The Mushroom Council is thrilled about the attention that mushrooms received at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, July 26-28.

“For the second year in a row, the Mushroom Council took the top prize in the Produce Marketing Association’s competitive Chef Demonstration Lunch,” said Bart Minor, council president. “Blendability once again proved to be an operator favorite by innovatively meeting all contest requirements to decrease plate cost and feature produce prominently on the plate, all in an appetizing presentation.”

With the Baja tomato season in full stride, grower-shippers looking for specific clamshells now have a locally-based option.

Because of the growth of the grape tomato category it now makes economic sense for Sambrailo Packaging, which is based in Watsonville, CA,to manufacture one-pound RunRite grape tomato clamshells in its Mexican plant.

The basic premise of the Peakfresh pallet bags and liners is to slow down the dehydration of the product they are protecting. This increases shelf life and gives the retailer more pounds to sell.

The volatile summer market for Peruvian asparagus elicited several different schools of thought regarding current conditions, but virtually everyone was in agreement that the fall marketing conditions, in terms of volume, would be typical, barring unforeseen weather issues.

Officials from Oregon and Washington are working on an upcoming joint trade mission to expand export opportunities for Northwest potatoes. “We are conducting a trade mission to the Philippines and Vietnam with the directors of Agriculture from both Oregon and Washington State planned for November,” said Bill Brewer, executive director of the Oregon Potato Commission. “OPC will be conducting this mission jointly with the Washington State Potato Commission.”

A strong vegetable market remains the order of the day as lighter-than-usual supplies from local and homegrown deals have created a demand-exceeds-supply situation for lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables.

And experts say there is no expected increase in volume on the horizon that will alleviate the situation.