The U.S. Department of Commerce announced preliminary countervailing duties on fresh Canadian white mushrooms exported to the United States, following a trade complaint filed by domestic mushroom producers. The decision, released May 13, marks a significant escalation in the U.S.-Canada produce trade relationship. The duties are preliminary, meaning a final determination is still to come.

U.S. mushroom growers, led by companies like Giorgi Mushroom Co., have argued that Canadian producers benefit from unfair government subsidies that allow them to undercut American pricing. Canada is a major supplier of fresh mushrooms to the U.S. market, so these duties have real implications for buyers and retailers who depend on that supply.

Expect pricing volatility on fresh white mushrooms as the market adjusts. Buyers should start mapping alternative sourcing options now, and watch for a formal determination from Commerce that could make these duties permanent.

The Northwest cherry industry has revised its 2026 season forecast downward by 12 percent in its second estimate of the year. Harvest is expected to kick off in the last week of May — slightly earlier than normal — but the ramp-up through mid-June is projected to be slower than usual. This is a notable correction heading into one of the most important summer fruit windows.

Northwest cherries, primarily from Washington state, are a major driver of summer produce revenue for retailers and a key promotional item for the category. A 12% volume reduction means tighter supply during peak demand season, which typically translates to higher prices and more competition for available fruit.

Buyers should be locking in volume commitments now and managing expectations with retail partners on pricing and promotional timing. The slower mid-June ramp-up could create gaps in display programs if not planned for carefully.

Despite posting a net loss in Q1, Grocery Outlet is being called the retailer to watch for the rest of 2026 as its traffic numbers continue to grow steadily. The chain's opportunistic buying model — which relies heavily on surplus and closeout inventory — is resonating with inflation-fatigued shoppers looking to stretch their grocery budgets. That traffic trend is a meaningful signal for the broader retail landscape.

For produce suppliers and category managers, Grocery Outlet's growth matters because it represents a growing channel for moving surplus or off-grade product that might otherwise go to waste. As grocery inflation runs hot, value-focused banners like Grocery Outlet tend to see accelerated traffic gains — and fresh produce is increasingly part of their offer.

Watch how Grocery Outlet's produce category strategy evolves through the back half of 2026. If traffic keeps climbing, more suppliers may find it worth building a dedicated relationship with the chain.

Two California-based companies — HH Fresh Trading of Los Angeles and a second unnamed firm — have recalled enoki mushroom products after FDA testing identified potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalls were published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 14, 2026. HH Fresh Trading recalled 120 cases of 150g enoki mushrooms as part of the action.

Listeria is a serious pathogen that can cause life-threatening illness, particularly in pregnant women, elderly consumers, and immunocompromised individuals. Enoki mushrooms have been the subject of multiple listeria-related recalls in recent years, making this a recurring food safety concern for the category. Retailers and distributors carrying these products should act immediately.

If you're sourcing enoki mushrooms from California suppliers, verify lot numbers against the recall notices and pull affected product. This is a food safety situation that warrants immediate attention up and down the supply chain.

H-E-B and Sprouts are both involved in E. coli recalls after products sold at their stores were linked to an outbreak that has infected at least 9 people. H-E-B has additionally pulled products due to foreign material contamination concerns, making this a dual food safety situation at one of the country's largest regional grocers. The specific produce items involved have not been fully detailed in early reports.

E. coli outbreaks in retail settings draw immediate regulatory scrutiny and can quickly expand in scope as traceback investigations proceed. Both H-E-B and Sprouts have significant fresh produce footprints, and any contamination linked to produce items will have ripple effects across their supplier networks. Nine confirmed infections suggests the outbreak is already beyond an isolated incident.

This is a developing story — expect more details on the specific products and growing origins as FDA and CDC investigations continue. Suppliers to either retailer should be monitoring their recall status closely.

Strawberry growers across Wisconsin are facing serious crop pressure in 2026 from a combination of repeated frost events, excess rainfall, and disease concerns. Warm April temperatures pushed plants out of dormancy early, leaving blossoms vulnerable to late frosts that growers had to fight with overhead irrigation overnight — a costly and labor-intensive response. The combination of stressors is hitting an already tight-margin crop hard.

Wisconsin is a meaningful regional strawberry producer for Midwest retail and direct-market channels. Losses here won't reshape national supply the way California or Florida disruptions would, but regional buyers and farmers market-focused retailers in the Great Lakes area could feel the squeeze on local and early-season volumes.

This story connects to a broader pattern of frost and weather disruption hitting multiple U.S. growing regions simultaneously in 2026. Keep an eye on how disease pressure — potentially intensified by wet conditions — develops through the rest of the season.

U.S. tomato prices jumped nearly 40% in April compared to the same month last year, according to Consumer Price Index data. The surge is being driven by a combination of import tariffs, weather disruptions in key growing regions, and rising transportation costs. Overall grocery food prices rose 2.9% year-on-year in April, making tomatoes a stark outlier.

This is a significant supply-side story with real downstream impact for buyers and retailers. Tariffs on Mexican imports — which account for the bulk of U.S. fresh tomato supply — are squeezing margins at every level of the chain. Weather disruptions have compounded the problem by reducing domestic volume at a time when imported supply is already constrained.

Watch for continued pressure through early summer as domestic production ramps up but likely can't fully offset import gaps. Buyers sourcing Florida or Midwest greenhouse tomatoes may have some relief, but the broader market remains tight and expensive.