Asparagus growers in the state of Washington, which produces approximately 40 percent of all domestically grown product, are set to start cutting grass in mid-April. Alan Schreiber, administrator of the Washington Asparagus Commission in Eltopia, WA, expects production to be 28 million pounds for 2009.

David Dozier, produce manager of GFF Foods in Moore, OK, took top honors in the third-annual Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Spanish Sweet Onion Lover's Month retail display contest.

With a giant poster overhead showing the committee's "Jumbo Onion" mascot lifting weights and proclaiming Spanish Sweets "battle blandness," GFF's January display showcased bags of yellow and white onions on an island in the produce department.

PHILADELPHIA -- A judge ruled March 13 that assets in the name of Ellis Fleisher's wife are not available for creditors of Mr. Fleisher's defunct produce houses. But the court's decision may be appealed.

Mr. Fleisher owned Ellis Fleisher Produce Co. and Dichter Bros. & Glass Inc., both in Philadelphia. Both businesses ceased operations in March 2007.

While ski resorts and some farmers in Colorado rejoiced at late March snow and the moisture it brought, a number of fruit growers on the state's Western Slope were hit hard by back-to-back storms.

A March 27 freeze was particularly damaging to the Palisade, CO, region just east of Grand Junction, and another freeze hit just days later.

Donovan Talbott, partner in C&R Farms in Palisade, said that his apricot crop was completely wiped out, along with his cherries and nectarines.

"And I had quite a bit of pear damage," he said.

Even though Dazed & Confused is among his favorite movies, Tyler Paasch is anything but. Mr. Paasch, the 28-year-old HACCP coordinator for Coastal Inc. in Portand, OR, lives by a guiding principle.

"I keep things simple," he told The Produce News.

Officials from the Pacific Northwest remain in a wait-and-see mode to determine what effect a 20 percent tariff imposed March 11 by the government of Mexico will have upon American exports. Among the commodities affected are pears, cherries, apricots and frozen potatoes.