Western Growers Association, which recently opened an office in Washington DC, descended upon the nation's capital in large numbers the last week of June as it held a board meeting there for the first time.

NEW YORK -- An impressive group of executive chefs, food consultants, editors and executives came together June 21 in New York City to judge the Florida Tomato Committee's annual "Best of the Best" recipe contest. The event is open to student culinary chefs in both the United States and Canada, and winners are chosen from both countries.

During a ribbon cutting in Soledad, CA, Salinas Valley produce company Tanimura & Antle formally announced that it has taken action to reduce its carbon footprint by fueling its tractors with biodiesel. The Salinas Valley- based grower and shipper accepted its first delivery of 8,000 gallons of B20 (20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel) fuel in May of this year, and it anticipates offsetting 125,000 gallons of traditional diesel fuel with biodiesel by the end of 2007.

Oxnard, CA-based Gills Onions LLC has voluntarily recalled some of its diced yellow onions after the Washington state Department of Agriculture, during routine testing, detected Listeria monocytogenes in one retail bag of diced yellow onions.

The Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, has announced that Dave Puglia was promoted to senior vice president of government affairs and communications, and other promotions at the organization have also been announced.

In addition to his ongoing government affairs role, Mr. Puglia will assume responsibility for all Western Growers communications strategies and tactical activities.

DELTA, CO -- Spring frost and sluggish pollination action by bees are being cited as factors contributing to the short cherry crop for Colorado's Western Slope, but at the same time, shippers are calling this probably the best quality they've ever had on cherries.