Sage Fruit Co. has struck a deal with Larson Fruit Co. in Selah, WA, to become its exclusive marketing and sales agent, beginning with new-crop apples in 2007.

"We are very excited to have a new partner the caliber of Larson Fruit join our team," Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing for Sage Fruit, said in a press release. "They have excellent quality and grow all varieties of apples. I have seen the quality of box that they deliver to the marketplace, and it will complement our current warehouses."

The California Department of Food & Agriculture issued a pest exclusion advisory July 18 that reversed its policy of excluding from the state commercial shipments of Mexican avocados containing armored scales, a pest that is of considerable concern to California avocado growers.

Although a poorly written press release seemingly states otherwise, the California Department of Public Health said that its warning against eating fresh ginger from China is limited only to specific lot numbers sold by Christopher Ranch of Gilroy, CA, between July 10 and July 26.

W. Newell & Co., part of the Supervalu group, held its second annual expo July 24-25 in Indianapolis. In attendance were nearly 450 of the firm's customers.

The two-day event featured Harold Lloyd as the keynote speaker. His topic was "Merchandising magic and putting that 'Super back in your market," as well as his seven research revelations, or as he calls them, pearls.

PRINCETON, NJ -- In a longstanding Jersey Fresh tradition, a number of retailers and others involved in distributing and promoting farm products from New Jersey gathered here Thursday morning, July 19, to hear the state's governor and secretary of agriculture thank them for their ongoing support and to offer a brief update on the 2007 Jersey Fresh promotional campaign.

Citrus greening disease has been discovered in Florida's Hardee County, signifying a further spread of a disease that threatens one of the state's top agricultural crops.

"The greening was found outside of Zolfo Springs in Hardee County," said Andrew Meadows, director of communications for Florida Citrus Mutual, a member organization representing citrus growers in the state. "Hardee County is Florida's sixth-largest citrus-producing county in terms of acreage. It is located just south of Polk County, the state's largest citrus-producing county."