Jennie's Gems

By Jennie Dickinson, Manager, Port of Columbia

It is my pleasure to extend this invitation to you all to join us for the Blue Mountain Station Groundbreaking Ceremony April 15th starting at 2:00 pm. The ceremony will be held at the Blue Mountain Station site, which is at the corner of Highway 12 and Wagon Road on the western edge of the City of Dayton.

We are excited to have Dan Newhouse, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, as our guest speaker for the event. Mr. Newhouse and his wife, Carol, operate a 600-acre farm near Sunnyside where they grow hops, tree fruit, grapes and alfalfa. As WSDA director, Dan oversees an agency responsible for animal health, plant inspections, food safety, fruit and grain inspection and certification, and marketing the state's agricultural products regionally and internationally. We are grateful for his support of our project and honored to have him speak at this historic event.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be followed by a reception at the Harvest Christian Center which is located directly across Wagon Road from the site. Parking for the event is also available at the Harvest Christian Center, and we have the option of holding the groundbreaking ceremony inside in case of inclement weather.

The Port awarded the contract for installation of the first phase of construction to P.O.W. Contracting of Pasco on March 23rd. Work will begin as soon as contracts are in place and ground conditions permit.

We are thrilled to be taking this big step forward on the journey of our project and hope you will join us in celebration on April 15th.

Expo West at its Best

By Gary A. White, President, P'Chelle International

This year's Natural Products Expo West, March 11 - 13, in Anaheim was definitely the best we have attended over the last three years. The aisles were packed from beginning to end (which is more than I can say about the local shopping center), exhibitors were upbeat and new and exciting products were displayed from booth to booth. Talking about new and exciting products, according to the Natural Products Merchandiser website (www.newhope360.com), the official publication of the Expo, the following were some of the products that took center stage:

Henry's Stingers. In an effort to confront Colony Collapse Disorder, Henry Miller (all of 13) decided to become a beekeeper. Soon thereafter came Henry's Stingers, unique and delicious spicy honey blends: Grumpy Grandpa (hmmm, this is what my wife calls me) with spicy red pepper and garlic; Naughty Nana (no comment) with pepper and ginger and Phoebe's Fireball (named for Henry's cousin) with chipotle and cinnamon. I asked to speak to the boss and was introduced to Henry. Yea right, I want to speak to the real boss. Henry is the real boss!

Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips. A healthy leafy green turned into a healthy, crunchy snack...certified organic, air dried (not fried), vegan, gluten-free, featured in five flavors: Bombay Curry, Zesty Nacho, Texas BBQ, Kool Ranch and Mango Habanero. Do you detect a "hot trend"?

Crunchfuls Cereals. A full serving of vegetables in every bowl. What! Yep, these toasty round morsels are made with beans and lentils. They are rich in protein, fiber (more than whole grains), B vitamins and iron. They are minimally processed (milled, steamed, baked and toasted) and contain no gluten, corn, soy, eggs or dairy. A bowlful of crunchy, yet healthy cereal. A great way to start the day. I noticed they missed the "hot trend".

Innovation was not lost on the beverage side with Natural Products Merchandiser showcasing the following:

Orgain Healthy Kids. This one gets a little deceptive. The product tastes like and has the consistency of chocolate or vanilla milk, but (get this) is made with ten different fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, offering 25 essential vitamins and minerals plus eight grams of protein per serving, as well as being gluten free. I suppose a parent must do what a parent must do to provide healthy beverages to their offspring.

Prometheus Springs. This certified organic product is infused with capsaicin (back to the "hot trend"), the antioxidant that makes chili peppers spicy. Capsaicin is known to boost metabolism, relieve congestion, strengthen immunity, aid circulation, detoxify the body and elevate mood. Three new flavors were introduced at the Expo: Mango Chili, Citrus Cayenne and Spicy Pear.

The natural and organic sector has definitely taken the innovation lead in food and beverage processing. Not only in the product side, but also in the facilities and marketing side. An excellent example is Blue Mountain Station (www.bluemountainstation.com). You were probably wondering when I would get to this.

Next stop: The Summer Fancy Food Show, July 10 - 12, 2011 in Washington, D.C. Amidst all the political bickering let's talk about something really positive - how you can grow your food/beverage processing operation by expanding to Blue Mountain Station. Call me for a meeting during the Show at 509-539-3575 or send me an email at gary@pchelle.com.

Greetings from the Governor

Christine O. Gregoire, Governor, State of Washington

I am pleased to extend warm greetings to all of those attending the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Blue Mountain Station, the world's first eco-friendly natural and organic specialty food park.

We have much to celebrate today as we break ground on this exciting and unique food park, which has been three years in the making. Designed with cluster development in mind, this innovative project will integrate sustainable, locally-grown produce and natural and organic specialty food processing with the fun and popularity of food tourism. This development strategy makes sense based on growing consumer interest in natural and organic foods and nicely complements the heritage of the Walla Walla Valley, widely recognized as one of the richest agricultural regions in the world.

The State has been a proud partner in this project, and I applaud the many people who have worked hard to make this vision a reality. Blue Mountain Station will play an important role in growing the local economy, creating jobs and strengthening the food industry that has long been the foundation of this region's cultural and historical legacy. Agriculture represents a significant piece of our state's heritage and economy, and this rural economic development project is not only a win-win for the state and region, but also represents a unique strategy that could become a model for the future of specialty food processing.

Thank you all for coming, and please accept my best wishes for a memorable time of celebration and much success in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Christine O. Gregoire

Governor

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