When it comes to organic Asian pears, Jeff and Kristine Boullioun, owners of Busy Bee Orchards in Oroville, WA, could be considered a pair of experts. Their expertise -- and top-notch product -- will be a greater part of Stemilt Growers' fruit inventory this season as the Boulliouns transfer exclusive marketing rights to Stemilt for all their organic Asian pears. Stemilt has been responsible for marketing about one-fourth of the Boulliouns' Asian pears in both 2004 and 2005. The Boulliouns have been in the business of growing tree fruits since 1981. They initially planted Red Delicious and

WASHINGTON -- Members of the produce industry are meeting with state and federal regulators Sept. 19 in California to discuss where to go from here in the wake of the massive outbreak that has shut down the spinach market nationwide. Though the produce industry continues to recognize the urgency of protecting public health, the United Fresh Produce Association says it's eager to find a way to reopen the market, perhaps on an interim basis. In a Sept. 19 press conference, United's Amy Philpott said that its immediate response to the crisis was a public health one, but now regulators and the

Rainier Fruit Co. in Selah, WA, and Wenatchee-based Columbia Marketing International, both major players in the Northwest fruit industry, recently teamed up for distribution of Grapple apples. Exclusive rights to process, package, market and sell the apple product were granted to Rainier and CMI in August by Grapple Fruits LLC, which owns the patent on Grapple apples. According to Suzanne Wolter, marketing director for Rainier, product will start shipping in early October, and retail distribution will be across the United States. "Right now we're focusing on the United States," Ms. Wolter said

WASHINGTON -- Facing an urgency in the field and in Congress, the United Fresh Produce Association singled out immigration reform as its most important issue, attracting top congressional and Bush administration officials to respond to the crisis at the Washington Public Policy Conference, held here Sept. 13. While it is unclear whether the agriculture industry will see Congress create a stable workforce this year, the group traveled to Washington to tell its story about the cost of not fixing the foreign worker system. "We're the canary in the coal mine," United Fresh Produce Association

NAPLES, FL -- The Florida Tomato Exchange and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange held their annual membership meetings as part of the Joint Tomato Conference held here Sept. 5-10 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Representatives from both organizations discussed several issues currently affecting the Florida tomato industry. Both groups also appointed their respective boards of directors. The first meeting of the morning was held by the Florida Tomato Exchange, and those in attendance were briefed by its legal counsel, John Himmelberg of O'Connor & Hannan LLP in Washington, DC, on the numerous

WASHINGTON -- The Food & Drug Administration expanded its consumer warning to all fresh-bagged spinach and announced that California-based Natural Selection Foods LLC was recalling an array of salad products in response to the outbreak. "Based on current information, FDA advises that people not eat fresh spinach or fresh spinach containing-products that are consumed raw," according to FDA's Sept. 15 advisory. The agency said it would continue daily press briefings on the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak if necessary. The epidemiological evidence collected by health officials from people who consumed