Starting fresh in 2025, we are updating our sustainable packing technology round-up. Recent consumer studies suggest that a large percentage of customers are willing to pay more for more sustainable products. This shift in consumer attitude as well as advancements in sustainable packing tech is helping to push the fresh fruit and vegetable industry towards more environmentally friendly options. Previously we have discussed the challenges and benefits of adopting more sustainable packaging options in horticulture. In this article we will get into how the landscape of sustainable packaging has changed to mitigate some of the issues preventing growers and packers from choosing greener packing options and how some of the regulatory changes and requirements impacting the fruit and vegetable industry are shifting.

We are pleased to be highlighting Rice Fruit Company in our latest customer spotlight series. Rice Fruit is heading into their 5th year with Croptracker and their second year as a Croptracker RnD partner. Through this partnership, Rice Fruit benefits from access to Croptracker’s full functionality while offering valuable feedback on new modules and features to help refine and enhance the system. For this article we spoke with three key members of Rice Fruit’s team, Leighton Rice, Maggie Travis and Mike Tully.

If you’re in the agriculture industry, you know how crucial it is to keep operations efficient, organized, and precise. Increased traceability demands, like those imposed by FSMA204, mean more information about products needs to be recorded at every step in the supply chain. Saving valuable time at each of these Critical Tracking Events is vital to maintain operational efficiency. In order to quickly encode and record inventory information through these steps, barcode scanners have become an essential tool for farms and agribusinesses of all sizes. Code readers help streamline inventory management, traceability, and product tracking across various stages of production and distribution. But with so many models and features on the market, finding the right scanner for your operation can feel overwhelming.

We’re thrilled to announce that Croptracker will be exhibiting at this year’s Northwest Hort Show Expo in Yakima, Washington! Known as one of the most anticipated events in the Washington horticulture industry, the Northwest Hort Show offers an incredible opportunity for growers, packers, and processors to learn, connect, and discover the latest innovations shaping agriculture today.