U.S. Sens. James E. Risch (R-ID) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) joined Frank Muir, president and chief executive officer of the Idaho Potato Commission, to welcome the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck when it rolled into Washington, DC, for a special appearance in front of the the U.S. Capitol Building.

Albert’s Organics, headquartered in Santa Cruz, CA, is a wholesale distributor of fresh organic produce and other perishable items including meats, cheeses, juices, dairy products and more.

Simcha Weinstein, director of marketing for the company, said as its name implies, it was founded upon and has handled fresh organic produce since it first opened its doors in 1982.

Turlock Fruit Co. Inc., headquartered in Turlock, CA, has been shipping melons from California’s San Joaquin Valley since 1918. That makes the summer of 2012 the 95th melon-shipping season for the four-generation family business.

“We basically have the same programs” this year as last year, said Steve Smith, an owner and officer in the company, whose father, Don Smith, is president, and whose son, Alec Smith is in sales with the company.

Organics Unlimited is one of the larger suppliers of bananas in the United States that deals exclusively in organics.

Husband and wife Mayra and Manuel Velazquez de Leon, own and operate Organics Unlimited, headquartered in San Diego. Ms. Velazquez de Leon is the company president, and Mr. Velazquez de Leon oversees buying.

Brian Peixoto, sales manager for Lakeside Organic Gardens LLC in Watsonville, CA, said that the slight ease in the economy is helping to increase the steady and rising demand for organic produce.

Double D Farms in Fresno, CA, is a fully integrated grower, packer and shipper that has handled organics for more than 15 years.