PORTERVILLE, CA - If you’re like us here at the ANUK office, you have July 12 and 13 circled on your calendar. The Organic Produce Summit is coming up, and we are all eager to head to Monterey, California, for the annual event. To get a little more insight on the trade show floor, I got in touch with Homegrown Organic Farms to see what’s taking place at its booth.

“The Organic Produce Summit (OPS) shares our passion for organics and, from year one, has been an integral event for Homegrown Organic Farms,” comments Scott Mabs, Chief Executive Officer of Homegrown Organic Farms. “It is by far the most attended event of the year for our team, and we are always eager to participate. We look forward to the educational session topics and, of course, connecting with the organic produce industry.”

At OPS this year, the grower will be showcasing its fully Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) stonefruit program that is grown with care for the land and people. The company is also excited to be sponsoring the OPS lunch event and encourages everyone to stop by for another delicious stonefruit recipe chef demo.

Additionally, the company will be showcasing its strong partnership with Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), as the booth will also feature Homegrown Organic Farms' expanded list of certified commodities. Attendees will get to learn more about the grower’s certified commodities such as blueberries, stonefruit, citrus, grapes, and kiwifruit. An EFI representative will also be on hand at the booth to share more about the program.

“We are thrilled that Homegrown has invited us to help staff their booth at OPS. It gives us the opportunity to ensure that retailers know the rigorous standards that their operations have met for EFI certification and how that commitment results in engaging employees at every level to produce safer, high-quality products,” LeAnne Ruzzamenti, Marketing and Communications Director at EFI, shares. “As retailers continue to advance requirements around social responsibility and pollinator health, it's important to let them know that there are leaders in the industry like Homegrown already exceeding them.”

Just as we’re heading into the peak of summer, Homegrown is heading into the peak of its stonefruit season. Summer is ubiquitous for juicy stonefruit as a reprieve from the July heat here in the States, and shoppers can look toward Homegrown to bring a bounty this season and continue to provide sweet offerings into fall.

“We have a variety of Regenerative Organic Certified apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots this summer stonefruit season,” says Deciduous Category Director Stephen Paul. “Our organic blueberry season has moved to our Oregon-grown berries and will continue into the middle of September. Before you know it, our fall fruits will be in full swing with organic Asian pears, pomegranates, persimmons, kiwifruits, and new this season, we will have kiwi berries.”