As the Florida produce industry begins its recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, members of the state's tomato industry are fearful of a crisis situation if quality standards are not eased while growers attempt to regroup.

Build a better mousetrap, and the world is supposed to beat a path to your door.

It probably was with this old adage in mind that Whole Foods Chief Executive Officer John Mackey recently told a business publication, "I keep waiting for the competition I've been hearing about, but nobody else is doing quite what we're doing."

That magazine, BusinessWeek, published an article in mid- October questioning whether the natural foods retailer was growing too fast and also detailed the growth of that sector.

Joseph J. Brennan died at home Oct. 28 after a four-year battle with lung cancer He was 70 years old.

He is perhaps best known in produce circles for his many years as senior purchasing agent with the Marriott Corp. and for his service with the Produce Marketing Association.

Wow, where did the year go?

Once again, it's time for another Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit. This is the biggest and best produce industry event of its kind anywhere in the world.

There are more than 780 exhibitors covering over 600,000 square feet of space at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Salinas, CA-based NewStar Fresh Foods LLC will introduce several new items at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in Atlanta.

NewStar's sleeved asparagus, which has been under development for a year, is set for a Jan. 1 national rollout, said John Killeen, the company's vice president of sales and marketing.

From both handling and food-safety standpoints, the sleeve is a plus, Mr. Killeen said.

"The bag keeps [asparagus] hydrated," Mr. Killeen said. "People handle the bag, not the product."

Chef de cuisine Andrew LeTourneau of 26 brix restaurant in Walla Walla, WA, will be on hand Sunday, Nov. 6, at Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee's booth (No. 1643) at the Produce Marketing Association's convention in Atlanta.

Chef LeTourneau, who is filling in at the Atlanta event for chef-owner Mike Davis, will be dishing up a variety of Walla Walla sweet onion samples and providing recipes for booth visitors. Chef Davis, in the meantime, will be at home in Walla Walla, where he and his wife, Krista, are awaiting the birth of their first child.