Following a November 2008 appointment by former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, Roger Christensen, a Center, CO, potato grower, was formally seated as a board member on the U.S. Potato Board during the board's annual meeting in Denver.

The March 10-13 gathering, which was the board's 37th annual, saw representatives from the nation's potato-growing states seated and new leadership elected.

Like many in the retail business, Heather Shavey's career at Costco grew from loyalty and opportunity rather than a predetermined plan.

"With the ever-declining economy" and the financial struggles that many consumers are experiencing due to unemployment or other factors, the Idaho Potato Commission in Eagle, ID, is putting a strong focus on the value potatoes offer consumers in the retail produce department, according to Seth Pemsler, the commission's vice president of retail.

Two Nogales, AZ-based produce distributors and one wholesaler- consolidator with a Nogales presence were honored for their commitment to produce quality at a dinner in Nogales Wednesday, April 15, sponsored by the Mexico Calidad Suprema program.

Companies honored at the dinner were two shipper-distributors, a broker- consolidator and a retail chain.

HARTFORD, CT -- The Connecticut Department of Agriculture has exciting news for early birds who thrive on locating outstanding Connecticut-grown products at great prices while their neighbors are still fast asleep: it is planning a new farmers market facility at the Hartford regional market.

Railex LLC has scheduled a second weekly unit train from its new Delano, CA, freight-forwarding facility. The firm, a division of Riverhead, NY-based ADS Management, will begin offering the expanded service the week of May 3, with trains departing Wednesdays and Fridays, according to Paul Esposito, senior vice president of sales and logistics.