The U.S. Apple Association, headquartered in Vienna, VA, is compiled of 40 state and regional apple associations.

Its goal is to promote apples and apple products, and also to provide the means for all segments of the U.S. apple industry to join in appropriate collective efforts to profitably produce and market apples and apple products.

Those goals are accomplished through a number of promotion efforts on multiple fronts.

Morinaga Nutritional Foods Inc. in Torrance, CA, a leader in the soyfoods industry and maker of shelf-stable Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, has introduced new seasoned tofu to take the guesswork out of preparing the low-fat, protein-rich food. Morinaga is introducing Mori-Nu seasoned tofu in two varieties: Chinese spice and Japanese Miso.

After more than a decade of negotiations, the California tree fruit industry has gained access to markets in mainland China for plums from five California counties.

According to Blair Richardson, president of the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, CA, the Chinese market is "a huge opportunity" for California growers and could potentially surpass Canada to become the largest export market for California plums.

NEW YORK  Johnny Iuzzini, the executive pastry chef of Jean Georges, a swanky New York restaurant, thinks that grapefruit produced in the Lone Star State of Texas are the piece de resistance. By his final recipe presentation at the French Culinary Institute, here, Jan. 7, his audience of nearly 100 people agreed.

Based on last year's success, Westlake Produce Co.s "Always Fresh" brand strawberries from Florida will increase in volume from the 500,000 flats the company packed and sold in 2005 to 700,000 in the coming year.

The Los Angeles-based Westlake, a distributor of 14 fresh produce items, has a fully staffed sales office in Winter Haven, FL, where its strawberry and blueberry deals are managed by Brandon Mullin. Its customers are chains along the Eastern Seaboard, while the home office handles sales from west of the Mississippi.

Growers face many risks in running their businesses, but facing a man with a gun on their own property should never be one of them.