A Monterey County Superior Court judge has denied a motion filed by Natural Selection Foods that contends that a statute of limitations exists in the case of a Carmel Valley, CA, woman who claims to have been wronged by the company over her rare, heirloom apple tree.

Priscilla Higuera's lawsuit against Natural Selection Foods and its manager, Mark Marino, allege conversion of personal property for profit and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

After nearly two decades brokering Northwest produce through her own company, Pat McDonald has, if only temporarily, hung up that hat.

Ms. McDonald launched Pacific Marketing International in the Yakima, WA, area 18 years ago and handled a wide variety of items, with a focus on Washington asparagus.

WOODBURY, CT -- It sometime seems in today's world that many 20- somethings (and even some 30-somethings) are still finding themselves, still wondering what they want to do when they grow up. Perhaps every generation says this about the one coming up.

Then there's Steve Veneziano Jr.

WASHINGTON -- A new policy by the Food & Drug Administration may force fresh-cut processors to conduct costly lot testing for Listeria.

The FDA announced in February a new policy that would loosen the zero- tolerance policy for Listeria in some ready-to-eat foods. While food processors hailed the new risk-based policy as a step toward harmonizing with other trading partners, the United Fresh Produce Association said that fresh-cut processors might be hurt by the new draft compliance policy guide.

Keystone Fruit Marketing, based in Greencastle, PA, has teamed with J. Cowart Farms in Lyons, GA, to market Cowart's "Vidalia Sugar Sweets" sweet onions from the famed Vidalia, GA, onion-growing district.

PHILADELPHIA -- After seven years of ups and downs with regard to the prospect of building a new wholesale produce market here, it appears that a viable site has been procured and that groundbreaking will occur as early as this summer.