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Articles by Stone Fruit
Flavored Fruit Tea Sales Global Market Report 2026
Flavored fruit tea sales refer to the commercial transactions involving tea-based beverages infused with natural or artificial fruit flavors, available in both ready-to-drink and packaged formats. It includes the revenue generated from the distribution of these products through retail, online, and foodservice channels to fulfill consumer demand for refreshing, flavored beverage alternatives.
Peach dessert evokes the joys of the season
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Stone fruit is a welcome partner in summertime’s warm weather fare, especially ripe peaches. This simple peach dessert teams the ripe-but-not-squishy fruit with Amaretto, heated to make it syrupy. The Italian, almond flavored liqueur brings a sweet nuttiness to the dish, augmenting the whipped cream, as well as drizzled on top of the peeled peach wedges.
Fruit Flavored Alcoholic Beverage Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity and Forecast, By Product Type, By Flavor Profile, By Distribution Chanel, By Region & Competition, 2020-2030F
The Global Fruit Flavored Alcoholic Beverage Market was valued at USD 10.38 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 14.01 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.19% during the forecast period. Market growth is being driven by shifting consumer preferences toward refreshing, fruit-infused alcoholic options that offer a balance of flavor and lower alcohol content. Younger consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are fueling demand for innovative, premium, and health-conscious beverages.
Whitefly Troubles Go From Bad to Worse in Florida | Growing Produce
[Editor’s Note: Interview was conducted and the article written before Hurricane Irma’s impact] Spring 2017 could be described as epic for some Florida growers when it comes to describing whitefly infestations and troubles. The same could be said for growers dealing with the pest in Georgia during the summer. “We have not had a light pressure whitefly year in quite some time, but this past spring was really unusual,” says Hugh Smith, an Assistant Professor of vegetable entomology with UF/IFAS.
Washington State University Creates BMSB Management Resource Page | Growing Produce
Elizabeth Beers, Entomologist, and Adrian Marshall, Entomology Ph.D. Student at Washington State University published a new resource page to help growers make decisions on trapping, monitoring, and control for the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). Currently, BMSB has been recorded in 14 counties in Washington state, with the majority of finds occurring in the western part of the state, along the Columbia River east to Walla Walla and in Yakima.
EPA Mulls Restricting Dicamba Use | Growing Produce
EPA is considering setting a cutoff date for sprays of the dicamba following reports of crop damage linked to the herbicide, according to reports from Reuters. In 2016, EPA received 117 complaints of dicamba injury in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Scientist Uncovers Chilling Side of Deadly Avocado Disease | Growing Produce
Florida avocado growers have been struggling to put their arms around laurel wilt, a problematic pathogen that’s been decimating their crops. However, new research findings from UF/IFAS might shed some light on when to best scout for the disease. According to Nemat Keyhani, a UF/IFAS Professor of microbiology and cell science, the disease grows faster in the fall and winter months, so regular scouting should take place from October to March.
Walnut Crop Expected to be Down 5% | Growing Produce
The 2017 California walnut production is forecast at 650,000 tons, down 5% from 2016’s record production of 686,000 tons, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This forecast is based on the 2017 Walnut Objective Measurement (O.M.) Survey, which was officially conducted Aug. 1 through Aug. 19. There were a few samples completed before Aug. 1 for training and scheduling purposes.
Southeast Peach Prices Soar with Small Crop | Growing Produce
With low chill hours this year, Southeastern peach growers were hit with extreme losses. Will McGhee, Marketing Director for the Georgia Peach Council told WSAV-TV in Savannah, GA, it was one of the worst in 50 years. WSAV-TV reports Georgia lost about 80% and South Carolina lost about 90% of their respective peach crops this year, which means multi-million dollar industry losses. The station reports there is a bright spot in the devastation – prices are sky high.
Organic Fruit Sales Surge 12% | Growing Produce
Organic fresh produce accounted for $1.25 billion dollars in sales at the end of the second quarter 2017, an 8% increase in dollars and a 10% rise in volume from the previous year, according to the Organic Produce Network (OPN). Partnering with Nielsen, OPN’s review of second-quarter organic fresh produce sales at retail stores across the country shows dollar sales of organic fresh vegetables totaled $608 million while organic fresh fruit sales came to $425 million.
California Table Olive Forecast Up 9% | Growing Produce
The 2017 California table olive forecast is 73,000 tons, up 9% from last year’s crop of 67,100 tons, according to a survey conducted by the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Office. Bearing acreage is estimated at 19,000, which equals a yield of 3.84 tons per acre. ‘Manzanillo’ continues to be the dominant variety, with production forecast at 63,500 tons. ‘Sevillano’ production forecast is 9,000 tons, and other varieties are expected to total the remaining 500 tons.
Codling Moth Monitoring Tips in Walnuts | Growing Produce
It is important to understand how mating disruption affects the ability to monitor codling moth in walnut orchards under mating disruption (MD) as well as in orchards in proximity to MD. Researchers are currently investigating just how far-reaching the impacts of mating disruption are to nearby non-MD blocks.
Reading the Tea Leaves of Alternative Crops | Growing Produce
Fruit growers, especially young fruit growers, always seem to be on the lookout for something new. Whether it’s a new way to grow one of their current crops, or trying an entirely new crop, they are wide open to opportunities. So for this month’s GenNext Growers feature on alternative crops, I called university researchers across the country to learn of what relatively untried crops might be of interest to the next generation of fruit growers.
Social Media Tips to Boost Your Bottom Line | Growing Produce
Gone are the days when social media could be an afterthought for a small farmer. If you have any direct contact with your consumers, social media needs to be an important step in your outreach, says Anthony Ndoca, a young grower turned consultant. “The ones that are marketing well are making it,” he says.
Winning at Farmers’ Markets – Secrets of Success | Growing Produce
You’ll see the signs at farmers’ markets each week — eight on Saturdays alone — over a big chunk of Northern California, from south of Monterey to east of San Francisco: “Stackhouse Brothers — Tree-Ripe Fruit.” “Family and flavor,” says Rodney Stackhouse, “we try to keep it simple.” He and Don are the brothers. They farm 240 acres of fruit and nuts in Denair, CA, complementing each other well. “He likes machines,” says Rodney.
What Will Be the Next Generation of Cherry Canopies? | Growing Produce
As the North American NC-140 Sweet Cherry Canopy Architecture and Rootstock Trials near their planned completion — 2017 is Year 8 of 10 — it is time to envision some of the “next generation” intensive canopy training systems that will build on what has been learned thus far.
Stop Fall Armyworm from Getting the Drop on Your Sweet Corn Crop | Growing Produce
The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is the most important pest for corn in Florida. The larvae feed on leaf tissue and burrow into ears and feed on kernels. The pest can cause extensive damage to corn crops. The pest is around the whole year and most numerous in the fall and late spring. The fall armyworm is native to warmer regions of the western hemisphere from the U.S. to Argentina. In the U.S., it overwinters successfully only in South Florida and southern Texas.
New Biological Fungicide Approved for Fruit and Vegetable Crops | Growing Produce
AgBiome announced Howler fungicide received registration from the EPA. The first product to be marketed by AgBiome Innovations and developed by AgBiome Inc., it is a biological fungicide that is highly effective against fungal diseases common to high-value crops. “This is great news for specialty crop growers,” says John Rabby, AgBiome Innovations Commercial Director.
Do Fungicide- and Insecticide-Treated Seeds Boost Weeds? | Growing Produce
Thanks to $474,679 of funding, a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) will look into if pesticide seed treatments inadvertently protect weed seeds from being attacked by naturally occurring invertebrate and fungal species. “A host of insects and microbes that live in and on the soil, perform beneficial services that that we often fail to appreciate, including suppressing weed populations.
Inaugural Organic Grower Summit Attendee Registration Now Open | Growing Produce
Attendee registration for the inaugural Organic Grower Summit (OGS), put together by partners California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN), is now open. Attendee registration is $399 and includes all activities and events associated with the 2-day summit, including opening reception, breakfast, educational sessions, keynote presentations, lunch and the trade show floor. Discounts are available for CCOF Members. Only 22 booths remain available on trade show floor.
Western Growers Supports U.S. Appeals Court’s Chlorpyrifos Decision | Growing Produce
Western Growers issues this statement following the announcement of the decision from the Ninth U.S. Court of Appeals to invalidate EPA’s decision not to restrict or eliminate the use of chlorpyrifos: “Last month, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a motion to invalidate EPA’s decision not to restrict or eliminate the use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos.
Can Avocados Be Saved from Deadly Laurel Wilt Disease? | Growing Produce
If you love guacamole and/or any other avocado-infused delicacies, trying times may be afoot. So far, roughly 40,000 commercial avocado trees in Florida — the nation’s second-leading producer of the fruit — have been taken out by laurel wilt, a deadly fungal pathogen spread primarily by a complex of beetles. For several years now, University of Florida experts have had up-close experience dealing with the malady and are exploring ways to prevent it from spreading.
90% of NY Beehives Had Varroa Mites in 2016 | Growing Produce
Cornell University’s NYS Beekeeper Tech Team released a report showing that the state of the New York’s beekeepers are being overwhelmed by varroa mites in 2016. A full 90% of colonies sampled had the parasitic pests. The sample group is estimated to represent a third of statewide honey production, or 19,000 colonies, which produced 1.2 million pounds of honey, the researchers say. “Varroa mites are extremely common in NY and were not well controlled in fall 2016,” the report states.
Researcher: Cherry Growers Must Use Disease Management Strategies When it Comes to SWD | Growing Produce
It’s that time of year again when spotted wing drosophila (SWD) trap catches begin to rise and cherry growers start to implement spray strategies. However, Michigan State University Extension Educator Dave Jones says growers wait too long and rely too much on trap catches to make the spray decisions, instead of using disease management strategies to determine preventive sprays. Growers must spray for SWD at yellow cherry fruit, he says.
High-Tech Solution for Bird Control in Your Orchard | Growing Produce
“Once the birds have had a taste of the grapes,” says Sven Von Kintzel, “they’re almost impossible to get rid of.” This was the case, at least, until the business he manages — Devonian Coast Wineries in Nova Scotia, Canada — trialed a new laser technology back in 2015. The Agrilaser Autonomic from Bird Control Group delivered dramatic results: starling and robin numbers plummeted 90% across the 15 acres where the laser was placed.
Clemson Peach Breeding Hones in on Disease Resistance, Flavor | Growing Produce
Back in 2008, a peach breeding program was restarted at Clemson University, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The focus of the program is on disease resistance and improving fruit quality and taste. Specifically, the program is honing in on bacterial spot and brown rot because they are two of the most costly diseases in the Southeast, says Ksenija Gasic, Associate Professor of Horticulture, Peach Breeding and Genetics at Clemson.
Popular Herbicide Registered for California Bearing Citrus and Caneberries | Growing Produce
Valent U.S.A. announced Thursday that Chateau Herbicide SW has been registered by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for use on citrus and caneberries. The supplemental label is particularly welcome for California growers of bearing citrus fruit, as it’s a new use.
Brown Rot Sinks its Teeth into Michigan Cherries | Growing Produce
Growers in the East have had their fair share of wet weather to contend with this year. This season has been anything but usual for those in Northwest Michigan, where sweet cherries were hit with high infection of brown rot. “Between June 12 and July 14, there were 19 days of rain, seven of those days with more than a quarter inch of rain.
How to Deal with Annoying Fungus Gnats on the Farm | Growing Produce
Fungus gnats are small flies that infest soil, container media, and other sources of organic decomposition. The larvae of most species feed on fungi and decaying organic matter and are not considered an economic problem. A few species will attack healthy root tissue of economic plants and can an occasional problem in greenhouses and vegetable transplant industry, where they can damage seedlings and plants. In addition, large numbers of flying gnats may be a nuisance to workers.
USDA Invests $6.8 Million for Pollinator Health | Growing Produce
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced seven grants totaling $6.8 million for research and Extension projects to sustain healthy populations of pollinators, which are crucial to the nation’s food security and environmental health. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.
Spanish Summer Tour to focus on Science of Horticulture | Growing Produce
Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Lake Ontario Fruit Spanish Summer Fruit Tour returns on July 22 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY. Hispanic workers are vital to all research projects Cornell University does, whether it’s cropload management studies, assisting with the projects on test blocks, or data gathering.
Young Ag Biotech Rootstock Company Lands $7 Million | Growing Produce
Phytelligence, an agricultural biotechnology company that has developed advanced micropropagation techniques to rapidly ramp up production of rootstocks to make them available to nurseries and growers directly, announced it has secured the first $6.95 million dollars of a total potential $16 million dollar second funding round, known in venture capital as Series B.
Oriental Fruit Moth One Shifty Pest | Growing Produce
Every fruit crop has its insect nemesis. For peaches and nectarines, it is the Oriental fruit moth, the biggest insect pest headache for growers since it first appeared in the U.S. in early part of the 20th century. OFM thrives in both humid and dry peach growing areas and has many traits that have allowed it to adapt, survive, thrive, and cause mischief. OFM is an Omnivore Part of the reason that Oriental fruit moth (OFM) is successful is that it likes many different fruit crops.
Floyd Zager is the Sweetness Scientist Behind Zaiger Genetics | Growing Produce
Editor’s Note: I first wrote about Zaiger Genetics for a story in our October 2000 issue headlined “Chums and Plerries?” Floyd Zaiger told me he was crossing the two fruits, and he later patented the ‘Pluerry’, so my suggestions didn’t make the cut. But the Pluerry never really caught on, and Zaiger now licenses a cross to a Fresno, CA, grower John Warmerdam, who calls them ‘Very Cherry Plums,’ and packs them at a sweet 20 Brix.
More Than 1,000 Ag-Workers Stranded At Mexican Border | Growing Produce
According to a news alert from The Department of State, a hardware failure in the State Department facility has prevented the issuing of thousands of temporary and immigration visas, leaving workers stranded at the Mexican border waiting to gain entry into the U.S. The alert states that once the system is operational, priority will be given temporary agricultural workers.
Average Cost Of Classic Thanksgiving Meal Breaks $50 Mark | Growing Produce
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 30th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table, the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $50.11, a 70-cent increase from last year’s average of $49.41. The average cost of the dinner has remained around $49 since 2011. This year’s survey totaled over $50 for the first time. The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $23.04 this year.
Keep an Eye out for Peach Leaf Curl | Growing Produce
This year, peach leaf curl caught many Pennsylvania growers off guard. Once symptoms are seen, it’s too late to do anything. Peach leaf curl is caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans and occurs wherever peaches are grown. The fungus causes the growing cells at the leaf margins to multiply quickly and randomly, which results in the puckered, curled, distorted appearance. Often, the color of the leaves varies from shades of green and yellow to pink, orange, and purple.
Florida Farmers Fighting to Find Their Way out of the Weeds | Growing Produce
Weeds, especially in Florida, are a constant headache for growers. In a recent survey sent to Florida Grower® magazine readers, the question was posed: What are the top three most problematic weeds on your farm?
Monster Sweet Cherry Crop Expected | Growing Produce
Sweet cherry production in the U.S. is forecast at 432,760 tons this year, up 36% from 2016. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS), total sweet cherry production is expected to be 432,760 tons, up from 318,000 tons in 2016. In California, growers expect the best crop in recent years following several seasons of drought and low yields. Harvest began near the normal late-April timeframe after two years of early crops.
California Dried Plum Crop Expected To Double | Growing Produce
The 2017 California dried plum (prune) crop is forecast at 105,000 tons, up 106% from the 51,000 tons reported to the California Dried Plum Board as produced in 2016. The French prune variety accounts for virtually all dried plum acreage grown in California. This year is not expected to produce a bumper crop, it’s more a case of a return to normal, says University of California Cooperative Extension Orchard Systems Farm Advisor Franz Niederholzer. “The 2016 crop was a disaster,” Niederholzer says.
Illinois Summer Field Day is June 8 | Growing Produce
Illinois Summer Horticultural Field Day is set for Thursday, June 8, at Christ Orchard in Elmwood, IL. Kurt and Connie Christ, owners of Christ Orchard in Elmwood, IL, welcome growers to their farm for the 2017 Summer Horticultural Field Day. The field day provides the opportunity to learn about Christ Orchard’s farm operations. This 35-acre farm grows more than 50 varieties of apples, many varieties of pumpkins and squash, as well as plums, cherries, and other small fruits.
USDA Gives $17.7M in Grants for Plant Breeding, Production Studies | Growing Produce
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced 54 grants totaling more than $17.7 million for plant research that helps optimize crop production, mitigate disease, and increase yield. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. “Plants are the foundation of diet for both humans and animals,” said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy.
Michigan State University Awarded Grant to Tackle Spotted Wing Drosophila | Growing Produce
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research , a nonprofit established through bipartisan congressional support in the 2014 Farm Bill, awarded $150,000 to scientists at Michigan State University (MSU) to combat spotted wing drosophila (SWD). SWD is an invasive pest that decimated 21% of Michigan’s 2016 cherry crop, according to industry surveys.
Multiple Leader Training Optimizes Sweet Cherry Labor Efficiency | Growing Produce
The final intensive training system to be examined in the North American NC-140 Sweet Cherry Canopy Architecture and Rootstock Trial is a multiple leader, bushy canopy based on training and production techniques popularized by the Australian cherry grower, Kym Green.
Is CRISPR/Cas9 a Viable Solution for the Control of Crop Insect Pests? | Growing Produce
In my article “A Breakthrough In Biotechnology And The Future Of The Fruit Industry,” I described the precision genome editing technology, called CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated-nuclease) and its applications in crop plant improvement. Here, I would like to cover how the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been repurposed as a gene drive system that may become a potentially viable solution for managing crop insect pests.
Representatives Call for Review of Clean Water Act Case against Duarte Nursery | Growing Produce
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions calling for a review of the legal theory underlying the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to prosecute a California court case alleging violations under the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Northeast Peach Crop Rebounds | Growing Produce
A year after what growers dubbed the Valentine’s Day Massacre, the peach crop in the Northeast is expected to rebound. “Everything just dialed in this year,” Al Caggiano tells the Associated Press. Caggiano is the co-owner of Sunny Slope Orchards in Bridgeton, N.J., a third-generation family farm with about 500 acres of peaches. Last year, the peach crops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York were wiped out when temperatures dropped below zero in many areas on Feb. 14.
Representative Introduce Bill to Boost Organic Research | Growing Produce
Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) recently introduced the Organic Agriculture Research Act to support the continued growth of the nation’s booming organic agriculture industry. The legislation increases funding for USDA’s flagship organic research program, the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), from $20 million to $50 million annually.
Another Record California Almond Crop Forecast | Growing Produce
The initial subjective forecast by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistical Service for the 2017 California almond crop is 2.2 billion pounds. Forecasted bearing acreage for 2017 officially hit the 1 million mark this year, NASS reported, which is the main reason for the record crop. That’s because forecasted yield is 2,200 pounds per acre, down 3.5% from the 2016 yield of 2,280 pounds per acre.
USDA Researchers Say Georgia Peach Crop Worst in 100 Years | Growing Produce
Low chill hours this year coupled with an unexpected spring freeze hit Georgia peach growers hard. In fact, Tom Beckman a USDA fruit and nut researcher told WMAZ-TV in Macon, GA, it’s one of the worst in 100 years. “The closest comparison we have right now is, looking back at the historical records has to go back all the way to the 1930s,” he said. Beckman also said Georgia peach growers do not grow low-chill varieties, and with the warmer winter, trees did not get enough chill hours needed.
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