"Harvest curtailed by market conditions" is how the U.S. Federal-State Market News Service characterized the state of demand for many fresh vegetables in its Feb. 8 report.

The daily report noted that prices for many of the leaf items, including Iceberg lettuce, were mostly in the well-below-cost $5-$7 range because there was no demand. Bunched broccoli was barely over $5 per carton, while the crown cut was getting a dollar or two more -- but still trading well below the break-even point.

FreshSense, a company formed in early 2007 by several California stone fruit shippers, including the original partners of the Ripe 'N Ready marketing group, to take over management of the "Ripe 'N Ready" brand of tree fruit, is now owned by just two grower-shippers.

But those two will have "a significant amount of volume," possibly as much as "15 percent of the peaches and nectarines in the industry" this year, according to Doug Sankey, vice president of marketing for Sun West Fruit Co. Inc. in Parlier, CA.

CORAL GABLES, FL -- Students and faculty now have healthier snack options to eat on-the-go, as "Del Monte" fresh fruit and vegetables are being sold in vending machines across university, college and school campuses, nationwide.

PLANT CITY, FL -- For the past month, temperatures have been near normal throughout Florida, but the state's growers are still grappling with the after- effects of an unprecedented two-week New Year's freeze that caused as much as $1 billion in economic losses.

The first hard data on the economic impact of the big freeze are beginning to roll in and support anecdotal evidence and estimates previously reported in The Produce News of $1 billion in lost product, revenues and wages.

WASHINGTON -- The United Fresh Produce Association has launched a new campaign called A Salad Bar in Every School, a multi-year effort in which the produce industry will raise funds to donate salad bars to schools around the country.

The association linked the new initiative to first lady Michelle Obama's anti- obesity campaign, which also was unveiled Feb. 9. On the same day, President Obama established a task force on childhood obesity charged with developing an interagency plan to address the growing epidemic.

CHICAGO -- Sunkist Growers and Jewel-Osco's Chicago area retail stores joined forces in January to help the hungry through a "Sharing is Caring" program. At the end of the monthlong program, $7,500 was donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Sunkist provided special display units of Cara Cara oranges, and with every three-pound bag that customers purchased, 25 cents was donated to the food bank. One quarter of Jewel-Osco's stores also offered Cara Cara sampling and a take-home recipe booklet to further educate consumers about this wonderful variety.