The New York Apple Association, based in Fishers, NY, announced that its annual crop prediction is 29.5 million bushels for the fall harvest.

"We're looking at an outstanding-quality crop this fall," Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, said in a July 30 statement announcing the forecast. "New York's crop this year will be one to savor and enjoy."

Outstanding summer growing conditions, as well as ideal pollination conditions this spring, have led to one of the better-looking crops ever in New York, according to growers.

Almost four years ago, the California-based Citrus Research Board embarked on a project to determine the feasibility of developing a robot that could roam a citrus orchard and pick fruit distinguishing both size and quality in the process.

Ted Batkin, president of the board, said that the project reached a major milestone in mid-June that has advanced the concept from theoretical to reality. Now it is seemingly only a matter of time before a robotic harvester is picking oranges in the California's San Joaquin Valley as well as apples in Washington's Wenatchee Valley.

Anthony Totta, principal of Grow My Profits, a produce consulting firm in Lee's Summit, MO, is now affiliated with RonProCon, the produce consulting firm headed by Ron Pelger.

Grow My Profits is designed to help growers maximize their returns by making sound investments, streamlining their operations and minimizing waste, according to Mr. Totta. The firm was set up to guide growers in the development of successful operational and marketing needs of the produce industry.

If any organization was going to throw down the gauntlet of artichoke web site dominance, it's only fitting for it to be the industry leader in artichokes. Ocean Mist Farms has launched a redesigned web site that offers interactive features, easy navigation tools and user-friendly information.

Janna Fitje got her start in produce quite by chance.

The 23-year-old, who graduated from Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT, in 2005 with a degree in English and philosophy, basically "stumbled upon" her current position as a sales assistant at Fresh From The Start LLC, a grower- shipper that is a division of ADS Management in Riverhead, NY.

"It's nothing that I ever thought I would be into," Ms. Fitje said about her first job in produce. "Honestly, at first I had no idea what to expect because I had never worked with anything like this before."

MONTEREY, CA -- The PMA Education Foundation plans to launch a produce industry job bank on the Internet in the fall. The web site (www.producejobsource.com) will include free resume searches and resume posting. The main goal of the project is to recruit students new to the fresh produce industry, said Cindy Seel, point person on the project for PMA Education Foundation.