It came as no surprise, but it is now official. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday, Feb. 20, a zero allocation of water from the Central Valley Project for agriculture use for 2009.

WASHINGTON -- Crisis communication is something with which Amy Philpott has had a lot of experience in recent years, but unlike many produce industry executives, it's something she enjoys.

Ms. Philpott left her post as vice president of communications at the United Fresh Produce Association and has taken a new job with Watson Mulhern, a public relations consulting firm that specializes in crisis communication among other services.

Aurora Products Inc., based in Stratford, CT, has launched the Aurora Natural line of 12 "Grab & Go" healthy snacks to meet the demands of today's busy consumer lifestyles.

Products in the new line are targeted toward health-conscious consumers because they are affordable and can be easily thrown into backpacks, lunch boxes or travel bags.

Agroalimentaria 2009 will be presented in the Dominican Fiesta Hotel March 4-7 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Eddy Mart?nez, the Dominican Republic's secretary of state and the executive director of the country's Center for Export & Investment, said in a press release that the trade show, the second of its kind, is "aimed to exhibit the very best of the national agricultural production, agro industrial goods, beverages and tobacco with the purpose to link buyers and sellers."

The worldwide recognition of Idaho potatoes was apparent when participants of the Special Olympics World Winter Games descended upon Boise, ID, in early February.

As the IPC mascot Spuddy Buddy greeted athletes from nearly 100 countries in his official cobalt blue World Games jersey, the universal support for Idaho potatoes was clear.

Mann Packing Co. is gearing up for its annual Swing Into Spring on-pack offer promotion.

Starting March 1, Mann will place instant-redeemable coupons on 200,000 packages of eight-ounce stringless sugar snap peas and six-ounce snow peas. The offer is good for $1 savings on any two packages of Mann's products purchased. This is one of eight on-pack offers Mann is planning in 2009 to encourage consumers to try its products and build sales.