WASHINGTON -- The eagerly awaited government proposal that for the first time ever allows low-income mothers and children to buy fresh fruit and vegetables with WIC vouchers is seen not only as a public health revolution but also a boon to the produce industry. The rule, if it becomes final, could lead to big changes for fruit and vegetable suppliers. Industry experts estimate that the new U.S. Department of Agriculture proposal could translate into $500 million in new business. The top 20 fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, apples, tomatoes, carrots, oranges and broccoli, could see huge

Adding to its product categories and network of shipper collaborators, citrus from both California and Florida will be sold under the "Green Giant Fresh" brand beginning this fall. Sunny Cove Citrus in Orange Cove, CA, will be packing California Navels, Valencias, Mineolas and Mandarins under the label, while Vero Beach, FL-based DLF International will be marketing grapefruit, tangerines, oranges and other locally grown products. In addition, both partners will eventually expand the brand to product sourced internationally. Keith Wilson, vice president of sales for Sunny Cove, said that his

PARMA, ID -- All indicators in late July pointed to numbers similar to those of 2005-06 for the crop harvested out of Idaho-eastern Oregon's Treasure Valley, one of the United States' larger onion- growing regions. Industry experts agree, however, that totals will not be known until the entire crop is out of the ground. Due to late planting in some areas, harvest could run into mid- or late October. Much this year mirrors last season, and based on figures provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Statistical Reporting Service, planted acreage is estimated at 21,700 for summer storage

In recent years, a bevy of commodity marketers have sought to reach kids by branding products with popular television and movie characters. In keeping with that trend, pumpkin marketer Hinkle Produce in Cissna Park, IL, will offer growers and retailers the opportunity to market pumpkins using characters from the "Peanuts" comic strip and animated series. Dan Hinkle, president of Hinkle Produce, said that the idea for the promotion was generated when representatives of United Media, which owns the "Peanuts" brand and license, showed an interest in his Pumpkin Patch bins on display at the United

The Quebec Produce Marketing Association will welcome partners, members and guests to its 59th annual convention Aug. 17-19 at the Hilton Lac Leamy in Gatineau, QC. Working with the theme "QPMA: At the Heart of the Industry," association members, including President Daniel Decelle and convention Chairman Chris Kyriopoulos, have prepared an impressive program for attendees. The convention kicks off the evening of Aug. 17 with a president's reception followed the next day by a round of golf at the Hautes Plaines Golf Club; a tour of Canada's capital city, Ottawa, which is located just across the

Sophie Perreault loves her job. In fact, she loves serving as the executive director of the Quebec Produce Marketing Association so much that at times she said that she spend hours at it and has to remind herself to turn off her computer and do something else. That "something else" often means volunteering in the community for organizations such as the United Nations Chidrens' Fund and for the Defi Sportif, one of the world's larger sporting events for disabled athletes that takes place in Montreal every April. "I think that people in the produce industry work really hard and forget to take