SALINAS, CA -- Irvine, CA-based Western Growers Association has taken to the road to gauge support for its proposed Western Growers University, an initiative designed to tailor practical training for its members at a nominal cost to them and with little paperwork hassles.

The New York Apple Association stretches its promotional boundaries as a sponsor of the ING New York City Marathon every year, and the Nov. 5 event proved to be the biggest and best one yet.

Rick Eastes, director of global sourcing for Sunkist Global LLC, has elected not to renew his agreement with the Sunkist subsidiary company beyond Nov. 30, and Mark Tompkins, produce industry veteran and former head of Sunkist's domestic sales network, is returning to replace him.

Mr. Eastes joined the newly created Sunkist Global as its first employee Feb. 1, 2004, with the charge of developing counter-seasonal and complementary citrus from sources outside the United States under the "Sunkist" brand.

WOODLAND, CA -- Timco Worldwide Inc. in Woodland, CA, announced Nov. 14 that it is voluntarily recalling its "Sundia" brand cantaloupe because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

"Every indication is that the Maine crop will be good this year," said Tim Hobbs, director of development and grower relations for the Maine Potato Board, headquartered in Presque Isle, ME. "Growers here always hold their breath that tropical storms and hurricanes won't come up the East Coast and aim in our direction, but we were fortunate this year to get through the season unscathed. We've had good growing conditions across the board, and the majority of the crop was harvested by November 1."

In a unanimous decision Oct. 30, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin was well within his rights to allow third-party flavor certification of Vidalia onions.

The suit, brought by Bland Farms and other Vidalia onion growers, sought to have the high court order the Georgia commissioner of agriculture to halt the use of "Certified Sweet" and "Certified Extra Sweet" trademarks in association with Vidalia onions.