SUN VALLEY, ID  When the Idaho potato market finally recovers, the industry will be poised to move a high volume of product thanks to the marketing plans put in place by the Idaho Potato Commission. But until then, it will be a waiting game as a combination of overproduction and a down economy is hampering the market for Idaho potatoes. At the 81st annual Idaho Grower Shipper Association convention, held Sept. 2-4, here, Jerry Wright, chief executive officer of United Potato Growers of Idaho, gave his annual assessment of where the market is from an acreage and production standpoint. Mr

Countries with a growing middle class give producers of Washington apples increased opportunities to market product abroad. Todd Fryhover, president of the Washington Apple Commission, provided The Produce News with the following observation. "As economies improve and the middle class grows, [apple] size and pricing improves to be similar to the United States." Historically, foreign markets have favored smaller-sized apples, Mr. Fryhover said. But he sees potential for the dynamic to change in the coming years. Washington is anticipating an apple crop of 107 million boxes for the 2009- 10

WASHINGTON -- After a 25-minute interview, when then President-elect Barack Obama decided that Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack was his top choice as secretary of agriculture, the newly elected president made it clear that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would be expanding its mission to promote fruits and vegetables. "I want you to make sure America's children consume more fruits and vegetables," Secretary Vilsack recalled Mr. Obama telling him at the end of his Chicago interview. The USDA is now moving ahead with that pledge, Mr. Vilsack said in his keynote speech Sept. 10 at United Fresh Produce

WASHINGTON -- After a 25-minute interview, when then President-elect Barack Obama decided that Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack was his top choice as secretary of agriculture, the newly elected president made it clear that the U.S. Department of Agriculture would be expanding its mission to promote fruits and vegetables. "I want you to make sure America's children consume more fruits and vegetables," Secretary Vilsack recalled Mr. Obama telling him at the end of his Chicago interview. The USDA is now moving ahead with that pledge, Mr. Vilsack said in his keynote speech Sept. 10 at United Fresh Produce

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), a longtime champion of the school snack program, is stepping down as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee to lead a Senate health committee that is expected to take up food-safety legislation this fall. On Sept. 9, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) started the reshuffling of top Senate posts when he announced that he would not seek chairmanship of the Senate health committee following the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA). The Iowa senator announced that he would take that seat, leaving Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) to become head of the powerful agriculture

NAPLES, FL -- Despite the lack of a single tomato-related food-safety incident in the past year, that topic was at the forefront during the first two days of meetings at the 34th annual Florida Joint Tomato Conference held Sept. 8-14 at the Ritz-Carlton, here. The conference was hosted by the Florida Tomato Committee and the Florida Tomato Exchange. Reggie Brown, manager of the Maitland-based Florida Tomato Committee and executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, opened the Sept. 9 session by addressing growers and shippers, who saw revenues drop by half in the 2008-09 season