Year: 2013

Courtney Heeren of Grand Rapids has been crowned the 2013 Michigan Apple Queen. Kate Sage of Eau Claire is First Runner-Up. Contestants for Michigan Apple Queen must have a connection to the Michigan Apple industry in order to serve as its ambassador. …

Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE: DOLE) today announced that it expects the sale of its worldwide packaged foods and Asia fresh businesses to ITOCHU Corporation for $1.685 billion in cash, now to be completed in early 2013. The sale transaction is still waiting for China regulatory approval, with the required regulatory approvals from the other six countries already received. …

Consuming half of a fresh Hass avocado with a burger may counteract the protein Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a measure of inflammation, compared to eating a burger without the vegetable. …

The 2011 Organic Production Survey counted 9,140 certified organic farms and ranches in the United States, comprising 3.6 million acres of land. Total certified organic product sales for the United States was 3.5 billion dollars, up 340 million dollars from 2008. The average organic producer had sales of $414,725 in 2011, compared to $217,675 in 2008. The top three states by number of farms were: California with 1,898, Wisconsin with 870, and New York with 597 certified organic farms. …

Cecelia Packing Corporation is proud to announce the 2013 release of their Sky Valley Heirloom Navel Oranges. Sky Valley will begin packing their sweet and juicy Heirloom Navel oranges on January 3, 2013. …