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Over the past few years, so-called ugly fruit and vegetables have been gaining a host of admirers. Now, Wal-Mart has officially joined the bandwagon. Starting this week, America's largest grocer says it is piloting sales of weather-dented apples at a discount in 300 of its stores in Florida.

Sales of organic produce have been steadily rising, and farmers worldwide have stepped up to provide a year-round supply of certified organic fruits and vegetables, experts say. Nearly all items in the produce section are available in organic, with prices fluctuating based on supply, says Claris Ritter of Alfalfa's Market in Colorado. "Price is really a function of supply, and we're still having greater demand than supply," Ritter said. "We'll have to see, if we ever do catch up to the demand, what happens with the price

Coca-Cola is moving to eliminate an ingredient used in many of its citrus-flavored products after consumers expressed concerns.The company said on Monday that it was replacing brominated vegetable oil, which contains bromine, an element found in flame retardants, in products that contain it.

Monsanto has set its sights on global vegetable dominance and its lead contender is Beneforté broccoli, which is described as "even more of a good thing." The agribusiness giant is hedging its enormous bets placed on a corn-and-soy-driven business as consumer demand for healthier and less processed foods assails CPGs in all food and beverage categories from soda to cereal.

Clear Lam's holiday container for Jon B. Sanfilippo and Son's Flavor Tree brand of Limited Edition Premium Dark Chocolate Pretzels marks the debut for its PrimaPak technology that offers flexibility, sustainability and recloseability. The packaging is meant to replace cans, bottles, jars and trays, and offers a weight savings of 70% when compared to plastic jars. It is suited to cookies, chips, cereal, coffee, nuts, sliced fruit and vegetables as well as other products, according to the company

Eight Latin American countries on Sunday announced an initiative to restore 20 million hectares of degraded forest and farmland, seeking to use this land to store carbon in natural vegetation and cut emissions that cause global warming.

Climate change is driving tropical fish northward, with species used to relatively sparse coral reefs suddenly finding an appetite for the more abundant vegetation of northern kelp and sea grass beds. That could lead to radical changes in northern aquatic ecosystems, researchers say. "The faunas are mixing, and nobody can see what the outcome will be," says marine scientist Ken Heck.

The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops partnered with The Sustainability Consortium to align the measurement and reporting of on-farm sustainability associated with specialty crops including fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Production of palm oil - the most widely used vegetable oil in the world - and a strong El Niño have converged into a perfect storm to amplify the effects of Indonesia's dry season. Indonesia produces half of the world's palm oil, which has led to illegal burning to clear land and plant African oil palm trees. Deforestation typically accounts for about 60 percent of Indonesia's total greenhouse gas emissions. 

To counter the impact of unsustainable palm oil production, such as deforestation and habitat degradation, the European Parliament has approved a resolution to develop a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market and phase out the use of vegetable oils that drive deforestation by 2020. It is Parliament's first resolution on the issue, but it is now up to the European Commission to act upon it.

This month, Sodexo unveiled a new 200-item plant-based and plant-forward menu, developed in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States. Some of the dishes are vegan, some are vegetarian, and the rest include meat but still give plants a starring role, like a blended burger that replaces 25% of the beef with mushrooms.