Monte Vista, CO — Utilizing the considerable people skills of Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt to tout potatoes grown in Colorado's San Luis Valley, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is reaching out to consumers both in the Rocky Mountain region and across the entire country.

SUN VALLEY, ID — The Great Big Idaho Potato Truck will keep rolling in 2013.

Frank Muir, president and chief executive officer of the Idaho Potato Commission, announced Aug. 30 during the commission's annual marketing report, here, at the 84th annual Idaho Grower Shipper Association conference, that the wildly popular semi-truck hauling a replica of a giant Idaho russet potato will embark on another cross-country tour in 2013.

TOMRA Sorting Solutions, through the merger of Odenberg and BEST, has in the last three months been awarded contracts totaling $18.5 million. The order is for optical sorting and peeling equipment to be used at a new high-capacity food processing plant in the United States.

Delivery is estimated to start in early 2013, and the solutions will be used for the processing of both French fries and associated products at the new plant.

BrightFarms Inc. and Schnuck Markets Inc. announced a partnership to build a greenhouse for the 99-store St. Louis-based supermarket chain.

BrightFarms will finance, build and operate a greenhouse to supply Schnuck customers with fresh, local produce year-round.

BrightFarms’ greenhouse will allow Schnuck Markets, which already buys directly from growers, to offer customers even more local produce. A local farmer, in partnership with BrightFarms, will operate the greenhouse and deliver the freshest possible produce to Schnuck Markets within hours of harvest.

 Olivier Banon and Andre Friesen of Mastronardi.

GATINEAU, QC — Outgoing QPMA President Robert Beauregard announced the finalist of the one-year internship program.

David Turcot of Ferme Turcot will spend the year attending QPMA events, meetings, working groups and round tables. The yearlong apprenticeship will offer Mr. Turcot the opportunity to network and learn about all aspects of the industry.