KENNEWICK, WA -- Multiple hailstorms passed through the prime pear-growing regions of Washington state twice during Independence Day week, and early damage assessments indicated that losses could be substantial.

In addition, securing enough labor to thin damaged orchards could also be problematic.

Celebrity chef product endorsements are expensive propositions. Famous spokespeople like Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen and Emeril Lagasse, who have achieved near movie-star status, cost about as much for an appearance as a college education. For a name endorsement on a product, their agents would negotiate a percentage of every piece of fruit or vegetable produced for the duration of a contract.

GONZALES, CA -- Foxy Foods has added to its line of fresh vegetable trays with a new personal, single-serving size featuring three different vegetables and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing dip.

The new eight-ounce "Foxy" vegetable snack tray includes broccoli florets, sliced celery sticks and baby carrots, accompanied by a two-ounce container of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing dip.

Salinas, CA-based D'Arrigo Bros. of California has introduced a new product: premium cut tops broccoli rabe, packaged under its "Andy Boy" label.

Margaret D'Arrigo-Martin, executive vice president of sales and marketing for D'Arrigo Bros. of California, told The Produce News July 10 that the broccoli rabe product would be introduced at the Produce Marketing Association's Foodservice conference in Monterey.

"Four or five years ago, broccoli rabe was a 15-pound loose product," Ms. D'Arrigo-Martin said. "Now it's a smaller cut using the tips - not the whole plant."

RIVERHEAD, NY -- Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip. It started from a Long Island port aboard a not-so-tiny ship. For those who grow up on the east end of New York's Long Island, fishing is in the blood. For Paul Visentin, fishing was not only an activity, but it also led to an unlikely career in produce.

"I started fishing when I was two years old," Mr. Visentin said. "You can't live on eastern Long Island without fishing."