Split decision - better, worse and about the same

The industry is divided on their feelings about the state of the fresh produce business in six months. This week's Fresh Talk poll asks if readers anticipate conditions to be better, worse or about the same as current conditions. The voting, with about a day plus left in the voting, is as follows:
Better 27%
Worse: 33%
About the same: 39%

So far the optimists are hanging in there. I'm also interested in the reader verdicts about the impact of the recession on industry travel.

Here are some headlines snatched from the Web today:

Safeway wants health care reform from Obama administration Everyone should be covered

USDA to get $250M to upgrade computers At least Dell will be happy

Vilsack confirmed as Agriculture Secretary Reauthorization of child nutrition and WIC programs will highlight 2009 work

Campbell's creates mypyramid app Five bowls of soup a day?

Depression survivor's advice She is serious about saving:

Each week she buys a three-pound bag of fresh carrots. "I don't buy baby carrots. They're too expensive." She slices the carrots in strips and stores them in a jar with water in the fridge. She buys a head of cabbage each week. "It makes wonderful cole slaws or sautéed cabbage. We don't have to have expensive lettuce."

Super Bowl brings demand for a variety of foods Can't lose this visual picture

This year, the commission estimates more than 46 million pounds of avocados will be consumed that day. If all that fruit was turned into guacamole and piled onto the football field at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, where the game will be played, it would cover the field from end zone to end zone at a depth of nearly 18 feet

Wall Street shares plunge on inauguration day State Streets leads financial institutions lower... ugliest inauguration day ever.. Roubini speaks of systemic banking crisis


Veggie grower makes delivery for inauguration organic grower from Penn. makes big deliveries to DC

Taste trends of 2009
Simplicity, health and comfort top three taste trends