Mango Board to hold comprehensive food-safety seminar
On the heels of last year's food-safety issue, which resulted in the recall of thousands of cartons of mangos in the United States and Canada because of Salmonella Braenderup, the industry is hosting a Mango Food Safety Conference March 6 in McAllen, TX.
The all-day seminar will be held in the McAllen Conference Center just prior to the start of the America Trades Produce Conference & Expo, which is jointly sponsored by the Texas International Produce Association and the Nogales, AZ-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
Jersey Fresh campaign gets sports theme for 2013
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture premiered its new Jersey Fresh advertising campaign Feb. 7 during the annual state agricultural convention, with its sports-themed "Another Great Season."
Food-safety inspections would be reduced if March 1 budget cuts go into effect
WASHINGTON — With Congress butting up against the March 1 deadline for automatic, across-the-board budget cuts, the White House warned Feb. 8 that progress on the new food-safety law would be cut back and the Food & Drug Administration would have to conduct 2,100 fewer food inspections.
Peak of the Market opens new facility, helps children raise money
Manitoba-based Peak of the Market has opened a Calgary, AB, distribution center. The 24,000-square-foot facility was designed to handle the company’s Manitoba product. Half of the facility is being used for storage and re-grading, and the remainder is available on a fee-for-service basis for storage and cross docking.
“It’s our first time with a location in Alberta, and it’s a significant investment in growing our business and that of our growers,” said Larry McIntosh, president and chief executive officer.
W.D. Potato exceeds 400 million pounds of chipping potatoes
W.D. Potato Ltd., which has been in business for over 40 years, supplies more than 400 million pounds of potatoes annually to major chip manufacturers in Canada and the United States.
Mark VanOostrum, field manager for the Beeton, ON-based company, oversees more than 50 growers and 15,000 acres of chip-stock potato production.
The company contracts chipping potatoes in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Research project sees increase in mini tuber production
“A plantlet will generally produce 1.5 to three mini tubers per production cycle under normal greenhouse production practices,” said Terence Hochstein, technical director for the Potato Growers of Alberta. “The plantlets used in our research project have the opportunity to produce up to 10 mini tubers per production cycle.”
Mr. Hochstein is responsible for government programs, the environmental farm plan, environmental footprinting and Canada Gap-OFFS, and he spearheads research for the Alberta-based potato-grower organization.
Texas trade terrific for Keith Connell
Jimmy Connell, vice president of Keith Connell Inc. in Kansas City, MO, said the company’s decision to launch Connell Texas this past November could not have been timed better. “This is the first year we’ve opened a shipping deal,” he told The Produce News Feb. 12. “So far, it’s going pretty good.”
The broker and distributor moves a full line of fresh produce to its customers throughout the nation, with a concentration in Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Liberty Fruit golf tourney registration in full swing
Liberty Fruit’s Annual Golf Tourney will be in full swing Sept. 16 at the Tiffany Greens Golf Club in Kansas City, MO. The tourney continues to generate important donations to Children’s Mercy Hospital and other local charitable organizations.
“Last year we netted $480,000 for our charities,” said President Allen Caviar. “This year will be another successful tournament.”
The Caviar family has been fully committed to this event since its inception more than a decade ago. “I believe in giving back to the community,” said Arnold Caviar, chief executive officer.
This season one of polar opposites for Haun Potato
Dave Haun, president of Haun Potato Co. in Shawnee Mission, KS, said the current potato- and onion-marketing season is one of polar opposites.
The broker-distributor has specialized in potatoes since the 1960s. Most of the volume being marketed by Haun Potato this season comes from the storage crop. “We had awesome growing weather and historically high yields,” he told The Produce News. “We have a burdensome amount of potatoes to move. Prices are cheap. We are running on really high volume of potatoes in the store.”
Historic City Market an important Kansas City landmark
Kansas City’s Historic City Market is a gentle reminder that people in the region have always been tied to the land.
“From the earliest days, everyone would come here with their produce,” Market Master Deb Connors told The Produce News. “Then it evolved into a wholesale market with truckloads of goods.” Ethnic influences, particularly Italian, have always been strong and important.