Normally, cherry farmers want to keep the words "frozen" and "cherries" from ever being used in the same sentence. Unless, that is, these two words are being used to encourage consumers to buy and use more cherries. "As the California cherry season reaches its peak production period, the California Cherry Marketing Board is launching a program to promote increased cherry purchases and consumption on major radio food and talk shows," Chris Zanobini, who oversees marketing programs for the California Cherry Marketing Board, said in a press release. "Our message this year for consumers is to buy

Taking in-transit temperature recording to another level, a Wisconsin company is offering real-time, 24-hour-a-day temperature monitoring for perishables or any other cargo. Michael Timm, founder and chief executive officer of Trip Trak in Cottage Grove, WI, told The Produce News that the device had been tested and was in production to be available for the industry by the end of May. The company is also offering temperature recording in combination with a global positioning system, but that is much more expensive, and for produce industry applications, Mr. Timm said that GPS "is nice but not a

Seald Sweet International had a chance to hire a very good man. And it did. Mayda Sotomayor, chief executive officer of the Vero Beach, FL-based firm, said that the reputation, character and experience of Steve Tursi were key reasons for hiring the executive away from Bentonville, AR-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where he was produce merchandising manager of vegetables and value-added products. On July 1, Mr. Tursi will become Seald Sweet's vice president of new business development. The Philadelphia native is moving with his family to work from a new state-of-the-art warehouse facility in

With the cherry season just around the corner - and apples and pears not too far behind - Wenatchee, WA-based Columbia Marketing International has introduced the CMI Pocket Pro, a quick-reference tool especially designed for produce managers. Three different versions of the Pocket Pro are being introduced, Vice President of Marketing Bob Mast told The Produce News. The Pocket Pro, small enough to be worn in a top shirt pocket or rear pants pocket, contains a host of information that helps produce managers be responsive to customer questions. "We are full believers in education," Mr. Mast said

WASHINGTON -- Tomatoes have been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning in New Mexico and Texas, and health officials are feverishly working with the produce industry to narrow the source to a specific farm or region as the summer barbecue season heats up. Produce businesses also are hoping that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration can identify the source -- whether a particular field or handler -- before the tomato market takes a big hit. As of June 3, New Mexico and Texas had confirmed 57 cases of Salmonella poisoning, 17 of which resulted in hospitalizations, but no deaths

National Onion Labs Inc., based in Collins, GA, announced that Yerington, NV-based Peri & Sons Farms has contracted to participate in the NOL Flavor Certification Program. This is the first year that Peri & Sons Farms will be joining the NOL client list. David Peri of Peri & Sons Farms said in a press release that he has long felt the need for testing onion crops as a guide for growing the best onion possible. "In recent years, the sweet onion category has grown significantly, and as a result many companies are marketing Spanish yellow cooking onions as sweet onions, ruining the