California table grapes have been shipped at a record pace in recent weeks. According to USDA data through Sept. 13, five of the past six weeks have seen week-ending shipment totals of over 4 million boxes. Last year, only one week in the entire season surpassed 4 million.  

"Grapes from California are in strong demand worldwide," Kathleen Nave, president of the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission, said in a press release. "With nearly 45 million boxes shipped, the industry is on pace for another record crop year."

The California Date Administrative Committee, a federal marketing order covering date growers in Riverside County (encompassing the date-growing regions of the Coachella Valley) will be participating in several high-profile local events in the Coachella Valley in 2014, concentrated in the months of January and February.

Sweet onion giant Bland Farms LLC of Glennville, GA, will have a lot to talk about at the Southeast Produce Council fall show Sept. 26-28 in Myrtle Beach, SC, as well as along the rest of the upcoming fall tradeshow trail — and the news is not all about onions.

Urschel Laboratories Inc. promoted RICK URSCHEL from vice president of operations to president and chief executive officer of the company, effective Sept. 13.

“As I pass the leadership of the company on to Rick, I am fully confident in his abilities as the new president and CEO of Urschel Laboratories,” said Bob Urschel, president and CEO of the company for the past 30 years, who will remain actively involved with the company as chairman of the board.

Nash Produce in Nashville, NC, is quickly becoming a familiar name throughout the produce industry. Already well-known in sweet potato circles, the Nash approach to marketing and brand-building has kept company members traveling, spreading the word about its 7,500-acres of NC sweet potato production.

“Exports are huge in the potato industry,” said Frank Muir, president of the Idaho Potato Commission, in a presentation made to the membership of the Idaho Grower Shipper Association in Sun Valley, ID, Aug. 29. “Total U.S. fresh potato exports are now 900 million pounds, and growing at a rate of 17 percent, and we have been part of that.”