Etihad Airways is shifting some of its Boeing 787-10s to a cargo role during a temporary suspension of scheduled passenger flights in the United Arab Emirates. "Demand for air freight has gone through the roof," said Etihad's Tony Douglas.

Sweet potato growers are speeding up the harvest as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast, working through the night to get as many of the tubers out of the ground as possible, according to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission. The storm is expected to dump upward of 20 inches of rain on parts of the Carolinas over the next week, the National Weather Service predicts.

Sun World International and its partners have added packing operations at its facilities in California. The new in-house setup will improve quality control and the ability to custom-pack fruit, the grape supplier said.

The Agriculture Department has approved a recommendation by the Cranberry Marketing Committee that will limit growers to selling 75% of their historical sales volume this season. The move is designed to shore up prices for the fruit.

Etihad Airways, based in the United Arab Emirates, has signed a $1.1 billion deal to buy five wide-body 777s from Boeing. Etihad is scheduled to take delivery of the first 777 in October 2005.