Mid-April temperatures hit record lows in Washington state
A mid-April freeze in the Yakima and Chelan growing regions of Washington state prompted many growers to utilize smudge pots for heat and crank up their propane or gas-powered wind machines to blow warm air across their in-bloom fruit trees.
However, while overnight temperatures reached a record low of 20 degrees in the Yakima area, only minimal damage has been assessed.
Sunkist teams with Culinary Institute Of America to host citrus c?l?bre
SHERMAN OAKS, CA Sunkist Growers Inc., in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA, hosted the fourth annual Sunkist Citrus C?l?bre, an event that brings together culinary innovators from North America to explore creative cooking with citrus.
The event, held Feb. 1-4, gave chefs, marketers, educators and distributors an opportunity to explore world citrus trends and get an in-depth look at citrus varieties.
INDUSTRY VIEWPOINT: Reinventing the supplier-customer relationship
To paraphrase a quote I read recently, "Why change? Survival is not a requirement." For many companies in the produce industry, that choice is not theoretical. Either they change the way they're doing business, or they won't likely survive. As United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association heads into our second century of service to the produce industry, our members are coming together to share a vision, construct their own individual plans, and then go out into the marketplace to not only survive but thrive.
Earthbound Farm honored at IFPA expo with Fresh-Cut Produce Award
PHOENIX - At an April 15 gala dinner feting one of the larger gatherings in the 18-year history of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association's annual conference and exhibition, Earthbound Farm and its founders, Drew and Myra Goodman, were named recipients of the 2005 Fresh-Cut Produce Award.
Presented by the IFPA and The Produce News, the Fresh-Cut Produce Award recognized Earthbound Farm for its revolutionary work in advancing organically grown fresh-cut products.
Dovex Marketing to end Blue Bird organic fruit sales
WENATCHEE, WA - Dovex Marketing Co. announced April 19 that it will stop selling the organic fruit of Blue Bird Inc. at the end of the 2004 crop season..
Dovex has been selling the organic fruit of Blue Bird since 1999. The combined volume of Dovex and Blue Bird increased from 200,000 cartons in 1999 to 800,000 cartons in 2004, of which 80 percent is from Dovex growers.
New York apple growers vote to continue marketing order
New York state apple growers have voted decisively to reauthorize the New York State Apple Marketing Order, with 71 percent of the ballots cast in favor of re-certifying the order for another eight years.
The referendum was carried out over the past month and certified April 19 by Nathan L. Rudgers, New York state commissioner of agriculture.
United announces 2005 board officers and nominees
The United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association has announced the produce industry leaders nominated to serve on its 2005 board of directors. Ascending to chairman of the board is Nicholas J. Tompkins, president and CEO of Apio Inc. in Guadalupe, CA.
Mr. Tompkins has been CEO of Apio since its founding in 1979. The company is a manufacturer and marketer of pre-cut value-added vegetables to the club store, retail and foodservice sectors, as well as an exporter of fruits and vegetables throughout the world.
Acreage decline portends good year for Texas melons
Texas cantaloupe and honeydew producers are expecting a good year this year after three or four seasons of low prices. Their optimism may be well founded considering that acreage has taken a substantial cut in the past two years.
Isador Albinder was 91
Isador (Izzy) Albinder, owner of Hudson River Fruit Distributors in Milton, NY, died April 5 at the age of 91.
Mr. Albinder, who had homes in Poughkeepsie, NY, and Hollywood, FL, was born in Russia in 1914 and came to the United States in 1930. He settled in Brooklyn, NY, where he went into business with a small retail fruit store in 1941, selling apples first from a pushcart, then from a horse-drawn wagon and ultimately from a truck.
Ready Pac has tickets to the movies
More than 1 million packages of Irwindale, CA-based Ready Pac Produce Inc.'s European-style salads will move through supermarket shelves this month as Ready Pac's Your Ticket to the Movies promotion entices consumers to eat their greens.
The free movie ticket promotion rewards purchases of any three Ready Pac European-style salads made from April through the end of July.