Mexico's agriculture secretary will resign to pursue gubernatorial post
Javier Usabiaga, who has served as secretary of agriculture for Mexico under President Vicente Fox since 2000, announced that he will resign his position in order to embark on a campaign for governor of the Mexican state of Guanajuato, the
Reforma in Mexico City reported May 8.
In the Reforma article, Mr. Usabiaga cited moral reasons for his decision to not hold the secretary of agriculture position while simultaneously embarking on his gubernatorial campaign.
Vidalia Onion Committee's Sweetie makes her debut
As the long-anticipated Vidalia onion season arrived, millions of the southern jewels are waiting in their beds, awaiting their trips across the country and the world. This year, one extremely special onion has already arrived in Vidalia and then onto the Great White Way.
Sweetie, the new mascot of the Vidalia Onion Committee, made her debut at the Vidalia Onion Festival's air show and craft show to the enjoyment of spectators.
Rain pushes Georgia crops back about 10 days
Georgia farmers got a hefty dose of rain during the first part of March. Terry Kelley, a representative from the University of Georgia Extension Services, said that the wet weather has affected summer crops throughout the state.
Michey Cohen was 87
Raymond (Mickey) Cohen, founder of Cohen Produce Marketing, headquartered in Aspers, PA, died April 20 after a long illness. He was 87.
Newman's Own Organics launches potato line
Aptos, CA-based Newman's Own Organics Fresh Produce is expanding its line to include potatoes.
The Newman's Own Organics potato line will include organic Russet potatoes in five-pound bags and loose in 50-pound cartons, as well as organic red potatoes in five-pound bags and loose in 50-pound cartons.
The five-pound potato bags will resemble all of the fresh produce packaging with the photo of an American Gothic "Pa" Newman and daughter Nell, along with the USDA's organic seal.
Apricot outlook 'normal' after expected big crop reduced by weather
"It looks as though, all things considered, we are likely to end up with a normal harvest in total," Tom Tjerandsen, manager of the California Fresh Apricot Council, said with regard to the 2005 California apricot crop.
Earlier in the season, it had appeared that the harvest would yield a "greater-than-normal volume of apricots this year. But the crop potential "has been slowly chipped away because of principally weather-related issues, he said May 6.
Mann Packing, Consolidated Farms team up on sweet potato products
SALINAS, CA - Mann Packing Co., based here, and Livingston, CA-based Consolidated Farms are teaming up to form California Fresh Farms LLC, a joint venture that will take fresh-cut sweet potatoes to the nation's restaurants and supermarkets.
Cal Poly grad growing into role with Steinbeck Country Produce
SALINAS, CA -- Much has happened to Rory Cornell in the year since he graduated from California Polytechnic Institute with a degree in agribusiness marketing -- most of it good. Upon graduation last June, Mr. Cornell landed a job at Coastal Berry Co. in Watsonville, CA, as a "cooler liaison." But Dole acquired Coastal and Mr. Cornell was laid off in November. Welcome to the unpredictable world of agriculture.
A&P stock rises on news of sale
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., the owner of A&P supermarkets, hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. to find a buyer for its Canadian grocery-store business, a sale that could raise more than $1 billion.
This announcement, combined with its latest financial results and a planned major restructuring, led to sharply higher stock prices the week of May 9-13.
A&P plans to sell A&P Canada, divest itself of its Midwest operations, and concentrate on its core operations in the broad corridor from Connecticut to Washington, DC.
Goodlatte to introduce bill to repeal COOL for produce
With legislation just introduced that would repeal mandatory country-of-origin labeling for meat, members of the produce industry wonder if their products can be far behind.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is planning to introduce a comprehensive bill in the coming weeks that would add produce and seafood to the list of commodities no longer controlled by the mandatory COOL law.