News and Stories
FROM THE FIELDS: Worm Activity in Desert Iceberg Lettuce
Markon First Crop Premium Iceberg Lettuce packs are not available in the desert region; Markon Best Available is being substituted as needed.
Temperatures in the desert regions have been above seasonal norms for an extended period of time and will stay in the low- to upper 90s through the next several days. Apart from dehydration, rib blight, sunburn, and other heat-related defects that are developing, Markon inspectors have observed an alarming spike in worm activity.
Thus far, Markon has managed to avoid fields where worms have been spotted, but the limited number of fields left in the desert region are all exhibiting varying amounts of worm activity that is extremely difficult for harvesting crews to detect and avoid. Some heads have worms or worm damage several layers deep.
Markon strongly recommends sourcing commodity iceberg lettuce from the Huron or Salinas, California growing regions.
More updates will follow from the desert region as well as Huron, Oxnard, Salinas, and Santa Maria, California regions in the days that follow this current heat spike.
Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
John Galvez
Quality Assurance
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