Produce

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) officially launched the Global Food Traceability Center at a press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2013.   The Center will serve as an authoritative, scientific, and unbiased source for food traceability. Currently there is no single entity, public or private, that brings together key stakeholders in the agri-food system to collaborate on providing timely product tracing solutions. …

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow will kick off the Washington Public Policy Conference, delivering the keynote address at the Opening General Session Breakfast on Tuesday, October 1. In her role as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Stabenow plays a pivotal role in shaping our nation’s agricultural policies. Senator Stabenow will discuss the public policy opportunities and challenges facing the produce industry, including the status of the Farm Bill and comprehensive immigration reform. …

Apple harvest is now officially underway across the state of New York, from the lower Hudson Valley to the upper Champlain Valley – and growers are harvesting a vintage crop, New York Apple Association (NYAA) reports. …

On Monday, September 16th 2013, in honour of Mexican Independence Day, 10,000 Avocados from Mexico will be given away to commuters starting at 6:00am. The regular morning commute will be made livelier as a Mariachi band, Mexican dancers and sultry ambassador, Miss Ava Cado, transform the corner of Bay and Wellington streets into a colourful fiesta. …

A researcher from The University of Queensland, has conducted the world's first pineapple microarray to gain a better understanding of tropical fruit development at the molecular level. …