Midwestern organic consumers say that they buy organic produce because they think it tastes fresher and because they want to avoid pesticides.

"I buy [organics] because I think they are healthier - there's no pesticides. It seems that the organic product usually tastes better, too," said Susan Clear, a consumer in Cincinnati.

WASHINGTON -- Viewed as a valuable program by produce businesses, PACA bars unfair and fraudulent practices in fruit and vegetable trade and provides a means of enforcing contracts. Under PACA, buyers and sellers of commercial quantities of fruit and vegetables must be licensed by USDA, and those that violate these contracts may be required to pay damages.

Emily Donohue grew up in Salinas, CA, so agriculture and produce have always been strong influences on her life.

The 25-year-old marketing manager at European Vegetable Specialties Farms has worked for three years at the Salinas-based grower where her dad, Dennis Donohue, is president of the company.

"My whole family is from Salinas," she said of her background. "My mom's side of the family is in farming; my dad's side is in the business end." Ms. Donohue started with EVS in sales. "Now I'm sales and marketing," she said.

WASHINGTON -- California's deep freeze that damaged citrus crops and the E. coli outbreak that cost the spinach industry $100 million show how quickly conditions can change in agriculture, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns said at a Jan. 23 meeting with fruit and vegetable industry representatives.

Less than a week following the week-long freeze that devastated the California citrus crop, California Citrus Mutual released an initial assessment of the extent of the damage.

According to the Jan. 23 release, a total of around 86.6 million cartons of citrus in eight counties were believed lost to the freeze. The gross loss is estimated to exceed $800 million.

WASHINGTON -- Facing a crisis in consumer confidence, the United Fresh Produce Association's board of directors voted to endorse federal mandatory food-safety standards that would cover U.S. and imported fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm through the distribution chain to the consumer.