Keith Matthews, director of grower development for L&M Cos.' Selah, WA, office, said that a marketing agreement executed with Broetje Orchards will bring a substantial volume of apples and cherries to the market this year.

Broetje Orchards, which markets under the "FirstFruits" label, is one of the world's larger privately owned orchards with a total of 5,000 acres of conventional production in Prescott, WA. The operation also recently transitioned an additional 550 acres of orchards in Wallula, WA, to certified organic production.

PHILADELPHIA -- Field workers can be among the beneficiaries of a new natural mosquito repellant patch now being marketed by AgraCo Technologies International LLC in Lafayette Hill, PA.

David Webster, AgraCo's chief executive officer, met with The Produce News April 18 to discuss this latest product to be marketed by his firm, whose products include ethylene filters and fly traps.

California Giant Berry Farms is launching a national consumer sweepstakes event partnering with two exciting and unique companies during the peak strawberry season.

Together with Nautilus and Litehouse Dressing, Cal Giant has developed an enticing way to increase consumer purchases while communicating their mutual goal of health and fitness. These three companies are collaborating on a national sweepstakes offer called Sweet-Balance.

MONTE VISTA, CO -- A decade in the San Luis Valley agriculture industry and a close working relationship with many of the area's potato grower-shippers puts Jim Ehrlich in a unique position as the new executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee.

Mr. Ehrlich succeeds Chris Voigt, who vacated the post last September for a similar position with the Washington State Potato Commission.

Its two booths -- No. 10943 on the show floor of the United Produce Show and the other situated in the Idaho section of the U.S. Food Export Showcase in the International Pavilion -- will serve as simultaneous unveiling sites for the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee's new logo and marketing campaign.

Sherise Jones, marketing director for the committee, said in mid-April that the eye-grabbing new logo and accompanying tagline, "Sweet with Heat," were designed for broad spectrum appeal.

CASTROVILLE, CA -- Decades and decades ago, when packing artichokes was the domain of local women from the Castroville area, Hugo Tottino, a partner in the California Artichoke & Vegetable Growers Corp., would start every day by going into the packing plant to personally greet each of his workers before heading into his office.