The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted July 22 to match the city of Salinas' investment in a rail-feasibility study that will be administered by the Salinas-based Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. The county and city will each contribute $15,000 to a study that will evaluate the feasibility and industry interest in using rail carriers for the transport of agricultural products. The study will determine whether returning some shipments to a rail delivery system is a more cost-effective method of providing much of the nation and surrounding countries with the Central

MONTEREY, CA -- Industry efforts to take steps to address the health and sustainability of the planet were explored in a seminar during the Produce Marketing Association's 27th annual Foodservice Conference & Exposition, held here July 25-27. The seminar featured a three-person panel that tried to make the issue more concrete with examples of industry efforts toward sustainability. The panel also addressed public perception through surveys and anecdotal examples. The panel consisted of Kathy Means, PMA's vice president of government relations; Keith Masser, chief executive officer of grower

MONTEREY, CA -- By design, the Produce Marketing Association's foodservice show draws considerably fewer exhibitors and visitors than its annual Fresh Summit conferences. A little less than 1,500 members attended the association's 27th annual Foodservice Conference & Exposition, held here July 25-27, according to PMA President Bryan Silbermann. That attendance figure is "a few percent lower" than last year's attendance for the conference, Mr. Silbermann said. He added that given the sagging economy, he had been "expecting 5 to 10 percent lower" attendance and was pleased with the turnout. The

Tropical Storm Edouard was gaining strength today (Aug. 4) as it headed toward Texas and an anticipated date with the coastline Tuesday, Aug. 5. "At this point, it appears as if it is going to hit landfall pretty far north," said John McClung of the Texas Produce Association. "They are anticipating that it will hit between Corpus Christi and Houston or maybe even north of that toward Louisiana." He said that there is very little if any commercial fresh fruit and vegetable production in that region, and little rain has been forecast for the agriculturally rich Rio Grande Valley. That is a good

MONTEREY, CA -- Hatched just three weeks before the start of the Produce Marketing Association's 27th annual Foodservice Conference & Exposition, held here July 25-27, the conference added a town hall meeting to discuss the recent Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak. PMA President Bryan Silbermann credited Tim York, president of Salinas, CA- based Markon Cooperative Inc., with coming up with the idea for the Saturday afternoon meeting. Mr. Silbermann served as moderator for the eight-member panel, which was comprised of Kathy Means, PMA's vice president of government relations; Scott Horsfall, chief

Hurricane Dolly swept through South Padre Island on the southeast coast of Texas in late July causing water damage to many hotels -- including the Sheraton, which was scheduled to host the Texas Produce Association convention in late August. "They've had some water damage and they are not going to be in service for at least a couple of months," said TPA President John McClung. "By that time, we will be in the midst of our citrus season, and a lot of people won't be able to come [down to the island]." Consequently, the leadership of the association visited the relatively new McAllen Convention