Retailers need to act now if they want to take advantage of a national promotional opportunity with proven sales results.

National Apple Month is an outstanding promotional foundation for the domestic apple industry. The program has been in operation for more than 100 years and has evolved from a single-day event to a three-month promotional marketing opportunity for retail stores and military commissaries nationwide. It is not too late to capitalize on the fall merchandising and display benefits of the 2006 National Apple Month contests.

WASHINGTON -- News that a new Salmonella outbreak is no longer a threat to consumers is little consolation to a produce industry struggling to recover from the crippling e. coli outbreak tied to fresh spinach.

Federal officials have yet to announce the food vehicle that sickened more than 170 people in 19 states with a strain of Salmonella Typhimurium since Sept. 1, but sources say that preliminary information from the two-week-long investigation points to lettuce and tomatoes as possible sources.

The California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, CA, announced Oct. 30 the appointment of Sheri Mierau as president of the organization, effective Jan. 1. She will succeed Blair Richardson, who announced Oct. 27 that he had decided to step down after almost five years as president. He will remain with CTFA during the transition.

Metro Richelieu Inc., one of Canada's larger retail supermarket chains, has promoted Alain Pare to director of central produce procurement for Quebec and Ontario.

Mr. Pare, a 31-year veteran of the retail produce industry, most recently served as Metro Richelieus director of special projects for fruits and vegetables, and has spent the past 15 years with the Montreal-based company.

Naturipe Farms is the new corporate and brand moniker for Global Berry Farms as the company has launched a new identity for the purpose of creating a consumer brand as well as being poised for growth into other commodities.

The 2005-06 California Navel orange crop came in heavier than expected, at a whopping 91 million cartons. This year, the California Agricultural Statistics Service estimates the 2006-07 crop to be about 27 percent lighter, or about 66 million cartons.

Last year's harvest was characterized by small fruit size. This year, sizes should be better, but some growers said that it is still not sizing as well as they would like.