SUN VALLEY, ID - A year ago at the 81st annual Idaho Grower Shipper Association meeting, the industry strategized in the face of moving a record crop. As part of that effort, the Idaho Potato Commission ramped up its promotional programs on the retail, foodservice and international fronts with a number of consumer and trade initiatives.

This year, the industry is looking at a much shorter crop. However, the commission will continue with an all-out promotional assault to help move the state's famous spuds and maintain the "Idaho" brand recognition.

Christopher Ranch has added three new packs of peeled specialty onions to its product mix, according to a Sept. 2 press release issued by the Gilroy, CA- based company.

The products are Pearl onions, Cipolline onions and shallots, and Christopher Ranch LLC is offering the value-added pre-peeled products in ready-to-use six-ounce retail consumer bags.

"With the success of its peeled garlic in eco-friendly bags, Christopher Ranch knew the timing was right to expand its consumer line of products in the new packaging," the release stated.

NAPLES, FL - How bad was this Florida tomato season? Bad enough that Reggie Brown, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee and executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange, began his annual state-of-the- industry address at the Florida Tomato Conference, held Sept. 7-12 at the Naples Ritz-Carlton, here, by leading attendees in a chant of "It's over."

"What do you say after a year like last year?" Mr. Brown asked the estimated 300 tomato industry members at the opening of the Sept. 8 session.

"It's over," the attendees mumbled back.

JESSUP, MD — Fruit and vegetable sales are good for distributors on and near the Maryland Wholesale Produce Center, here, according to several operators.

MONTE VISTA, CO — Potato growers in Colorado's San Luis Valley have cut back slightly in their planted acreage again this season, working to bring balance to the supply-and-demand and the production-returns equations.

According to Jim Ehrlich, executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, 55,800 acres of potatoes were planted for the 2010-11 shipping season. That compares to 2009’s 57,000 acres and to just under 72,000 acres as recently as 2002.

WASHINGTON — The timing could not be better for the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference. Congress will be making decisions on childhood nutrition and food safety bills when United Fresh holds its conference, here, Sept. 14-16.