NEW YORK — Martha Stewart joined Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. to fight childhood hunger and host a pre-Thanksgiving meal inside Ocean Spray's Big Apple Bog event held here Oct. 19 in front of the General Electric Building in Rockefeller Center.

What captures your attention when first stepping into a supermarket? At most stores, it is the first display you observe at the entranceway of the produce department.
But it never used to be that way.

In earlier supermarket years, produce departments were located in the rear of the store or at the end of traffic flows, and produce displays often lacked variety, thought and creativity.

With California's huge 2010 avocado crop winding down and a 2010-11 Chilean crop that is lighter than usual, Mexican avocados are expected to dominate the U.S. market from November through mid-spring.

The Mexican season, which officially runs from July through June, got off to a slow start this year partly because of the large amount of California fruit in the market and partly because of weather-related light volumes early in the deal.

The last vessel carrying South African summer citrus for the 2010 season discharged its cargo in Philadelphia the week of Oct. 25, and season-ending totals indicate that shipments were up nearly 24 percent over 2009.

A total of 41,528 tons of citrus comprised of clementines, Navel oranges, Midknight oranges and grapefruit were shipped to the United States from May through October.

The newly formed Produce Traceability Initiative Leadership Council met Oct. 13 to begin implementing the industry-led governance structure for the initiative moving forward.

The group's inaugural meeting, held in Orlando, FL, prior to the Produce Marketing Association’s Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition, featured an orientation on the PTI’s new governance structure, including the council, a forthcoming Executive Committee and its working and interest groups.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded 28 grants to researchers to help solve specialty crop production issues at a time when the Obama administration is encouraging Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said during an Oct. 25 press call.

The USDA's National Institute of Food & Agriculture awarded more than $46 million through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, a program established by the 2008 farm bill to help the industry develop science-based tools.