If there is such a thing as normal any more in the California stone fruit industry, this may be the year the industry sees it, according to Gary Van Sickle, research director for the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, CA.

Last year was marked by weather extremes, ranging from unseasonably warm winter weather to prolonged wet, cool spring weather, followed by extreme heat from mid to late summer. The effect was a delay in the timing of the crops and a reduction in volume, particularly in later varieties.

United Potato Growers of Idaho, a grower-owned cooperative formed in 2005 with a goal of bringing about a balance between supply and demand in the tomato market, has announced the formation of a joint venture with Idaho Fresh-Pak Corp. and the R.D. Offutt Co. that will create the nation's second-largest dehydrator.

Lewisville, ID-based Idaho Fresh-Pak, also known as Idahoan Foods, produces dehydrated and frozen potato products for retail and foodservice.

COLUMBIA, SC -- South Carolina peach growers may have lost 90 percent of their crop to a devastating cold snap that hit Easter weekend, according to officials in the state.

Larry Yonce, president of the South Carolina Peach Council, and Hugh Weathers, commissioner of agriculture, issued a joint statement April 11 after a meeting with South Carolina Peach Council members and others in the peach industry. From initial reports, South Carolina peach growers say that they would be fortunate to have 10 percent of a crop.

David Shaw, a 28-year employee of Western Growers Association, died April 3 after a massive heart attack, four days shy of his 60th birthday.

Mr. Shaw joined WGA in 1979 as cash manager and was promoted to vice president two years later, with oversight over all treasury functions of the association and its affiliate entities' fixed-income investments, which are approaching $1 billion. He consistently exceeded the benchmark indeces against which he was measured and provided significant incremental returns to enhance WGA's cash flow and bottom line.

Two Salinas, CA-based companies -- Foxy Foods LLC and Taylor Fresh Foods Inc. -- announced that they have agreed to merge Foxy Foods fresh produce processing operations into Taylor Fresh Foods.

The merger will add Foxy Foods' team of people, its innovative fresh-cut vegetable product line and its customer partners in the retail and club store markets to Taylors North American salad and fresh-cut vegetable processing network.

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