Publications issued by the states of Washington and Oregon detail the importance of onion production in the Pacific Northwest.

LaSalle, CO — While Strohauer Farms in LaSalle, CO, has kept its overall acreage steady over the past year, it has upped planting in specific categories.

According to Marketing Director Tanya Fell, “Specialty fingerling potato acreage is up slightly as well as the organic acreages due to market demands.

LOG ANGELES — Things haven’t changed a lot in the past year at VIP Marketing Inc., here, and considering that things changed for the worse for a number of Los Angeles area produce companies over the last year, not much change can be considered a good thing.

Commenting July 18 on Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers' 2012 cherries, Marketing Director Scott Marboe said the season has reached the halfway point, and fruit from the high orchards is peaking.

He went on to say that weather has been a factor but added, "We are starting to get in to those orchards we were waiting for."

The question of how the chief executive officer of a new national fresh produce association would be picked proved to be the issue that doomed the merger talks between the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association.

MCL Fresh Inc., a Los Angeles-based grower, packer and shipper of organic, conventional and specialty fruits and vegetables, announced that Sheri Normandin (formerly Sheri Mierau) has been named director of sales and customer relations.