New facility will accommodate larger apple crops for CMI
The new facility being constructed by Columbia Marketing International and McDougall & Sons in Baker Flats, WA, is close to completion.
“We are now using the facility as a cross-dock location and will be working through the winter to complete the inside,” said Steve Lutz, vice president of marketing. “When completed, this will be an $8 million storage and loading facility that will allow CMI to be ready for harvests that continue to be of record-breaking size.”
California Sweet Potato Council launches new marketing campaign
The California Sweet Potato Council has teamed up with Ketchum, a leading public relations firm in San Francisco, to launch a new marketing campaign that includes a fresh new logo and website in an effort to represent the California difference.
In addition, the campaign seeks to boost consumer outreach through social media and food bloggers.
National reception of Michigan apples is ‘wonderful’
The reception of the national retail and wholesale trade to the 2013 Michigan apple crop has been “wonderful,” in the view of Christopher Sandwick, vice president of sales and marketing, for Belleharvest Sales, Inc., which is located in Belding, MI.
Belleharvest has enjoyed steady movement this season, Sandwick recently said.
The company expected to finish shipping its Honeycrisp crop in late December “and we’re happy with the movement of all other varieties.”
California drought continues with no relief in sight
As the Northeast got hit with a paralyzing snow storm just a day after the calendar turned to 2014, the first California snow survey of the year revealed what everyone already knew: the state is suffering one of its worst droughts in history -- and there is no rain in the forecast.
While researchers were in the field physically putting instruments in the snow on Jan. 3 to gauge depth and water content, electronic data had already revealed the water content statewide to be 20 percent of normal.
Whole Foods Market commits $25 million to local growers, producers and food artisans
Whole Foods Market announced Jan. 2 that its Local Producer Loan Program has reached the initial goal of funding $10 million in low-interest loans to local and independent food businesses, and has now committed up to $25 million in funding. The Local Producer Loan Program has provided 184 loans to 155 companies since its inception in 2007.
New year ushers in changes at Colorful Harvest
Colorful Harvest, a Salinas, CA-based grower and marketer of heirloom style vegetables and strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, announced several personnel changes coinciding with the start of 2014.
Doug Ranno, a founding member and chief operating officer, has left the company to pursue other opportunities, according to a Jan. 2 press release issued by Colorful Harvest.
New York City and Hunts Point Terminal Market agree on a seven-year lease extension
On Tuesday, Dec. 31, just prior to Bill De Blasio being sworn in as the new mayor of New York City, the New York City Economic Development Corp., then still under the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, announced that the city has renewed the Hunts Point Terminal Market lease for an additional seven years.
The lease renewal news comes on the heels of years of negotiation attempts between Hunts Point and the city, which owns the property. Those negotiations were at times antagonistic and disagreeable.
NJDA and vegetable growers plan convention/trade show to showcase Garden State agriculture
TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Agricultural Convention & Trade Show will take place Feb. 4-6, 2014, at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Blueberry Association, Garden State Winegrowers Association and Rutgers University's New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station are coordinating the annual gathering that includes educational and informational opportunities and an impressive trade show.
Borton on track to meet selling goals
Business is brisk for Borton & Sons Inc., headquartered in Yakima, WA. “Apple movement to date has been good,” said Eric Borton, vice president of international sales and marketing. “We have felt some effects from such a large crop across the rest of the United States, but have been pleased with the movement so far. We have been progressing nicely through our early storage rooms and are well on track in terms of our sell through goals for our 2013 crop.”
Fowler Farms’ current crop in extremely good shape in both volume and quality
“In terms of our crop, we look extremely good this year,” Lee Peters, vice president of sales and marketing for Fowler Brothers, Inc., in Wolcott, NY, told The Produce News in mid-December. “We plant more trees and have more production every year. This year our supplies are in good shape and we expect to be shipping into mid-summer. That’s also when we’ll be starting with our new crop for both apples and cider.”