MONTE VISTA, CO -- By an overwhelming majority of 79 percent to 21 percent, potato grower-shippers in Colorado's San Luis Valley have voted to retain their federal and state marketing orders' mandatory inspections.

MONTE VISTA, CO -- With a 10 percent reduction in acreage in 2005, potato growers and shippers in Colorado's San Luis Valley were seeing predictable shortages in January as well as the hoped-for result of such a reduction: higher returns on their product.

Planted acres were stated at 58,000, down from 63,000 in 2004, and Linda Weyers, assistant executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, said that figures in January indicated shipments that month were ahead of the same time period the previous year.

Joe Marino realizes it is a special honor to be named New Jersey's Outstanding Young Farmer.

Being given that honor at the same time as his father, Russell, is receiving a Distinguished Service to New Jersey Agriculture Award, and just months after his mother, Judi, was honored by the Gloucester County Board of Agriculture for her contributions to the industry, makes it even more special for this farmer.

"If anybody's been dedicated to farming and his community, it's my dad," Joe said of his father. "So it is special to receive the awards at the same time."

LANSDALE, PA -- Chilean exporters were moving sourcing from the early, northern Copiapo Valley to Chile's central valley as February arrived, and importers have said that the Chilean grape business was making the transition between the two areas, with late Copiapo grapes showing some discoloration.

WASHINGTON -- Thailand is set to become the first country allowed to send irradiated fruits to the United States, according to a Jan. 31 agreement signed in Bangkok between Thai and U.S. officials.

Under a joint Framework Equivalency Work Plan, Thailand would be allowed to initially ship six irradiated fruits: mango, mangosteen, pineapple, rambutan, litchi and longan. Thailand is hoping the agreement paves the way for Thai producers to send other pest-free fruits, such as coconuts, to the U.S. market.

Nick Chappell didn't just stumble into fresh produce -- he made a beeline for it.

Now a fruit salesman with Watsonville, CA-based California Giant, Mr. Chappell, 23, is the nephew of Cal Giant partner Bill Moncovich. But while that connection might help explain his employment, it does not explain his passion.

"As a kid, I said I wanted to follow in Bill's [Moncovich] footsteps," Mr. Chappell said. "I have a passion for it -- every day is a little different."