A very strong and cold trough of low pressure will drop southward into California's Central Valley late this week and this coming weekend.

The citrus industry in the Central Valley is particularly concerned. Lows Thursday, Jan. 11, will remain close to 30 with clouds and rain and possibly snow showers. The cool and wet conditions will continue into Friday, Jan. 12, with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the mid- to upper 20s Friday night.

SALINAS, CA -- Tom Koster, who in January 2006 stepped into the newly created position of vice president of sales and shipping for Salinas, CA-based Mann Packing Co., has left the company to run Koster Communications, a firm he founded with his wife, Lorri Koster, who is currently co-chairman of Mann Packing Co.

No replacement for Mr. Koster has been named and a search has yet to be launched.

WASHINGTON -- The stalled immigration reform effort may get a jump-start early in the new Congress as Senate backers of comprehensive reform are drafting a new bill, sources said.

This news cannot be more welcomed by fruit and vegetable growers facing a worsening labor shortage.

The Produce Alliance announced the addition of two Florida-based foodservice produce distributors.

Downtown Produce in Melbourne, FL, and Produce Distribution Center in Jacksonville, FL, have recently joined Produce Alliance in order to position themselves to service a very large region of the state that will allow the alliance to service the entire east coast of Florida.

From Jan. 1 until Feb. 28, national retailers will be participating in an apple promotion sponsored by the DeWitt, MI-based Michigan Apple Committee. In this "Warm Up to Michigan Apples" campaign, retailers must run three ads in that January-February 2007 time frame promoting bags of Michigan Red Delicious, Rome or Jonathan apples to enter.

Haun Potato Co. in Kansas City, KS, has continued its tradition of giving with a recent donation of potatoes to the Kansas City Salvation Army.

The donation -- 44,000 pounds of fresh-packed potatoes from the Red River Valley -- took place Dec. 8 and was part of the Salvation Army's "Christmas Food Basket" to help feed the area's homeless and needy families during the holiday season.