Ten-year-old wins Fresh Express national recipe contest
Ten-year-old Tanner Kohn of Simpsonville, SC, has been announced as the grand-prize winner of the Fresh Express-Do Something Teens for Greens Amazing Search for Fresh Salad Recipe Challenge.
Mr. Kohn's recipe -- Shrimpsational Caribbean salad -- was a "from-scratch" salad that included honey-lime vinaigrette dressing with Fresh Express hearts of Romaine lettuce and toppings such as black beans, shrimp and coconut.
Peter Melick receives outstanding young N.J. farmer honor
Peter L. Melick, a Hunterdon County fruit and vegetable farmer, was honored Feb. 13 as New Jersey's 2007 Outstanding Young Farmer at the New Jersey agricultural convention held in Atlantic City, NJ.
Idaho Potato Commission welcomes two new commissioners
Two new individuals were named to the Idaho Potato Commission this past August. They are Ray (R.J.) Andrus and Shawn Walters, who replaced departing commissioners Bob Wilkins and Wayne Allen. The commission is a state agency and is directed by a total of nine commissioners, five of whom are potato growers, two are packer-shippers and two represent processors.
Russia is new market for California grapes
Having opened a number of new markets in recent years, California's fresh grape industry is now eyeing Russia as a potentially lucrative place to export fresh California grapes.
Susan Day, vice president of international marketing for the California Table Grape Commission in Fresno, CA, traveled to Russia in late February to meet with U.S. trade officials and Russian produce importers. She also met with importers and exporters from all over the world in Berlin, Germany, at Fruit Logistica, an international trade fair for fruit and vegetable marketing.
Jay Telles dies at 61
Jesse Port (Jay) Telles III, who once headed one of the larger cantaloupe growing, packing and shipping operations in the United States and later owned and operated a large citrus packing company with his wife, Leslie, died Feb. 11 at his home in Fresno, CA. He was 61.
California admits error in rejecting 10 Mexican avocado loads
California Department of Food & Agriculture inspectors were right on one count and wrong on 10 counts when they rejected 11 loads of Mexican Hass avocados crossing into the state on Friday, Feb. 16.
Effective Feb. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows Mexican-grown Hass avocados to enter California under a strict protocol designed to assure that no exotic pests potentially harmful to California's avocado industry would be imported with the fruit.
Southern California retail labor contract nears expiration date
On March 5, the contentious retail clerks contract signed three years ago between the United Food & Commercial Workers union and the three major Southern California grocery chains expires. As of Feb. 21, there was no word on the status of the current negotiations.
Healthy snacks are OsoSweet at New York event
In a cookoff that resembled the popular television show "Iron Chef," six well- known chefs and cookbook authors from New York and Philadelphia whipped up healthy Super Bowl snacks using OsoSweet onions in a benefit for The Doe Fund Feb. 2 in New York City.
Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Markets announce merger
AUSTIN, TX -- Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets have announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement under which Whole Foods Market will acquire Wild Oats Markets' outstanding common stock in a cash tender offer of $18.50 per share, or approximately $565 million based on fully diluted shares.
Whole Foods Market will also assume Wild Oats Markets' existing net debt totaling approximately $106 million as reported Sept. 30, 2006.
IEO growers meeting brings hundreds to forum
A gathering of some 400 growers and interested parties turned out Feb. 6 for the annual Idaho-eastern Oregon growers meeting in Ontario, OR.
Held at the Four River Cultural Center, the daylong event incorporated a trade show with numerous work sessions and panel discussions.