For three days, foodservice distributors and operators, retailers and social media influencers from across the county rolled up their sleeves and experienced Idaho during its busiest season — the Idaho potato harvest.

In about eight short weeks, approximately one-third of all potatoes grown in the United States are harvested, sorted and stored. This massive quantity of potatoes, about 13 billion pounds, will feed millions of people in America and around the world.

Mid-September saw Idaho Falls-based Eagle Eye Produce’s Treasure Valley operation transition from fresh-run onions into its storage crop, and Joe Ange, director of business development, said early season demand had been good and movement brisk.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods, a leading grower of fresh celery, radish and corn, launched its Snacktoberfest sweepstakes to encourage consumers  to get involved with all things fall.

Grimmway Farms hired John Liu as its vice president of food safety. He joins the company with over 27 years of food-safety experience and a proven record as a senior food-safety leader.

In his role, Liu will be responsible for the development, oversight, implementation, and management of all facility and farming food-safety programs and compliance. He will work closely with the company's quality assurance and food-safety teams, ensuring Grimmway continues to meet the highest quality and food-safety standards.

Equitable Food Initiative's food-safety certification has been recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. As a result, EFI now satisfies multiple retail requirements in a single audit.

The third quarter was a mixed bag for eGrocery sales.

While September sales slipped 3 percent (to $7.8 billion), the quarter finished up 4 percent (to $24.1 billion) vs. last year, according to the monthly Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey. The increase was driven by significant gains in delivery and to a lesser degree pickup.