HANFORD, CA -- Warmerdam Packing LLC, here, has developed an innovative way to heat its stone fruit ripening rooms and reduce the cost of operating the rooms in the process. It uses waste heat generated by the existing refrigeration systems used for cooling in the company's cold-storage facility.

"Our whole industry here in the Central [San Joaquin] Valley has been doing different forms of preconditioning or ripening of stone fruit," said Mr. Hovsepian.

Salinas, CA-based NewStar Fresh Foods has announced the launch of an iceless 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus pack set to hit the national market in late February.

Capitalizing on the increasing popularity of its one-pound sleeved asparagus, NewStar will introduce the new 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus to select club stores.

John Killeen, vice president of sales and marketing for NewStar, said that customers of the iceless 2.25-pound sleeved asparagus pack would include club stores or any box store looking for large quantities.

After a year of research and development, Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. is preparing to reap the fruits of its labor when it launches its new "Grower's Reserve" line in early March.

Midwestern organic consumers say that they buy organic produce because they think it tastes fresher and because they want to avoid pesticides.

"I buy [organics] because I think they are healthier - there's no pesticides. It seems that the organic product usually tastes better, too," said Susan Clear, a consumer in Cincinnati.

WASHINGTON -- Viewed as a valuable program by produce businesses, PACA bars unfair and fraudulent practices in fruit and vegetable trade and provides a means of enforcing contracts. Under PACA, buyers and sellers of commercial quantities of fruit and vegetables must be licensed by USDA, and those that violate these contracts may be required to pay damages.

Emily Donohue grew up in Salinas, CA, so agriculture and produce have always been strong influences on her life.

The 25-year-old marketing manager at European Vegetable Specialties Farms has worked for three years at the Salinas-based grower where her dad, Dennis Donohue, is president of the company.

"My whole family is from Salinas," she said of her background. "My mom's side of the family is in farming; my dad's side is in the business end." Ms. Donohue started with EVS in sales. "Now I'm sales and marketing," she said.