SALINAS, CA -- Though the effects of an expected national boycott and walkout of workers planned for May 1 are as yet unknown, efforts are being made here in agriculture to lessen the economic blow. At the heart of upcoming May 1 demonstrations nationwide are a multitude of issues surrounding U.S. immigration policy. Jim Bogart, president of Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, said the agriculture industry "is sympathetic and supportive" of issues that have led to the May 1 boycott and walkouts, and the industry has worked and continues to work on comprehensive immigration reform

One of the larger U.S. celery producer has taken fresh-cut celery to new levels of sophistication. "Anyone can buy celery and cut it with a knife, put it in a bag and put it on a shelf," said Bill Munger, manager of foodservice and fresh-cut sales for Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc., based in Oviedo, FL. Duda's state-of-the-art processing plant in Oxnard, CA, where Mr. Munger is based, is one of the larger celery processors in the country. "The consumer is looking for a variety of choices," Mr. Munger said. In celery, this involves "a certain flavor profile that is milder and a little sweeter than

Consumers say that taste does matter. In a variety of surveys, consumers overwhelmingly select taste as a top priority when selecting produce, and seed producers have responded with a new variety of cabbage that was recently tested and released. The variety is a pointed-head, sweet cabbage that addresses the consumer preference issue of improved taste. In March, the first cases of Highpoint cabbage were harvested and shipped to a select number of wholesale and retail markets throughout the Midwest and Northeast. As its name implies, Highpoint is pointed in shape rather than round. Additionally

GUATEMALA CITY -- One of Guatemala's larger melon grower- exporters, Agricola La Labor S.A., is increasingly focusing on the U.S. market vs. the European market and has created a strong logistical position in serving the United States. Ricardo Alfaro, whose family owns the melon company, said that he is chartering Green Reefers ships for deliveries to port Manatee, FL, and San Diego, CA. The firm, which is more casually known as Alfaro Melons, consolidates customer loads and affirms quality for customers in cold storages located at the two ports. The Produce News interviewed Mr. Alfaro at

A Californian with purchasing power has likely heard of and participated in the California Grown campaign to buy California-made and California-originated products. Nowhere are the efforts more evident than in the Coachella Valley, where the marketing thrust started as a grass-roots effort undertaken by growers. Kathleen Nave, president of the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission, who serves on the executive committee of the California Grown campaign as well as its board of directors, said that there is a consumer base that wants to buy California product, and that has made a big

Mary Wallace Teague's trips to the grocery store have changed a little since she joined the International Fresh- cut Produce Association in Alexandria, VA, as its manager of membership services in October. "I spend way more time in the produce section," she said. Already a big fruit and vegetable eater, Ms. Teague now takes a more specific interest in what IFPA's members are selling and how they are packaging their products as well as keeping an eye out for potential new members for the organization. Ms. Teague, who is just turning 23, is a 2005 graduate of Wake Forest University in Winston