SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 27, 2024--
NatureSweet® is proud to announce the donation of 3.5 million pounds of fresh produce to food banks throughout North America in 2024, providing vital support to those in need. The donated tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers were distributed to food banks in both the United States and Mexico, providing more than 2.9 million meals.
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“Amid a year marked by record inflation and soaring food prices, we are committed more than ever to offering nourishment to families facing financial hardship,” says Rodolfo Spielmann, President and CEO of NatureSweet. “Our donations of fresh produce will not only feed but also uplift those who are struggling, providing much-needed relief during these difficult times. We are incredibly proud to support food banks both locally and across the continent. We will continue our efforts to provide fresh, nutritious NatureSweet produce to those in need, now and in the years ahead.”
In 2024, approximately two million pounds of produce were donated to the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB), which has been instrumental in providing food to families in San Antonio, where NatureSweet is headquartered. According to the SAFB, this donation has helped provide 1.9 million meals to local families. NatureSweet was honored by the SAFB in 2022 with the “Hunger Fighter of the Year” award for its ongoing contributions to the Gift of Food initiative. More than one million pounds were donated to Bancos de Alimentos de México (BAMX), a network of food banks in Mexico that helps vulnerable communities.
As part of its continued mission to fight hunger, NatureSweet remains dedicated to strengthening its partnerships with food banks and enhancing its support for communities in need across North America.
About NatureSweet® (NS Brands, Ltd.)
NatureSweet®, the leading brand in snacking tomatoes, is your single-source solution for greenhouse-grown vegetables. As the largest vertically integrated controlled environment agriculture company in North America and greenhouse grower, NatureSweet owns over 1,400 acres of greenhouse space. With a dedicated team of approximately 9,000 Associates, we carefully grow, harvest, and package a variety of fresh vegetables, both organic and conventional, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet peppers. Available in major retailers across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, our produce is handpicked at peak freshness to ensure superior quality. Committed to making a positive social, environmental, and economic impact, NatureSweet’s purpose is to transform the lives of millions of agricultural workers through a scalable and profitable business model. Our dedication to sustainability and social responsibility is reflected in our B Corp, Fair Trade and Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) certifications.
Large Donation of NatureSweet Cherubs to Food Banks in Mexico (Photo: Business Wire)
Donations of NatureSweet Cherubs to Food Banks in Mexico (Photo: Business Wire)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court has overturned the rape conviction of former San Francisco 49er Dana Stubblefield after determining prosecutors made racially discriminatory statements during the Black man's trial.
The retired football player was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in October 2020 after being convicted of raping a developmentally disabled woman in 2015 who prosecutors said he lured to his home with the promise of a babysitting job.
The Sixth Court of Appeals found Wednesday that prosecutors violated the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, a law passed during a summer of protest over the police killing of George Floyd. The measure bars prosecutors from seeking a criminal conviction or imposing a sentence on the basis of race.
Prior to the law, defendants who wanted to challenge their convictions on the basis of racial bias had to prove there was “purposeful discrimination,” a difficult legal standard to meet.
The appeals court said prosecutors used “racially discriminatory language” that required them to overturn Stubblefield's conviction.
The case was “infected with tremendous error from the minute we started the trial,” said Stubblefield's lead attorney, Kenneth Rosenfeld.
In April 2015, Stubblefield contacted the then-31-year-old woman on a babysitting website and arranged an interview, prosecutors said.
According to a report by the Morgan Hill Police Department, the interview lasted about 20 minutes. She later received a text from Stubblefield saying he wanted to pay her for her time that day, and she went back to the house.
The woman reported to the police that Stubblefield raped her at gunpoint, then gave her $80 and let her go. DNA evidence matched that of Stubblefield, the report said.
During the trial, prosecutors said police never searched Stubblefield's house and never introduced a gun into evidence, saying it was because he was famous Black man and it would “open up a storm of controversy," according to the appellate decision.
By saying Stubblefield’s race was a factor in law enforcement’s decision not to search his house, prosecutors implied the house would've been searched and a gun found had Stubblefield not been Black, the appeals court said. The reference to controversy also links Stubblefield to the events after the recent killing of Floyd based on his race.
Defense attorneys said there was no rape, and Stubblefield said the woman consented to sex in exchange for money.
“The trial had a biased judge who didn't allow the evidence from the defense, the fact that she was a sex worker, to be heard in front of a jury,” Rosenfeld said. He called the incident a “transactional occasion” between Stubblefield and the woman.
He remains in custody until a hearing next week, during which his attorneys will ask a judge to approve a motion to release him. Prosecutors have several options, including asking the court to stay their decision so they can appeal to the state's Supreme Court, or refile charges.
The San Francisco District Attorney's office did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
Stubblefield began his 11-year lineman career in the NFL with the 49ers in 1993 as the league’s defensive rookie of the year. He later won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1997 before leaving the team to play for Washington. He returned to the Bay Area to finish his career, playing with the 49ers in 2000-01 and the Raiders in 2003.
FILE - Former NFL football player Dana Stubblefield leaves a federal courthouse in San Francisco, Jan. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
