"Every indication is that the Maine crop will be good this year," said Tim Hobbs, director of development and grower relations for the Maine Potato Board, headquartered in Presque Isle, ME. "Growers here always hold their breath that tropical storms and hurricanes won't come up the East Coast and aim in our direction, but we were fortunate this year to get through the season unscathed. We've had good growing conditions across the board, and the majority of the crop was harvested by November 1." Maine currently has more than 400 potato growers who farmed on 59,000 acres this year, an increase

In a unanimous decision Oct. 30, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin was well within his rights to allow third-party flavor certification of Vidalia onions. The suit, brought by Bland Farms and other Vidalia onion growers, sought to have the high court order the Georgia commissioner of agriculture to halt the use of "Certified Sweet" and "Certified Extra Sweet" trademarks in association with Vidalia onions. "I am hopeful the Georgia Supreme Court decision will finally stop the efforts of these growers who have been using the legal system to

The successful marketer, whether retailer or produce supplier, better start planning to reach consumers in new ways because traditional marketing avenues are losing their effectiveness. Today's consumers are much different than consumers of years past, and hence they respond to different marketing techniques and they are congregating at different locations. While this general statement is true for all generations, it is especially true for younger consumers: in their teens, 20s or 30s. A seminar at the recent Produce Marketing Association convention in San Diego explored some of the new

Holland-based Royal Ahold NV has announced plans to sel its Columbia, MD- based U.S. Foodservice division, which it has successfully turned around from a revenue-losing entity in 2003 to a salient company, indicating that the move is part of a restructuring effort aimed at boosting shareholder value. The announcement came in conjunction with Ahold's latest Retail Review report. Also garnering attention for Ahold is the Nov. 8 conviction of Mark Kaiser, the former marketing chief of Royal Ahold NV's U.S. unit, in New York federal court for conspiracy and securities fraud. Mr. Kaiser

Emboldened by a successful first season of full-scale organic greenhouse production, Origin Organic Farms Inc. has not only unveiled a new brand, it has also acquired a new operation that will help solidify the label and product line with year-round supply. This January, the "OriginO" brand will make its debut, appearing on sweet bell peppers and on-the-vine tomatoes produced under glass in Carpenteria, CA. Origin Organic Farms, formerly known as South Alder Greenhouses Ltd. in Delta, BC, recently purchased the 10-acre facility. Between existing production in Canada and new production in the

Farmers in Washington's Skagit Valley are waiting for fields to dry in the aftermath of torrential rainstorms that had the potential to cause serious flooding. The "Pineapple Express," a weather system phenomenon that originates in the Indian Ocean and passes over Hawaii, hits Washington's coastal mountains, keeping the western part of the state wet. On Nov. 4, emergency personnel were bracing for possible flooding of the Skagit River. It was initially feared that the precipitation would result in the biggest flood in the valley in over three years as the Skagit River continued to swell