Produce industry headlines: February 18, 2026

Good afternoon! It’s Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Here’s what’s happening in fresh produce.

Today read about Amazon’s proposed new Chicago-area store and Grocery Outlet’s Virgina debut, Bayer’s Round Up settlement, and apple and lettuce crop updates, and more.

As always, have something to share, send us your feedback at news@bluebookservices.com.

Top Stories

Report: Amazon plans second big store in Chicago area

The online retailer has proposed a mega-store in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, which includes a 225,000-square-foot Amazon store.

Inside the Store: Grocery Outlet makes its Virginia debut

The discount retailer’s first store in the state highlights low-price messaging and private label products.

British Columbian court orders payout to former B.C. Tree Fruits members

British Columbia’s Supreme Court rules that former members of B.C. Tree Fruits Co-operative must be included in the surplus fund distribution following the sale of the co-op’s assets.

Bayer AG announces $7.25B class settlement agreement to resolve Roundup claims

In a statement on the company’s website, Bayer says it hopes the program will resolve current and future claims alleging Non-Hodgkin lymphoma caused by its weedkiller Roundup.

Apple Market Holds Steady Across Major United States Growing Regions

USDA’s National FOB Review shows that supplies of Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples are low from Washington’s Yakima Valley and Wenatchee district.

U.S. romaine up 19% as head lettuce falls 8%

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data shows uneven performance in U.S. lettuce categories in 2025, reflecting changes in production efficiency, acreage, and pricing.

Why Soft Openings Steal the Shine from Grand Openings

The retail columnist says that while some argue that soft openings help stores address problems before the grand opening, there’s only one opportunity to showcase things at their best, especially in produce.