U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has announced the appointment of Del Tinsley as Wyoming state director for USDA Rural Development.

"Del Tinsley has a long and positive record in Wyoming as a businessman and publisher. He brings to USDA Rural Development an in-depth knowledge of Wyoming agriculture. I'm pleased he is joining President Bushs leadership team," said Mr. Johanns.

Mr. Tinsley has served as president of the Wyoming Realtors Land Institute and the Wyoming Board of Agriculture.

The confirmation of two citrus greening finds Sept. 2 in Homestead, FL, was bad enough news for those involved in Florida's $9 billion-a-year citrus industry, but by a week later, updates from APHIS National Plant Germplasm & Biotechnology Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, confirmed that it is much more widespread than originally thought.

Scattered freezes in Chile are expected to have at least some minor impact on the upcoming Chilean fruit deal. Two Chilean fruit importers told The Produce News Sept. 19 that Chile's fruit industry has many microclimates in many growing areas, which are spread across much of the long country.

Because of this diversity, the Chilean fruit industry tends to be protected from a single major disaster. The diversity also makes it difficult to have a fast read on where the damage may be worst in cold times, which crops were most affected and how extensive the damage might be.

On Sept. 15, at the first-of-its-kind Gov.'s Summit on Health, Nutrition & Obesity in Sacramento, CA, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed several bills that will help combat the states obesity crisis and improve the health of Californians, particularly school-age children.

Gaspari Farms in Temple, PA, a grower of high-quality fresh mushrooms, surpassed all other growers with 13 ribbons at the 20th annual Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, PA.

The company received three blue ribbons for first-place recognitions, five red ribbons for second-place honors and five yellow ribbons for third place.

The New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, will be offering a full-service promotion support program this fall in an effort to help retailers throughout the United States sell more apples during the 2005-06 apple season.

"Our number one goal is to help retailers drive sales," Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association, which represents the state's 695 apple orchards, said in a statement.