The California Grill of the Pajaro Valley Restaurant, located at the Freedom Centre in Freedom, CA, has its own very special niche that serves it and its patrons well. The popular restaurant is owned by Dick Peixoto, who also owns Lakeside Organic Gardens, headquartered in Watsonville, CA. His daughter, Ashley Peixoto is co-owner and the restaurant manager.

As marketing agent for the New York Apple Association, John McAleavey coordinates sales and merchandising activities for the association from New England down through the mid-Atlantic region.

And after more than 40 years working in this capacity, he is getting some welcome assistance from his son, John Jr., and his daughter, Susan.

Estimates released by Washington's apple industry in August indicate that the 2013-14 apple crop will be the second largest in the state's history. Charles Pomianek, director of the Wenatchee Valley Traffic Association, said the statewide total is placed at 119.8 million boxes, down 10 million boxes from last year's record-setting season.

"On Aug. 1, we had 10 million boxes left on the storage crop," he said. From a movement standpoint, he said there will be an orderly transition between this balance and volume moving into the pipeline during the new season.

WASHINGTON — The issues are so critical on Capitol Hill this year that the United Fresh Produce Association has extended visits to congressional offices to two days because more visits mean more time to have an impact, said Ron Midyett, chief executive officer of Apio Inc. and chairman of the United Fresh board of directors.

In anticipation of the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz," Gourmet Trading Co. will feature the iconic film on its tags of Peruvian and Mexican asparagus.

After scoring major marketing successes that have paired the world's most-famous onion with Hollywood and Nashville, the Vidalia Onion Committee is seeking a marketing order manager who is sweet on Georgia's official state vegetable.

Previous VOC campaigns have paired Vidalia onions with the Hollywood blockbuster "Shrek Forever After" and with Nashville stars from the Universal Music Group.

Now the committee is seeking a new marketing manager to take Vidalia onions to the next level.