Acreage figures point to a Texas spring onion crop that is almost 15 percent larger than last year, and early reports indicate that quality and size will also be up.

"My guys just finished walking the fields and they told me the crop is looking quite good. We are very optimistic," Bob De Bruyn of De Bruyn Produce Co. said March 1. "It doesn't look like a particularly heavy crop, but the condition is really good."

Stemilt Growers Inc. in Wenatchee, WA, announced the addition of Christine Aguiar, former marketing and promotions manager for the California Pear Advisory Board, to Stemilt's team of merchandising managers.

Salinas, CA-based Tanimura & Antle Inc. has partnered with Allrecipes.com, a popular cooking and recipe web site, to continue building brand recognition and to promote product trial and usage among T&A's audience of home cooks.

Nielsen/NetRatings ranked Allrecipes.com as the leading recipe and everyday cooking web site. More than 9.1 million unique visitors went to the site, which is among the Internet's longest-running food sites, for recipes, menus and cooking advice in December.

The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee in Monte Vista, CO, announced March 8 that it has filled its top position after an extensive search.

Jim Ehrlich, 49, a local regional manager for Coors Beer for the past 10 years, was selected from several applicants. The job has been vacant since former Director Chris Voigt left last year to head the Washington State Potato Commission.

If raw figures weren't enough, a clear signal that organic produce is on the rise is a revelation by the nation's largest retailer that it will be doubling the offerings in its "organic cluster" stores.

Ron McCormick, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for produce and floral for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville, AR, told The Produce News that in the week following Easter (April 16), the retailer will be significantly increasing the SKUs in its organic produce sections.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Participants of two recent field tours had an opportunity to visit two of Florida's premier grower-shippers, where they saw produce growing in the fields and under glass, watched packinglines in action and heard about the latest advances in celery research.

The all-day field tours held March 3 were part of the Southeast Produce Council's annual conference and expo, held here March 2-4.