Join the FPIDG and other headlines

We have close to 180 members of the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group and tonight's posts demonstrate why all Fresh Talk readers should join. Here is what is on the FPIDG board this weekend:

Vendors at Hunts Point Market Go Postal Big Apple From Daily News

Vendors at the Hunts Point wholesale food markets are going postal over news they must pay a hefty fee to pick up their mail early.The produce, fish and meat merchants, whose business day runs from before dawn to early afternoon, have been picking up their mail at the post office early for more than 20 years - for free, said Lee Pakulsky, executive director of the Produce Association at the market.Now the U.S. Postal Service has said as of Friday, they will have .......

Organics: Its worth it Luis

The Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) has launched "Organic. It's worth it.", the non-profit organization's first national consumer   education and marketing campaign.

Peterson says shift food safety to USDA Luis

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif., and Agriculture Committee member has been working with fruit and vegetable producers on legislation to move those industries' food inspections to USDA, Peterson said.We're going to have some hearings on that," the Minnesota Democrat said."We have jurisdiction over meat and catfish," says Peterson. "FDA has jurisdiction over everything else. We're not perfect, but our track record is a helluva lot better at USDA than it is at FDA.

Other headlines snatched from the Web Sunday night...

Avocado, citrus may be on the way out North County Times

Avocado and citrus groves have adorned the hilly landscape of rural North San Diego and Southwest Riverside counties for decades. But in just a few years, their lush, semitropical foliage could be replaced by nature's original desert landscape.Water is the reason.Its shortage is becoming a permanent condition of California's economy. Even after the current drought is over, court-imposed environmental restrictions on water transfers will ensure there won't be enough to go around, water officials and growers say."This is what happens when the state doesn't develop its water supply," said Gary Arant, general manager of the Valley Center Municipal Water District, pointing to a stand of dead avocado trees.

Ecuador adopts protectionist measures in response to economic meltdown AP

Crushed glass and hydroponic tomatoes St. Louis today

Peru and Chile enact trade deal FT

Obesity supersizing worker comp costs Financial Week

As the link between obesity and health problems becomes clearer, employers and workers compensation vendors are increasingly assessing the impact that the rising prevalence of obesity is having on workers comp claims and safety efforts

Farmers find ax poised over subsidies Minneapolis Star Tribune

Green restauarant initiatives to grow QSR

The L curve Roubini opinion in NYT

Even if appropriate aggressive policy actions were undertaken — monetary and fiscal stimulus, bank clean-up and credit restoration, mortgage debt reduction for insolvent households — the growth rate would not rise closer to 2 percent until 2011. So this recession may last 36 months.

Kenyan produce exporters: tougher US import rules a boon Business Daily

Local fresh produce exporters are vying for a bigger slice of the American market share this year even as the world's only superpower drifts towards protectionism.Industry players say the decision by the  department of agriculture to re-introduce stricter traceability guidelines for fresh produce and meat entering the country comes with a silver lining that they intend exploit in a push to expand exports beyond the traditional 1 per cent level.The US's tougher laws on imports comes in the wake of the crippling global economic recession triggered by its own industrial failings.