As quality assurance manager for Salinas, CA-based Mills Family Farms' Wholeaves program, 25-year-old Kari Scheidhauer shoulders a lot of responsibility.

"The ax falls on me" in the event of food-safety problems, Ms. Scheidhauer said. Still, she's grateful for the opportunity and feels that she's making a contribution to the program.

FRESNO, CA -- An extended heat wave in the Central Valley, which began June 30 and continued with a string of triple-digit temperatures through most of the month, has affected various crops currently being harvested in the valley. The nature of the effect differs with the type of crop.

With tomatoes, for example, the immediate effect appears to have been minor, but the heat caused a bloom drop that could reduce yields in four to six weeks.

Putting together an annual event such as the Produce Marketing Association's Foodservice Conference in Monterey, CA, is akin to putting on a Super Bowl halftime show: Each successive show must attempt to outdo the previous one.

Unlike the Super Bowl, PMA's plans did not call for a provocative clothing mishap a la Janet Jackson. Still, more of what draws people to the show was planned for this year, said Lorna Christie, senior vice president of PMA.

Growers and packers from the Washington & Oregon United Potato Growers Cooperative and the United of Idaho Potato Growers Cooperative met in Pasco, WA, recently to discuss the upcoming summer potato harvest and marketing period.

At the meeting, it was agreed that all three states must work together to market the crop in an orderly fashion and to assure the growers a fair market price for their potatoes.

The group met under the umbrella of the Capper Volstead Act, which allows growers and shippers to meet and discuss marketing, pricing and supply.

Cincinnati-based Chiquita Brands International Inc. announced July 14 that it has made a series of senior management changes, among them that its board of directors has elected Tanios Viviani, 44, as president of Fresh Express.

Chiquita acquired Fresh Express -- a U.S. market leader in value-added salads -- last month.

PHILADELPHIA -- Despite a huge local marketing opportunity for Pennsylvania growers, only 1 percent of the produce sold by the Philadelphia Regional Produce Center is grown in the state.

In an effort to change that, Dennis Wolff, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, toured the Philadelphia market July 13 and held a subsequent press conference to discuss a new state program to promote Pennsylvania-grown produce. The event was moderated by Philadelphia market general manager Sonny DiCrecchio.