The United Fresh Produce Association will honor the winners of its 2007 Retail Produce Manager Award at the upcoming United Fresh Marketplace show at FMI, to be held May 5-8 in Chicago. The winners will be recognized for their outstanding efforts to increase produce consumption through everyday excellence in merchandising, special displays and promotions, community service and commitment to total customer satisfaction. All winners and their corporate produce directors receive complimentary registration, travel and hotel accommodations to the upcoming convention and will be recognized during

Alan Schreiber, executive director of the Washington Asparagus Commission in Eltopia, WA, expects supplies of fresh asparagus will be tight in 2007. "Supplies will be tighter than last year," Dr. Schreiber told The Produce News. "There are a number of handlers who won't have the product they want. Prices, however, are going to be relatively good." Statewide, Dr. Schreiber said that 9,500 acres of asparagus are in production in Washington - a decrease of approximately 1,000 acres from 2006. "Some people plowed out their asparagus," he explained. "It will be a bit of a scramble to line up

After nearly six years of hard work, the Canadian produce industry has finally begun implementing changes to its Destination Inspection Service. "Over the last several years, the industry here in Canada has been working very closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to find ways and means of improving the service of destination inspection," said Wayne Morris, a consultant working for the Fresh Produce Alliance on its destination inspection service initiative, one of eight initiatives that the alliance -- a collaborative undertaking of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the

The Maine Potato Board, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and the Bushwick Commission have embarked on a campaign to bring the freshest tablestock potatoes to Maine consumers. Maine Commissioner of Agriculture Seth Bradstreet III was on hand March 15 to kick off the campaign at the Waterville Wal-Mart Supercenter. Wal-Mart Supercenters across Maine featured 10-pound bags with the "Get Real Get Maine!" logo. The Maine Department of Agriculture and other agricultural organizations are urging consumers to increase their purchase of locally grown foods. Purchasing foods grown locally makes great economic sense

If there is such a thing as normal any more in the California stone fruit industry, this may be the year the industry sees it, according to Gary Van Sickle, research director for the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, CA. Last year was marked by weather extremes, ranging from unseasonably warm winter weather to prolonged wet, cool spring weather, followed by extreme heat from mid to late summer. The effect was a delay in the timing of the crops and a reduction in volume, particularly in later varieties. So far this year, the weather in California's central San Joaquin Valley has been

United Potato Growers of Idaho, a grower-owned cooperative formed in 2005 with a goal of bringing about a balance between supply and demand in the tomato market, has announced the formation of a joint venture with Idaho Fresh-Pak Corp. and the R.D. Offutt Co. that will create the nation's second-largest dehydrator. Lewisville, ID-based Idaho Fresh-Pak, also known as Idahoan Foods, produces dehydrated and frozen potato products for retail and foodservice. R.D. Offut Co. is "the largest potato grower in the country with dehydrated potato plants in Idaho, Nevada and North Dakota," according to a