High fuel prices and a severe transportation shortage caused some coast-to- coast truck rates to top $10,000 a year ago. That has not been the case this year; in fact, rates haven't come close.

For the past nine years, Wilcox Marketing Group in Rexburg, ID, the marketing arm of Floyd Wilcox & Sons Inc., has been part of the Birds Eye family, shipping potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes under the "Birds Eye Fresh" label. Now the company has stepped away from Birds Eye and has introduced a new trade brand, "Mother Earth Fresh," according to Jim Richter, senior vice president of retail relations.

Mitsuko Murakami, the wife of Murakami Produce Co. founder Shigeo (Sig) Murakami, died Aug. 11 at Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, ID. She was 88.

Ms. Murakami, known to her friends as Mitzi, worked with her husband to build one of the more respected onion-producing companies in Idaho- Eastern Oregon's Treasure Valley.

Domestic importers of Peruvian sweet onions are anticipating an uptick in volume during the 2009 season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service indicated Aug. 4 that the first arrivals of Peruvian onions were expected to occur by mid-August, with initial f.o.b.s to be announced shortly thereafter.

Todd Hultquist, director of communications and membership for the U.S. Apple Association in Vienna, VA, told The Produce News Aug. 12 that the organization received news that morning that this season's U.S. apple crop was predicted to be 240 million bushels.

"It is one of the largest ever," said Mr. Hultquist. "And all growing regions are reporting that the quality and apple sizes are on target. As of today, production across the country is normal, and everyone is looking forward to a good year."

The Southeast Produce Council will celebrate its 10th anniversary during its annual fall conference, set for Nov. 5-7 at the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort in Braselton, GA.

The conference is always a fun and informative weekend for attendees, but this year's event will be especially gratifying to all those who helped found the council and who have worked so hard since that time to make it a success.