WASHINGTON -- Retail food prices decreased overall for the fourth consecutive quarter, but the prices of bagged salads increased the most since last year, according to a new survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Of the 16 food items tracked in the federation's Marketbasket Survey, nine decreased and seven increased in average price compared to the prior quarter, the group announced Oct. 5. Shredded cheddar cheese, ground chuck, whole milk, vegetable oil and russet potatoes declined the most in price from quarter to quarter. Russet potatoes dropped 11 cents, to $2.65 for a five-pound

VANCOUVER, BC -- For the first time ever, imported fresh blueberries will come to market in the "Ocean Spray" label this fall. Ocean Spray in Lakeville, MA, and its marketing partner, The Oppenheimer Group, will offer fresh blueberries from Argentina beginning in mid-October, followed by fruit from Chile in mid-December. The berries will be available through early March. This program follows a successful New Jersey and British Columbia fresh blueberry trial program the two companies executed last summer, and builds logically on their shared annual cranberry marketing initiative, according to

Railex LLC has added a second train from Washington state, bringing to four its total refrigerated, temperature-controlled unit trains that depart the West Coast and terminate on the East Coast at its facility in Rotterdam, NY, each week. The firm, a division of Riverhead, NY-based ADS Management, has restarted its second weekly unit train from its Wallula, WA, freight-forward distribution terminal and has two additional trains that depart from its terminal in Delano, CA, which recently celebrated its first anniversary in operation. Railex offers guaranteed five-day service from its Delano and

ANAHEIM, CA -- A panel of experts discussed the industry-wide Produce Traceability Initiative and made one thing crystal clear: Having a traceability plan is not an option, it is a requirement. "There are a lot of challenges" to implementing a traceability program, said Mike O'Brien, Schnuck Markets' vice president of produce and floral, who was on the panel at an Oct. 2 workshop held during the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition, here. "But first you have to get your head straight. This is something that is going to happen. It is not an 'if'."

ANAHEIM, CA -- The mood of members of the garlic trade was upbeat during the annual garlic industry breakfast, held Oct. 3 at the Hilton Anaheim, here, and sponsored by Christopher Ranch and Empacadora GAB. Jeff Stokes of Christopher Ranch said that the firm was seeing increased volume from retailers but not from foodservice providers. However, he said that when the economy improves, that would change and foodservice sales would increase. Paul Auerbach of Maurice A. Auerbach Inc. said that he was seeing "good demand for both Chinese and U.S. product. The biggest change we've seen is the change

ANAHEIM, CA -- Becoming a more environmentally friendly firm basically involves a more efficient use of resources, which in turn results in significant cost savings. That was the view of a group of panelists who discussed "Finding the ROI of Sustainability" during a workshop session Oct. 4 at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition, held here Oct. 2-5. Kathy Means, vice president of government affairs and public relations for the association, moderated the session and also gave some real-world examples of cost savings as she set up the discussion