Walter Mills Tindell, who for some 14 years presided over Blue Anchor, an agricultural packing and marketing cooperative that was long a dominant force in the California fruit industry, died Tuesday, Aug. 3, in Sacramento, after a prolonged illness. He was 81.

Mr. Tindell was born May 25, 1929, in Lodi, CA, graduated from Lodi High School attended the University of California-Berkeley, where he met Barbara Green who would become his wife of 59 years.

California had a small Hass avocado crop last year and finished shipping in August. This year, the state has a large crop which, for a variety of reasons, got off to a slow start and as of late July was at peak volume with still roughly 40 percent of the harvest to go. Volume was expected to continue strong into October, with some shipments extending into November.

Turbulent weather in the Pacific Northwest is expected to delay the 2010 potato production season. But industry officials have indicated that the crop will be characterized by good quality and volumes. Spring conditions during the planting season were unusually cool and wet in the region.

The California apple industry is anticipating an excellent year with its 2010 crop. "We're just really excited about the quality," said Alexander Ott, executive director of the California Apple Commission. “We are expecting a good-sized, quality crop.”

The news is especially important since 2009 did not represent one of the state’s better crop years. “Compared to last year, 2010 will be really good,” Mr. Ott said.

Representatives from the Pacific Northwest have full schedules this summer and fall as they promote the region's potatoes.

Matt Harris, director of trade for the Washington State Potato Commission, concluded a three-day trip at the end of July to attend a hearing of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, which is reviewing dumping duties placed upon fresh U.S. potatoes exported to British Columbia. "Our position as a commission is to remove those dumping duties and let a free market for fresh potatoes occur in that region," Mr. Harris told The Produce News.

WASHINGTON -- By unanimous consent, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (S. 3307) passed the Senate Thursday afternoon, Aug. 5, receiving accolades from the United Fresh Produce Association.

Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, introduced the legislation earlier this year, which will "expand access to the child nutrition programs to reduce childhood hunger, improve the nutritional quality of school meals to promote health and address childhood obesity," according to United.