News

FRESNO -  With nearly 13 million students in the United States regularly attending school hungry, one in six children can't perform at their full potential in the classroom because they lack consistent access to affordable, nutritious foods*. Recognizing the need to bring attention to food insecurity, Sun-Maid® is working with the National School Boards Association (NSBA), the leading advocate for public education, to help nutrition become a more important focus in schools and among educators.

As a leading better-for-you snacking company and the first food brand to join forces with the national association, Sun-Maid will work collaboratively with the NSBA toward providing all students access to the same nutritional resources that can help establish a more uniform foundation for equity in the learning environment.

TULARE  – Used in more than 25,000 products globally, industrial hemp was reintroduced to US agriculture thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. Interest in hemp has grown nationwide, and according to a December 2018 Forbes magazine article, is a “potential economic dynamo for American farmers.”

World Ag Expo®, one of the largest ag trade shows in the world, is taking on the hemp conversation in cooperation with Plant Growth Group, a consultancy in the hemp marketplace. A 9,400 square foot tent will house thirty 10’x10’ exhibitor spaces, and a seminar stage, on the south east side of the grounds at the February show.

TRACY  -   October is American Cheese Month and California's dairy farmers are renaming the state "Cheese and Wine Country" in recognition of the award-winning cheesemaking heritage that grew alongside its wine industry and pairing the state's most noteworthy specialties formally together in a new way.

While California is widely known for its winemaking roots, its history as a top cheesemaker is just as strong. The state's rich cheese history started 250 years ago when Friar Junipero Serra introduced cheesemaking to the missions in 1769. Today, California is the nation's number one producer of fluid milk, butter, ice cream and Hispanic-style cheeses and is the second largest producer of all cheese.

FRESNO - An analysis conducted by researchers Dr. Jack Losso and Millicent Yeboah-Awudzi at Louisiana State University in partnership with American Pistachio Growers found that American pistachios contain significant amounts of melatonin, much higher than most fruits, vegetables, cereals, legumes and seeds.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland to regulate the body's internal biological clock and control daily sleep cycles. Melatonin supplements are commonly used by people with insomnia or with irregular sleep patterns which may arise from frequent travel or irregular work schedules, among other causes.

DENVER -  The iconic Beef. It's What's For Dinner. brand keeps consumers craving beef with the release of its latest drool-worthy creative digital advertisement collection – "Keep Sizzlin'".  The new "Keep Sizzlin'" collection is inspired by the success of the original "Sizzle" video, which caught the attention of consumers by stimulating their eyes and ears with the satisfying look and sound of a juicy strip steak crackling and popping as it cooked to perfection in a cast iron skillet.

The video, originally thought to be a fun "extra" on the Beef. It's What's For Dinner. YouTube page has been viewed more than 2 million times and become a fan favorite. Lasting just longer than three minutes, viewers are mesmerized, watching the video an average of two minutes and 21 seconds. More than 500,000 viewers have watched the video in its entirety.