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Jill Dutton

Jill Dutton, associate editor of The Packer, specializes in retail produce news, market trends and urban farming initiatives. With expertise in the rapidly evolving e-grocery landscape, she provides analysis on how digital platforms are reshaping food distribution. Jill is a prominent voice on sustainability and consumer trends, offering actionable insights that help businesses navigate shifting market demands. Her work explores the full produce journey — from farm to retail — featuring grower profiles, supply chain insights and emerging production models that shape American food systems.

Latest Stories
As fertilizer prices climb and supplies tighten during geopolitical turmoil, Hylio’s Arthur Erickson says precision drone technology is helping farmers cut input costs while protecting yields.
An Iowa State University team has developed an AI companion that uses a database of over 31 million images and conversational technology to provide farmers with real-time identification and expert management advice for insects and weeds.
With the boxing legend declaring “processed food kills” and federal leaders pledging to redirect billions in nutrition dollars, the rollout delivered a forceful message in favor of fresh produce and whole proteins.
A UC Riverside team is developing a small-scale black soldier fly system that converts food scraps into livestock feed and frass that could boost soil health and prime specialty crops, making the technology especially promising for urban and small-scale growers.
At 60, “Farmer Steve” transformed an overgrown Connecticut property into a joyful garden, orchard and sunflower room that became a viral TikTok inspiration, proving it’s never too late to start growing.
After a volatile 2025 pushed growers toward precision agriculture out of necessity, row crop farmers are entering the year ahead with more flexible, data-driven field strategies that favor targeted applications over traditional blanket approaches.
This week’s Fresh Produce Fridays features Kendall Rae Johnson, a young Georgia farmer who shares how her passion for growing food earned her a full-ride scholarship to South Carolina State University.
Icafolin-methyl represents the first new weed-killing chemistry in more than 30 years.
Four social media influencers who live and work on farms share how the viral #FarmGirlSummer trend is offering an authentic look at rural life — while building connections, educating viewers and challenging stereotypes along the way.
Recognized as a 2025 Top Agri-Food Pioneer by the World Food Prize Foundation, Linda Kinkel, founder of Jord BioScience, with decades of research into microbiomes and disease-suppressive soils, shapes the future of sustainable produce production through targeted microbial innovation.