of produce in sport!

In this vibrant February episode of The Global Fresh Series, we celebrate the spirit of the Chinese (Lunar) New Year — a season of prosperity, renewal, and symbolic foods — while honoring National Heart Month, spotlighting the powerful role fresh produce plays in cardiovascular wellness.From citrus fruits symbolizing good fortune to berries, leafy greens, tomatoes, avocados, root vegetables, and other nutrient-rich staples that support heart health, we explore how global food traditions and modern nutrition science beautifully intersect.Join us as we journey across cultures and commodities, uncovering how fresh produce fuels celebration, strengthens communities, and supports healthier lives worldwide. Whether it’s a lucky orange shared at the New Year table or a heart-smart salad packed with vibrant greens, this episode reminds us that the path to prosperity begins with what’s on our plate.#chinesenewyear #nationalheartmonth #freshfruit #freshvegetables

What becomes of a man who spent his life moving plants, people, and power across the globe - when his own body finally begins to fail? How did Joseph Banks face his final years: in pain, in controversy, and yet still at the very center of British science? And why, after four decades at the helm of the Royal Society, did his reputation wither almost as quickly as his health?In this seventh and final episode, John and Patrick follow Banks into his twilight: chairing meetings from a wheelchair, backing Arctic expeditions, sampling three-year-old tinned meat in the name of progress, and making one last pilgrimage to Kew to see a cone bloom after forty years of waiting. As grief, illness, and imperial consequence close in, the question sharpens: was Banks a visionary architect of modern science - or an overbearing relic of an older age?----------In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]

Join host Patrick Kelly as he welcomes Bruce Letchworth of Continental Fresh to share inspiring stories of purpose, passion, and mission-driven work in the produce industry. Discover how honesty and relationships are transforming communities globally through the 'Water for All' initiative, and enjoy a lively conversation that blends produce insights with Bruce’s unique alligator hunting and fish fry adventures. A heartfelt episode that proves one person’s passion can ripple out and change the world.#VIVAFRESHSURPRISE #ASKUS

This week on Fresh From the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man and Ross the Produce Boss welcome Caroline Lewis, founder of The Farmer’s Feed—all about reconnecting people with the farmers who actually grow their food.We dig into the cabbage trend that’s heating up in foodservice and retail, talk about why farmers need to tell their own stories, and how getting closer to the consumer really matters right now. We also hit on Valentine’s Day strawberries, a little floral, and what it all means at store level.It’s real people, real farmers, real food—right here on Fresh From the Field Fridays, from the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media.Check it out at aglifemedia.com.

This week on The Global Fresh Series, we’re recapping the high points of Fruit Logistica 2026, where nearly 90,000 fresh produce professionals from around the world gathered in Berlin despite challenging winter conditions.We take a closer look at the business momentum, innovation highlights, and key themes shaping the global fresh produce industry, followed by an overview of the EU–Mercosur trade agreement and what it could mean for future market access, competition, and trade flows.We’ll also share a consumer insight straight from Berlin, offering perspective on evolving shopper expectations in one of Europe’s most influential markets. A packed episode connecting global trade, on-the-ground insights, and the conversations shaping what’s next for fresh produce.

What happens when exploration gives way to administration - and adventure turns into power? How did a royal garden become the beating heart of a global botanical empire? And how did Joseph Banks, without leaving London, reshape landscapes, economies, and diets across the world?In this episode, John and Patrick move from the drama of ocean voyages to the quieter - but far more consequential - world of Kew Gardens, where Banks transforms botany into infrastructure, plants into policy, and seeds into instruments of empire. From globe-spanning networks of plant hunters to glasshouses, diplomacy, and even Britain’s first brush with cannabis, this is where Banks stops collecting plants - and starts running the system.----------In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business-----------Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.Support us!Share this episode with your friendsGive a 5-star ratingWrite a review-----------Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.-----------Instagram, TikTok, Threads:@historyoffreshproduceEmail: [email protected]