Oregon's early Italian prune harvest got underway over the Aug. 9-10 weekend in Milton-Freewater, with growers expecting to see a 30 percent reduction in volume this year as the result of spring frost and a lack of pollination.

The late prune harvest follows within a couple of weeks and will run through mid-September, according to Eric Patrick, marketing director for Grant J. Hunt Co., exclusive sales and marketing desk for Blue Mountain Growers in Milton-Freewater.

Seald Sweet International in Vero Beach, FL, announced the retirement of Jim McCranie, senior vice president of exports, effective Sept. 1. Mr. McCranie will be succeeded by Les Crocker, who was formerly with A. Duda & Sons.

One can't help but think about the phrase, "Be careful of what you ask for, and how you ask for it, for indeed you will get it," when one thinks of Tropical Storm Fay.

People in Florida, especially those located from Lake Okeechobee south, have been praying for rain for two years to ease the serious, sometimes critical, drought conditions the area has suffered. What they didn't necessarily want, however, was for about a year's worth of rain to fall in a few scant days.

But that's exactly what Tropical Storm Fay has done.

Mastronardi Produce took top honors at the annual Tomato Capital Tomato Competition Aug. 16-17 in Leamington, ON.

The company was recognized with top honors in the specialty variety category for its Champagne Cocktail Tomato, and with top honors in the beef variety category for its Beef Tomato. It also received the award for the overall best hothouse tomato for its Champagne Cocktail Tomato.

The Mexican lemon season is underway, and Duda Farm Fresh Foods, headquartered in Oviedo, FL, is packing and shipping lemons from its newly constructed, 33,000-square-foot fresh citrus packinghouse in Guemez, Tamaulipas, Mexico, near Ciudad Victoria.

The state-of-the-art facility, which is a partnership between Duda Farm Fresh Foods and Mexico Citrus Farms Inc., is managed and staffed by Mexico Citrus Farms Inc. Citrus at the facility is packed exclusively for Duda Farm Fresh Foods and includes full traceability.

LA MALBAIE, QC - According to the Chinese zodiac, 2008 is the year of the rat, but in the Quebec produce industry, 2008 is unmistakably the year of the woman.

The Quebec Produce Marketing Association held its 61st annual convention here at Le Manoir Richelieu overlooking the St. Lawrence River about two hours northeast of Quebec City and paid tribute to women working in the produce trade at its industry brunch and closing banquet Aug. 16.