NEWS FROM THE FARM

The Idaho potato storage season has concluded, and GPODs are now in their seasonal gap. Expect the new GPOD potato harvest to kick off in September, ensuring a renewed supply.

Extreme heat and heavy aphid pressure are hitting leafy greens hard, especially red varieties, and local lettuce season is winding down. With field yields low and demand climbing, prices are up across the category. Butter, green leaf, and red leaf are all higher as disease pressure tightens supply, and romaine and romaine hearts are following suit. Expect very light supplies and continued quality challenges through the end of September.

California's grape harvest is running roughly two to three weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to a record-warm winter and an early spring warm-up. As a result, domestic supplies may tighten earlier than usual this fall.

Organic cucumbers, both field-grown and hothouse, are in short supply. Persian cucumbers also remain limited, with costs elevated for now. We expect availability to improve by October. 

Chicken thigh markets continue to tighten as heat-related supply constraints collide with strong demand. Elevated beef prices are also driving operators toward chicken, keeping pressure on thighs and tenders.

Yellow squash supply has tightened as growing shifts from the Northeast to North Carolina and Georgia, where production is starting up slowly. Local Gold Bar squash has finished for the season, but Holland Gold Bar squash (SQ2C) is available as a substitute.