Executives seeking to revitalize their leadership skills and recharge their batteries might want to participate in the Produce Marketing Association's 2009 Leadership Symposium, which will be held Jan. 14-16 in Dallas.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced Friday, Nov. 21, the commitment of $5.8 million in funding to stop the spread of Asian citrus psyllid -- a small insect that feeds on citrus plants and trees -- in California.

The Asian citrus psyllid can carry citrus greening, which is one of the more devastating citrus diseases in the world. The funding will be used to stop the spread of the pest in California before it seriously damages citrus production in the state, which at $1.1 billion ranks it second in citrus revenue behind Florida.

Shoppers at the new Kowalski's Market in Eagan, MN, got a fresh taste of California in late November when Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms served artichokes as part of the store's grand opening.

Ocean Mist Farms served 1,800 servings of grilled, fresh, long-stem artichokes with artichoke hummus on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 20-21. The Ocean Mist Farms demo team showed shoppers how to use a potato peeler to remove the outside strands of a long-stem artichoke to prepare it for cooking.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to purchase 2.9 million pounds of fresh-cut apple slices in two-ounce bags, which it will donate to child nutrition and other domestic nutrition assistance programs.

The SE Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, sponsored by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Association and the South Carolina Peach Council, has announced that the 2009 trade show has been completely sold out.