With above normal precipitation in California this winter after three years of drought, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation made an announcement Feb. 26 that on its surface seemed to say that farmers on the West Side of California's San Joaquin Valley, who had their federal water deliveries slashed to almost nothing last year, could expect as much as 30-40 percent of their normal water this year.

Three industry trade associations released a new voluntary food-safety guidance document March 2 in an effort to strengthen the safety of the green onion supply chain.

Western Growers Association, the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association, with the support of other industry associations, academics, regulatory agencies and the green onion industry, released the Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production, Harvest, Post-Harvest, and Value-Added Operations of Green Onions.

ARVIN, CA -- Kern Ridge Growers LLC in Arvin, CA, has been in the carrot growing, packing and marketing business since 1973 and processes "well over 100 million pounds of carrots a year," consisting of both conventionally grown and organic product, according to General Manager Bob Giragosian, one of the company's owners.

PHILADELPHIA - While the Chilean fruit industry has been seriously disrupted by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Feb. 27, some fruit exporters were loading fruit onto ships as soon as the afternoon of Feb. 28.

In a March 1 e-mail to The Produce News, Mark Greenberg, chief executive officer of Fisher Capespan, said, "Communication out of Chile is hit-and- miss. Telephone and Internet lines are coming back to normal. Cell phone service as well."

When the Washington Potato Commission announced its partnership with world class short-track speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno in 2009, there was no doubt it was a winning combination.

The fact was confirmed in mid-February at the Vancouver Winter Olympic games when Mr. Ohno became the most decorated American winter olympian in history, shattering the record previously set by Olympic legend, Bonnie Blair.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile at 3:34 a.m. on Feb. 27 has seriously affected Chile's fruit exports.

In an e-mail exchange with The Produce News Feb. 28, Robert Palaima, president of Delaware River Stevedores, based in Philadelphia, said that he had not had messages returned from Chile. However, he did speak with Andrés Montecinos, who heads the reefer division for CSAV, the Chilean that carries Chilean fruit to Philadelphia’s Tioga Marine Fruit Terminal, which is managed by Delaware River Stevedores.