Urban & Space Crop Studies and 70% of Cherry Purchases Impulse
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Small-stature tomato plants being developed by the University of California could benefit indoor urban agriculture, and could perhaps be grown on long-duration space flights.
Researchers at UC Riverside have been studying different types of small tomatoes. One type has been engineered for use in urban “vertical farms.”
Other, similar tomatoes will ultimately be grown in microgravity on the International Space Station.
**Multiple studies show single-bag cherry sales are over 70% impulse purchases.
That’s according to Catherine Gipe-Stewart, with Domex Superfresh Growers, who tells www.thepacker.com, “Making sure cherries are on display both in produce as well as by the cash register helps sales.”
She says other important elements for retailers include communicating cherry availability, being available online, and making sure consumers were aware of health benefits of cherries given 59% of those surveyed considered that a key factor.
www.thepacker.com/news/produce-crops/cherries-impulse-purchases?mkt
**Since restarting its coronavirus relief programs two months ago, the Biden administration has paid $410 million to farmers and ranchers.
www.agriculture.com reports, USDA data also shows an estimated $5.6 billion is available to cattle producers and row-crop farmers.
Additional payments to swine producers and contract growers remain on hold and will likely require modifications to regulations written before President Biden took office.
Since the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program began a year ago, the USDA has sent $24.23 billion to producers.
www.agriculture.com/news/business/pandemic-payments-to-producers-top-400-million-under-biden
