Peter Jensen was appointed to the newly created position of vice president of operations at Naturipe Farms, headquartered in Naples, FL. The position was created as part of the company's commitment to growth and building the "Naturipe Farms" brand.

SALINAS, CA -- The most recent great idea to come out of the Salinas Valley is only several days old but already is spreading across the nation.

Word travels fast when carried on a bumper sticker. "I " Spinach" bumper stickers are the brainchild of several members of the Central Coast chapter of Young Farmers & Ranchers. The stickers also say "Support Salinas Valley Growers" and have a tagline that reads "Central Coast Young Farmers & Ranchers."

Grower-shippers in California are supporting a proposed change in table grape standards that will allow an additional 10 percent shatter allowance at destination in consumer packs, such as clamshells or bags.

The California Tomato Commission may downsize in 2007, but it will remain committed to food safety with a mandated program establishing a food safety committee that will address a broad spectrum of issues related to tomato production under Good Agricultural Practices.

In the aftermath of a tumultuous past several months for the fresh produce industry that shook consumer confidence due to E. coli contamination in spinach and a false alarm of harmful E. coli in leafy greens, growers generally seem to have taken a conservative approach to their acreage planted in the western U.S. desert regions.

Add to the mix a rough season in the desert last year with sluggish markets and labor shortages, and growers are not laying bets that salad days have returned.

The new Spanish clementine season is underway, and early season quality is said to surpass that of last season.