Matthew J. Grassi

All You Need to Know About New Hemp Regulations
USDA recently held a webinar to help interested growers understand the various moving parts with interim production rules. Here are a few thoughts we gleaned.
10 Standout Vegetables We Saw at the California and New York Seed Trials
Take a look and see if anything catches your eye as well.
Tired of Playing the Trade Wars Game? Perhaps Organic is the Answer
USDA reports that from 2012 to 2017 total agricultural product sales stayed flat overall. Yet over that same time frame, U.S. total organic product sales more than doubled.
Organic Industry Association Combating Fraud via New Verification Program
The launch of Organic Fraud Prevention Solutions program is rolling out for the 2020 crop season. Here’s what you need to know now.
There’s Always a Place for the Family Farm [OPINION]
Following Secretary Perdue’s poorly stated comment about small farms having little future, Technology Editor Matthew J. Grassi finds much to inspire him among the growers and farmers he has met.
What You Can Do About Organic Fraud
False claims threaten to weaken the premium prices organic produce commands. Experts share what it’s going to take to protect the USDA Certified organic brand.
USDA Inching Closer to Hemp Crop Insurance
A recent swing through one of the top emerging markets for hemp and legal cannabis growers hammered home why the industry needs safeguards in place.
New York Vegetable Industry Trials: What We Saw (GALLERY)
Take a virtual tour with us around the Empire State to see the latest and greatest in vegetable varieties.
Produce Safety Inspections Are Heading to Your Farm
If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of a FDA inspector calling at the farm gate, there’s still time to get all your ducks in a row.
How to Assess and Manage Wildlife Intrusion Risk on Your Farm
How well you control free-roaming animals can make the difference between food safety and food disaster. We asked an expert for advice.
8 More Precision Tech Companies Making the Cut in Specialty Crops
From drones, to robotic fruit pickers, and beyond, the number of firms offering produce growers new in-the-field tools continues to take off.
Drones Make Great Field Scouts. Here’s Where to Start
Specialty crop growers can use these flying cameras to more efficiently scout and evaluate their operations.
How Specialty Crop Farmers Can Grow with Drone Tech
Drones have long held promise in the row crop world, but specialty crop growers can use the flying cameras to scout and evaluate their operations, too.
5 Big Supply Chain Changes That Growers Need to Be Ready For
A dramatic shift is occurring in the shipping and delivery of goods, and the fresh produce industry is just one of several markets that will be transformed.
Where Will We Find Tech-Savvy Farm Workers?
U.C. Davis SmartFarm’s David Slaughter discusses the farm worker of the future and the skill set necessary to thrive in a digital-first farming industry.
New York Farm Worker Rights Bill Passes
The New York State Assembly voted in an amended version of the Farm Laborers Fair Labor Practices Act, which requires farm owners to pay workers overtime wages and grants farm workers the right to unionize and collectively bargain with management.
What Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s Ambitious Green New Deal Means for Vegetable Growers [Opinion]
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) is a lightning rod persona, with as many detractors as supporters. That position in […]
10 Precision Companies to Watch for U.S. Specialty Crop Markets
Find out who the major players are and what they are working on to get a good idea of where the market is headed in the future.
NY Farmworker Wage Fight Exposes Rural-Urban Disconnect
Paul Baker, a fruit and vegetable grower as well as the Director of New York’s fruit association, raises the alarm on the unintended long-term consequences of the potential law.