Wholesum Family Farms Inc. in Nogales, AZ, better known as Wholesum Harvest, is preparing to launch a new link to its web site geared specifically toward home cooks, chefs and others interested in cooking organically.

Anthony Totta is the director of business development for Wholesum Harvest and the chief executive officer and marketing consultant for Grow My Profits. He told The Produce News that Wholesum Harvest believes there is a big appetite for recipes, especially among consumers of organic produce.

Potandon Produce, based in Idaho Falls, ID, announced Sept. 1 that it is launching a special marketing campaign focused on building breast cancer awareness.

The campaign, which will run Sept. 15 through Oct. 31, centers on two of Potandon’s proprietary potato varieties: Klondike Rose and Klondike Goldust, which both will be available in special pink breast cancer-awareness packaging for the duration of the promotion.

FreshXperts, a leading consulting group for the fresh industry, unveiled eFreshTrack, a customer relationship management system designed specifically for growers, shippers and distributors. The system applies FreshXperts’ 171 years of combined produce-industry experience to the advanced technologies of CRM provider, Soleran.

The hosted application affords convenient access from any computer or smartphone and allows sales teams to track leads from the point of contact, through the sales process — and after the sale is complete.

WEATHER

Daytime temperatures in Salinas, CA, were expected to range from the upper 60s to low 70s Aug. 25-30 with overnight lows in the mid-50s. Patchy morning fog and sunny afternoons are expected to persist into early September.

Daytime temperatures in Mendota, CA, were predicted to be in the mid- to upper 90s Aug. 30, with overnight lows in the low to mid-60s.

DEMAND

An intensive review of the damage to Chilean summer citrus crops caused by recent frost shows that estimated losses range from little or no damage to this year's Clementines, to a maximum 10 percent loss of projected exports of Chilean Navel oranges and lemons, to a 10 percent loss of the season's Mandarin exports for 2011.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX -- Texans attending the annual Texas Produce Association convention here Aug. 17-19 were in for some pleasant surprises. Temperatures were a reasonable 90-91 degrees, a welcome break from the sweltering 100s the rest of the state has endured for the last month or more. Commissioner of Agriculture Todd Staples, campaigning for the office of lieutenant governor, stopped by for a visit and to deliver the keynote address. And at least 100 more attendees than were expected turned out for the event.