A decision by Colorado District 1 Water Court Judge Roger Klein to accept a water augmentation plan submitted by the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District has given agricultural producers in northeast Colorado some cause for hope. But the million-dollar question remains: Will the Oct. 19 decision give producers in the drought-stricken state the necessary water resources to bring in crops in 2008? Following a 30-day trial in Water Court in Greeley, CO, Judge Klein issued a 101-page document outlining his decision after four months of deliberation. The judge's decision revolved around

Many cities are thinking outside the box and building state-of-the-art wholesale produce markets. Matthew D'Arrigo, who has in the recent past held the office of president or co-president of the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association Inc. in the Bronx, NY, does not see a new produce market in New York in the foreseeable future. But he does believe it's time to think outside the box. "Highly speculative" discussions have taken place at Hunts Point board meetings about building a satellite market in northern New Jersey. Lending background to this thought, Mr. D'Arrigo said Nov. 27

The trial of David Charles Lenihan, a 54-year-old former controller for two Washington fruit warehouses, is scheduled to begin Dec. 31. Mr. Lenihan has been formally charged with one count of theft in Yakima County Superior Court. According to official records at the Yakima County Superior Court Clerk's Office, the city of Yakima Police Department arrested Mr. Lenihan Nov. 8 following a yearlong investigation. The affidavit alleges that Mr. Lenihan embezzled a total of $2,135,547.61 from Washington Fruit & Produce Co. in Yakima and Underwood Fruit & Warehouse Co. in White Salmon, WA

BThe Florida Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability issued Nov. 16 the Department of Citrus, Options for Legislative Consideration in its Sunset Memorandum. It was not a favorable report card. The legislature directed that office to examine the Florida Department of Citrus' operations and focus on its purpose, organization, responsibilities, resources and performance. And it addressed key challenges facing the department, including lower in-state citrus production due to hurricane damage, disease, development of agricultural land and increases in imported

Coast Produce Co. in Los Angeles has hired Emily (Marlephansakul) Fragoso to be its new marketing manager. She joins the Coast team after six years with the Fresh Produce & Floral Council, where she began as membership development director and event coordinator and rose through the ranks to become vice president and executive vice president. Ms. Fragoso's role at Coast will include duties from company branding to category management. She will be instrumental in developing various programs such as a locally grown campaign and re-launching Coast's ethnic brands. She will continue to reinforce

Recently, I informally surveyed several conventional supermarket organic produce sections and found only a few feet of space devoted to the category. The number of items in those sections was skimpy and the variety lacking. Why aren't conventional supermarkets fully committed to this category yet? In 1989, the Alar scare in apples ignited a demand for organically grown fruits and vegetables. Initially, there were few organic items available in very limited amounts. With the media coverage of the subject, consumers envisioned that every piece of produce they ate was smothered with toxic