New Jersey groups convene for second combined convention
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Building on the success achieved last year when the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s State Agricultural Convention was held along with the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey’s convention and trade show, the two groups held their second annual joint event Feb. 5-7 here at the Trump Taj Mahal, drawing excellent attendance and enthusiastic crowds.
Lettuce market remains red hot
Warm weather in November and cold weather in December and January have kept the Romaine market red hot, and most leaf items are also still showing very strong demand. However, broccoli and cauliflower couldn’t hold their demand as their prices soared and those markets have come way down.
Chris Herlihy, who works on the sales desk at Fresh Kist Produce in Salinas, CA, told The Produce News Feb. 5 that broccoli and cauliflower prices were down in the $7-8 range and having trouble holding that number. Just 10 days earlier, both items were trading north of $20.
IPC continues to expand international marketing programs
BOISE, ID — The 75-year-old Idaho Potato Commission has historically focused its marketing efforts on the domestic market, but about eight years ago the group began to undertake an international market development program.
PECO Pallet winning over watermelon growers
PECO Pallet in Yonkers, NY, “offers complete pallet pooling solutions for watermelon growers and shippers” throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada, according to a written statement furnished by the company to The Produce News Jan. 25. “Over the last few years, more and more watermelon growers have partnered with PECO Pallet because of the company’s ongoing commitment to quality, service and safety.”
PECO has built its reputation “by consistently supplying high-quality pallets” and by its responsive service, according to the statement.
Tater Man shipping the freshest possible sweet potatoes year round
As of Jan. 26, Sydney, FL-based Tater Man had already started its 2013 season. “The demand for our fresh sweets is as early as possible,“ said Jason Bell, account manager. “Our processing partners have been able to expand their production windows and take on new business, which is keeping the demand on our crops extremely strong.”
New association formed to enhance confidence in Eastern cantaloupes
A new group formed to enhance consumer and retail confidence in the Eastern cantaloupe supply chain will kick off with a round of meetings Feb. 11 in Atlanta for foodservice and retail buyers.
The newly established Eastern Cantaloupe Growers Association met in early January with cantaloupe growers and potential members hailing from Indiana down to southern Florida. Having solidified mandatory food-safety guidelines for the association, the group is now ready to unveil these standards to its produce purchasers.
Specialty cut flower group slates meetings
The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers will celebrate its silver anniversary with four regional meetings in Texas, North Carolina, Ohio and at a location yet to be named.
The regional meetings will be shorter this year, according to an association news release, and each will have a different feducational focus.
“On the Farm” will be the topic for the March 4-5 farm tours and demonstrations at the Hill County Farm in Wimberly, TX. Frank and Amanda Arnosky will lead a program on Texas specialty cut flowers.
California Cut Flower Commission advocates for U.S.-grown flowers
According to a recent survey, 85 percent of consumers have no idea where their flowers come from, but a majority of them would choose domestically grown flowers over imports. Yet, with about 80 percent of the U.S. floral market supplied by imports today, that choice is limited, if not altogether unavailable to consumers.
Hiawatha expands products, locations over 75 years to worldwide leadership
Hiawatha Evergreens started out modestly enough 75 years ago as Northwest Evergreen, a local supplier of a limited range of fresh evergreen brush such as salal and huckleberry. Three-quarters of a century later, the firm is called Hiawatha Evergreens, its product line has expanded, it has added locations in British Columbia, Oregon and Washington, and it is a leading supplier of evergreen products worldwide.
Market Street prototype store to put floral offerings up front
Market Street, one of four chains operated by United Supermarkets in Texas, will roll out a new, smaller prototype store in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in November of this year with floral offerings up front, company spokesman Kerri Fulks told The Produce News in mid-January. United currently operates 51 stores under the Market Street name and three other banners: United Supermarkets, Amigos United and United Express.