Dialog v. Dialogue : The National Fruit & Vegetable Promotion Board (discussion) begins

Perhaps illustrative of the communication challenges coming, the full color 60+ page presentation from the PBH's task force concerning the proposal of a national fruit and vegetable research and promotion board uses the alternate spelling of "dialog" instead of "dialogue." Both are accepted in Merriam Webster's finest, of course, but it goes to show that even the smallest detail of the proposed plan will be dissected, diced and sliced.

For example: Why now? What's the evidence of generic promotion effectiveness? Will this lead to a flattening of the market, where fruits and vegetable are only commodities? Why hasn't this been done before? What about legal challenges to promotion boards? What will happen to the Produce for Better Health Foundation? What will our trading partners think of this? Is it fair to assess on the basis of value - why not per carton or by consumption? Can't this just be for fresh produce only - why must it include processed fruits and vegetables? How will promotions under this board be different than those of commodity groups already working to promote citrus, grapes, pears, etc? Will the money raised from the proposed assessment be enough to make the desired impact? What kinds of messages will be permitted under USDA oversight?

Patience, my friends.

From spending more an hour with Elizabeth March 19 listening to her presentation, I can say there is much to commend in the work of the task force, and these questions were and will be addressed. Their work is indeed substantial, and something the trade can digest and respond to over the next few months.

You should know that The Packer has endorsed the plan in our editorial this week titled "The Time is now for PBH plan." Be sure to check that edit out when you receive the April 6 edition.

I have been on record as a proponent of a national promotion board with mandatory assessments for fruits and vegetables. I think it will place the industry in a much better position in the marketplace and in the political arena.

I think our trade associations will be even handed and allow for thorough discussion and contemplation of the issue over the next several months. There will be leaders in the industry who are energized by the idea and others who will be passionate against it. In order for a promotion board to win the day, board members of trade associations must rise to champion the cause.

This opportunity may present the best vehicle to move the demand needle for fruits and vegetables in a generation. So let the dialog (dialogue) begin.

P.S. For a view of the issue in 1991, see the GAO report on Generic Promotion Program for Fruits and Vegetables. The 16-page report is published on the Fresh Produce Industry Discussoin Group.

The winners are...United recognizes produce managers

From the inbox, news of the winners from United's Retail Produce Manager Award Program for this year:



United Fresh Las Vegas 2009 will be the place of honor as 25 outstanding produce managers representing 21 different supermarket chains, commissaries and independent retail stores in 14 states and Canada, are recognized at this year’s convention through the United Fresh Retail Produce Manager Awards Program.

This program, generously sponsored by Ready Pac Foods, Inc., pays special recognition to those on the front line in supermarkets working everyday to increase sales and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. 2009 will mark the program's fifth anniversary.

United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel praised the 2009 winners, saying “these produce managers have had such a positive impact in their stores and in their communities, and we are proud to recognize this special group for their innovation and dedication to our industry.”

The 25 winners were selected from hundreds of nominations submitted by retailers and produce suppliers across the industry.

The 2009 winners are:

Richard Bixler, Brookshire Grocery Co., Sweetwater, Texas
Fernando Bovadilla, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s Family of Fine Stores, Mountain View, Calif.
Elden Cave, Food Lion, LLC, Dobson, N.C.
Malinda Cleveland, Bashas' Dine' Market, Window Rock, Ariz.
Nan Day, NAS Lemoore Commissary, Lemoore, Calif.
Ronald Flosi, Jewel-Osco, Chicago, Ill.
Uziel Galvez, Safeway Stores, Inc., Hood River, Ore.
Humberto Gonzalez, Ralphs, Los Angeles, Calif.
Dustin Haney, Hy-Vee, Inc., Ankeny, Iowa
Robert Hewett, Raley's Family of Fine Stores, Ukiah, Calif.
Chris Hood, Brookshire Grocery Co., Tyler, Texas
Greg Hurst, Vons, San Diego, Calif.
Ron Inatomi, Gelson’s Market, Newport Beach, Calif.
Paula Lucas, Colemans Food Centre, Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada
Jeff Mallory, Hy-Vee, Inc., Olathe, Kan.
Robert Oare, The Kroger Co., Mount Vernon, Ohio
Frank Owens, Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc., Fairhope, Ala.
Lequitte Perry, Food City, Louisa, Ky.
Abraham Ramirez, Raley's Family of Fine Stores, Benicia, Calif.
Donald Rich, Price Chopper Supermarkets/Golub Corp., Burlington, Vt.
John Smith, Brookshire Grocery Co., Ruston, La.
George Tataris, Dominick’s, Park Ridge, Ill.
Scott Theisen, Blue Goose Market, St. Charles, Ill.
Timothy Tremblay, Hannaford Bros. Company, Scarboro, Maine
Brett Warfield, Save Mart, Sonora, Calif.

“Retail produce managers play a key role in how fresh fruits and vegetables are perceived at the consumer level. Ready Pac is proud to once again sponsor this program that recognizes the hard work and dedication shown by these men and women,” said Ready Pac’s President and COO, Michael Solomon. “We look forward to presenting this award to this outstanding group on behalf of a very proud industry.”

Stenzel added, "I'd like to extend a special note of thanks to the entire Ready Pac team for their ongoing support of this program. Thanks to their generosity, we have honored over 100 managers since this program's inception in 2005!"

The winners are selected based on a number of criteria, including their efforts to increase produce consumption through everyday excellence in merchandising, special displays and promotions, community service, and commitment to total customer satisfaction. All winners and their corporate produce directors will be honored at the convention during the Chairman’s Reception & Annual Awards Banquet, Thursday, April 23 at the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. During the banquet, five “Grand Prize” recipients will be announced to receive an additional $1,000 cash prize.

Conference attendees will also hear from several of the winners on produce success at the store level during Insights from the Front Line: Produce Managers Speak on Marketing and Consumer Issues, a two-part workshop that takes place at the convention Friday morning, April 24.

Applications for the 2010 Retail Produce Manager Awards Program will be available this fall online at www.unitedfresh.org, with winners to be honored at the 2010 United Fresh convention.

Attendance at the Annual Awards Banquet in Las Vegas is included in the All-Access Convention Pass. Registration is now open online at www.unitedfreshshows.com.

PBH and recession impact

Here is the news release from the Produce for Better Health Foundation released earlier this week about a recent survey of consumers and how that compares to a year ago.

From PBH:


As families cut back on purchases they are also cutting back on fruits and vegetables. An annual survey of Moms, conducted by Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), the nonprofit entity behind the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters® national public health initiative, has found that although 60 percent of Moms continue to believe that their families eat too few fruits and vegetables, Moms are including less of them in meals and snacks. Reported fruit consumption has dropped 12 percent since a year ago and vegetable consumption is down 6 percent. The survey points to the nation's current economic recession for the negative impact on mother's attitudes and behaviors regarding fruits and vegetables, especially in lower income households. This is the fourth year PBH has conducted their Moms survey, and the first year a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption has been noted. In 2006, Moms reported consuming 1.96 servings of fruits and 2.21 servings of vegetables each day. Those numbers rose to 2.17 servings of fruits and 2.3 servings of vegetables in 2007 and then to 2.71 servings of fruits and 2.48 servings of vegetables in 2008. This year's slight reduction in intake, a reported 2.38 servings of fruit and 2.32 servings of vegetables, still indicates higher consumption levels than those reported in 2007. This suggests the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters national public health initiative is having a positive effect on fruit and vegetable consumption - although one that is offset somewhat this year due to an economic downturn. Most Moms (87 percent) still believe it's important to include fruits and vegetables in their family's diet. But, citing barriers such as cost and different preferences amongst family, Moms feel they need more support. And they do-90 percent of Americans consume fewer fruits and vegetables than the recommended daily amount, which ranges from 2 to 6 ½ cups each day. "It is important to continue to eat healthy, even in tough economic times," says Elizabeth Pivonka, Ph.D., R.D., PBH President and CEO. "Fruits and vegetables are an inexpensive part of a healthy lifestyle, and Fruits & Veggies-More Matters can show Moms how to include more, both at home and on the go." According to the survey, an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables correlates with Moms awareness of Fruits and Veggies-More Matters. To give Moms the support they need to include more, Fruits & Veggies-More Matters offers tools and advice online at www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. The website includes tips, recipes, and other resources to help Moms make adding more fruits and vegetables to their families' diet easier-and more affordable-than they might think. For example, to stretch their food budget, Moms can tap all forms of fruits and vegetables-fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice-to satisfy their family's healthy eating requirements. Over 300 short informational videos are also available on the website. In them, produce celebrity Michael Marks demonstrates how to check different fruits and vegetables for ripeness, outlines proper storage methods, presents healthy, fast recipe preparation, and offers many other fun and useful tidbits of information about fruits and vegetables. The survey was conducted between January 16 and January 22, 2009 by OnSurvey. Survey respondents were a nationally representative sample of women between the ages of 24 and 41, all of whom had at least one child under 18 living in their household. 1,000 women responded to the online survey. In general, a sample of this size has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%. Fruits & Veggies-More Matters is a national public health initiative created to encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables-fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice. The initiative is a national call-to-action to eat more fruits and vegetables for better health. Fruits & Veggies-More Matters was launched by PBH and CDC in cooperation with other partners including the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

United Leadership - the year ahead

This news release rolled in earlier in the week and highlights leaders of United Fresh for the coming year. For a variety of reasons, this group will play a critical role in the future of the industry....


WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman of the United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh) Board Development Committee Emanuel Lazopoulos, Del Monte Fresh Produce, has announced the slate of new officers and directors nominated to serve on the United Fresh Board of Directors, effective at its April 20 meeting.

Assuming the position of Chairman of the Board is Jim Lemke, Senior Vice President, C. H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn. Lemke oversees C.H. Robinson’s produce sales and marketing operations, as well as refrigerated transportation services. He previously served as vice president, produce, and as manager of C.H. Robinson's Corporate Procurement and Distribution Services division. Jim joined the company in 1989 after earning a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota. Jim has experience working in transportation, logistics, produce commodity sales and account management for the company’s retail, wholesale and foodservice customers. He currently serves on the board of the Produce for Better Health Foundation and is heavily involved with industry efforts such as the Produce Traceability Initiative.

Nominated as Chairman-Elect is Steffanie Smith, CEO, River Point Farms LLC, Hermiston, Ore. Smith was named CEO of River Point Farms in October 2007 after serving as president of the Deli/Prepared Foods Division of Taylor Farms, one of the largest fresh-cut vegetable suppliers to the foodservice industry. Prior to that, Smith served as president of Pacific Pre-cut Produce for 10 years before it was acquired by Taylor Farms in August 2005. Steffanie worked at National Pre-Cut Produce in the early days of the bagged salad industry from 1993-1995, focusing on sales and marketing, and learning the operations side of the fresh-cut business. Before moving to Salinas in 1993, she worked on the United Fresh staff, making Steffanie the first former staff member to ever serve as the association’s Chairman. Smith received her B.S. in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles.

Current Chairman, Tom Lovelace, Executive Vice President, McEntire Produce, Columbia, S.C., will move to the position of Immediate Past Chairman and remain on both the Board and the Executive Committee.

Michael Cavallero, President, North America Tropical Fresh Fruit, Dole Food Company, will continue to serve in an ongoing term as Secretary-Treasurer.

The following industry leaders have been nominated to serve as new members of the United Fresh Board for a two-year term beginning April 2009:

· Jan Berk, Vice President, San Miguel Produce, Inc., Oxnard, Calif., is nominated to serve as Vice Chairman of the Fresh-Cut Processor Board. Jan has been involved with San Miguel since the late 1980’s working on marketing projects, joining the company full-time in 2001 and becoming a partner in 2006. She also has had an extensive career in marketing and media, serving as Director of Communications & Public Affairs and Director of Marketing for the Los Angeles Times and the LA News Group, as well as a direct marketing firm in Los Angeles, Rauxa Direct. She currently serves on the board of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.
· John L. Chrosniak, Director, North America Crop Protection, DuPont Crop Protection, Wilmington, Del., provides leadership and strategic direction to the sales, marketing and field development efforts of DuPont’s crop protection business in the United States and Canada. Prior to joining DuPont, John was a senior manager with Deloitte Consulting. He received his MBA from the Darden Business School at the University of Virginia and his B.A. from James Madison University.
· Ana Hooper, Vice President, Total Quality, Darden Restaurants, Orlando, Fla., is responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of more than 3,000 different products from 1,500 suppliers in 35 countries around the world. She and her team direct the food safety and quality practices in more than 1,700 Darden restaurants, including Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52. She has a B.S. in microbiology from Florida State University.
· Lorri A. Koster, Co-Chairman of the Board, Mann Packing Company, Salinas, Calif., is in the third generation of her family business, having started her full-time career at Mann Packing in 1990. She also serves as editorial director of Coastal Grower magazine, and previously worked as vice president of marketing at ProduceOnline.com. She is currently vice chairman of the Grower Shipper Association of Central California, serves on the board of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement and is the former chair of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association. She has a B.A. in public relations from California State University, Chico.
· David W. Krause, President, Paramount Citrus Association, Delano, Calif., has lived in the Central Valley of California and worked in agriculture his whole life. He joined Paramount Citrus in 1999 as COO and was named President in 2001. Paramount Citrus is the largest integrated grower and packer of citrus in California. Paramount owns and farms approximately 30,000 acres in various locations throughout California and Mexico. David has served in numerous industry roles, including the California Citrus Growers Association, California Citrus Mutual and the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation. He has an A.S. in plant science from Reedley College in California.
· Jackson Woodward, CEO and President, Horton Fruit Company, Louisville, Ky., joined the company in 1997 after completing his MBA at Indiana University. Horton Fruit is a family-owned repacker, processor and full-line distributor of fruits and vegetables. He is also CEO of Grow Farms, a grower-shipper of regional produce; Flagship Transportation, a freight hauling business; and First Call Logistics, a truck brokerage company, in addition to serving as president and director of the Louisville Produce Terminal. A native of Oklahoma, he is a graduate of the United Fresh Produce Industry Leadership Program, and has a B.A. from the University of Virginia.

Current Board members nominated to new positions of service leading expert advisory councils are:

· Chairman, Government Relations Council -- Barry Bedwell, President and CEO, California Grape & Treefruit League, Fresno, Calif.
· Chairman, Nutrition and Health Council – Ashley W. Rawl, Director, Sales & Marketing, Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Pelion, S.C.

The following current At-Large Board Members will continue service on the Board: Nelia Alamo, Gills Onions; Mike Celani, Ready Pac Produce; Peter John Condakes, Peter Condakes Company, Inc.; Tony DiMare, DiMare Company; Pete Donlon, Earthbound Farm; Charles Hall, Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association; Roger Harkrider, H-E-B; Brent Harrison, Al Harrison Co. Distributors; Brian Kocher, Chiquita Brands International; Michael Martin, Rio Queen, Inc.; Phillip Muir, Muir Copper Canyon Farms; Mark Murai, California Strawberry Commission; Robin Poynton, One Harvest; Doug Riley, Hy-Vee, Inc.; Alan Temple, B&W Quality Growers, Inc.; Alessandro Turatti, Turatti Srl; Rick Urschel, Urschel Laboratories and Geoff White, Safeway, Inc.

The following officers of Market Segment Boards and Councils will continue service on the Board:

· Grower-Shipper Board: Chairman Al Vangelos, Sun World International LLC; Vice Chairman Fred Williamson, Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce
· Wholesaler-Distributor Board: Chairman Matthew D’Arrigo, D’Arrigo Bros. Co. of New York; Vice Chairman Brendan Comito, Capital City Fruit Company Inc.
· Retail-Foodservice Board: Chairman Reggie Griffin, The Kroger Company; Vice Chairman Mitch Smith, McDonald’s Corporation
· Fresh-Cut Processor Board: With the elevation of Steffanie Smith from Chairman of the Fresh-Cut Board to Chairman-Elect of the association, Ron Midyett, CEO, Apio Inc., will become Chairman of the Fresh-Cut Board
· Global Advisory Council: Chairman David Barney, Bakkavor
· Supply Chain Logistics & Technology Council: Chairman David Dever, Pandol Brothers Inc.
· Food Safety & Technology Council: Chairman Barry Eisenberg, Ph.D., River Ranch Fresh Foods

In addition, the following individuals are nominated to fill open seats on the Market Segment Boards indicated:

· Fresh-Cut Processor Board: Garth Bormann, Taylor Farms Inc, Tracy, Calif.; David Russell, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Coral Gables, Fla.
· Wholesaler-Distributor Board: Joe Klare, Castellini Company LLC, Newport, Ky.
· Retail-Foodservice Board: Scott Sargent, Chick-fil-A Inc., Atlanta, Ga.

“In total, the slate of nominees for our new boards, councils and at-large seats, together with our returning Board members and new officers, makes this a tremendously diverse and skilled set of leaders to represent our entire industry and guide our association in the year ahead,” said Lazopoulos.

Board members concluding service at the April meeting include:

· Emanuel Lazopoulos, Senior Vice President, Del Monte Fresh Produce, who served as Chairman of the Board in 2007-2008 and this past year as Immediate Past Chairman.
· Michael Wootton, Senior Vice President, Sunkist Growers Inc., who has served as Chairman of the Government Relations Council. Wootton will continue to provide industry leadership as a member of that Council.

Also concluding service are at-large Board members Ron Anderson; Matthew Caito, Imagination Farms; John Shelford, Shelford Consulting; Vic Smith, Fresh Innovations, LLC and Timothy Vaux, Vaux Group, Inc.

“I’d like to personally thank those leaders who are concluding their service at this meeting,” said United Fresh President Tom Stenzel. “They have contributed greatly to our industry’s success in so many ways, and we appreciate the time and resources they have given to serve our industry,”

“I’d also like to thank Emanuel Lazopoulos and Board Development Committee members Nelia Alamo, Barry Bedwell, Brendan Comito, Tom Lovelace and Jim Lemke for their work this year in nominating an outstanding individual in Steffanie Smith to serve as Chairman-Elect, as well as a slate of great new Board members. We recognize that the strength of our association comes from strong representation of our membership across the total supply chain, bringing together an exceptional group of industry leaders to serve our industry.”

Something rotten at MSU

It's no joke about cafeteria food at Michigan State University. Here is a report of another food poisoning outbreak at MSU Newsinferno.com

Michigan State University (MSU) is again facing a food poisoning outbreak, this time, indefinitely closing a campus dining hall, reported the Detroit News. This fall, MSU was hit with an E. coli outbreak believed linked to Aunt Mid's lettuc.Now, health officials are reporting that over 50 people have been stricken with a stomach illness, which was followed by an investigation by the county health department, said Detroit News. "We have a number of students who became ill in a short period of time," said Dr. Dean Sienko, head of the Ingham County Health Department. "That's an outbreak," he noted, according to Detroit News.The illness started being reported at about 2:00 a.m. yesterday with about 28 students reporting symptoms that include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain and who were treated at a local hospital, said the Detroit News; 16 remained hospitalized as of last night. Approximately 30 other students were treated at the student health center, said Detroit News, which noted that most of the ill students live at MSU's Shaw Hall.The source of the illness and the type of illness remain unknown; however, the college believes the sickness to be food borne. According to Dr. Sienko, the current outbreak appears to be different from this September's E. coli outbreak, "We are early in the investigation…. People want us to have answers, and these things just take time," quoted the Detroit News.


Pistachio had tested positives for months USA Today
The company that recalled 2 million pounds of pistachios on Monday had been receiving positive salmonella tests for as long as five months, federal officials say. Salmonella in nuts from Setton Pistachio was detected by one of the company's food-manufacturing customers. When the Food and Drug Administration asked Setton officials if any of their own tests had come back positive for salmonella, the answer was yes, says David Acheson, FDA associate commissioner.
"They told us, 'We've had montevideo, newport, senftenberg and larochelle,'" Acheson says, meaning the earlier discovery of four strains of salmonella. "The question is, 'Did Setton Farms have an ongoing problem, and what did they do about it?' " Acheson says. The FDA believes batches of pistachios that tested positive for salmonella were destroyed, not distributed. Setton Pistachio spokeswoman Fabia D'Arienzo could not confirm that.


Pistachio recall frustrates shoppers The Denver Channel.com
Karen Andrews is vaguely aware of the long list of recent food recalls, from E. coli-tainted spinach to salmonella pistachios. "Somebody is probably not doing their job or we need to take a look at more people -- have a look at how we process food," said Andrews. The food safety system in the United States is broken and needs a complete overhaul, according to Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), who points to the pistachio problem.



DHS chief supports E-verify Daily Record

In an interview today with Gannett Washington Bureau, Napolitano said the Obama administration hasn't taken a position on whether or not to make E-Verify mandatory for all U.S. employers."It's all about who gets to work and making sure they're legally present in our country. And to do that nationally E-verify becomes a key component,'' she said. "It certainly needs to available, effective and as inexpensive as possible and that employer needs to use it as a tool."



Working toward a more efficient USDA Tom Vilsack McClatchy



European land use and CAP USDA FAS


Chattanooga market aims to shift buying patterns Chattaratti

The Chattanooga Market, which returns to the First Tennessee Pavilion beginning April 26, has announced its new Support Area Food Economies (SAFE) Program. The membership-based program will provide consumers with affordable options for seasonal locally-grown foods while supporting a wide variety of local food producers. The ultimate goal, according to owner Chris Thomas, is to change the buying habits of Chattanoogans—away from chain stores and mega-marts and towards local vendors.

Gardening can provide a wealth of benefits Gloucester Daily Times
A modest 600 square foot plot and $70 in seeds will yield $530 of produce after harvest, Metallo said. Even those without a lawn can grow crops, since "almost any vegetable can be grown in a container," said Siobhan O'Donoghue of Wolf Hill Home and Garden Center on Eastern Avenue

Controversial sheriff snubbed by House immigration panel Politics
Arpaio, who promotes himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff," said he's being unfairly vilified for his approach to law enforcement."It's a political witch hunt to use me to stop local law enforcement from enforcing federal laws," Arpaio told FOXNews.com on Thursday, noting that activists who regularly protest his policing hold up signs calling him "Hitler" and "Nazi.""I've been the sheriff going on 17 years, and I always get re-elected. And all the polls on this issue of immigration support me so it's just a small minority of politicians and activists who accuse me" of mistreating suspects, Arpaio said.Among the primary concerns during testimony was section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was put into law in 1996 as a result of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act.

Layoffs rise despite hope recession is easing AP

With employers axing payrolls, the nation's unemployment rate is expected to jump to 8.5 percent, from 8.1 percent in February. If that happens, it would mark the highest jobless rate since late 1983, when the country was recovering from a severe recession that drove unemployment past 10 percent.As the recession, which started in December 2007, eats into their sales and profits, companies are laying off workers and resorting to other cost-saving measures. Those include holding down hours, and freezing or cutting pay, to survive the storm

Drought threatens Calif. agriculture ABC7

Dr. Doom is bullish Forexpros.com

Credit card rules moving forward in Congress Market Watch

The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights would restrict retroactive rate increases on existing balances, double-cycle billing, and "due-date gimmicks," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-NY, who has spearheaded the legislation. The proposals approved by a House subcommittee are similar to final rules passed late last year by the Federal Reserve and other regulators. Earlier this week a Senate committee approved its own set of credit card restrictions

Sustainable food in s sustainable future Vision

account the farm's relationship to the environment as an integral part of an ecosystem. Dr. Stephen R. Gliessman, longtime director of the Agroecology program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, defined the idea as "a whole-systems approach to food, feed, and fiber production that balances environmental soundness, social equity, and economic viability among all sectors of the public." This is not just a system of growing food but a return to the culture in agriculture.

Eurofresh wins Chef's Best Award Citizen's Sandbox

For the 12th consective year, Eurofresh Farms of Willcox has won a 2009 ChefsBest Award for its Tomatoes on the Vine (TOV) variety.The "Best Taste" award from the independent judging organization is given to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs.