Bland Farms has opened a new facility in Donna, TX, that will enhance the Glennville, GA-based company's ability to service its customers.

"The doors of our new Donna, Texas, facility opened the last week of October, and the first product moved through it on Friday, October 31," Michael Hively, chief financial officer and general manager of Bland Farms, told The Produce News.

WASHINGTON -- With the produce industry still recovering from the summer-long Salmonella outbreak, top leaders of the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association sat down with federal food-safety officials to come up with a plan to improve the outbreak response and communication system.

The National Mango Board recently launched the on-line interactive game Jango Geography to educate children about mangos and the countries from which they originate.

Additionally, children will learn about the flavor and health benefits of mangos with the ultimate goal of increasing mango consumption.

The Washington Apple Commission, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, is working to appoint a new president in January. This past September, former President David Carlson was placed on administrative leave, and Ken Severn was appointed interim president of the organization.

According to Robin Mooney, WAC vice president and operations director, the position has been advertised in industry publications, websites and general circulation newspapers. "We have it out there," she told The Produce News in October.

WASHINGTON -- Jerry Welcome has been named president of the Reusable Packaging Association, based here. He started the job Nov. 3 as the first full- time president of RPA, a group whose membership has grown considerably over the past year.

Mr. Welcome returns to heading a trade group after serving as executive vice president of business development at the United Fresh Produce Association from 2006 to 2008. Before that, Mr. Welcome had been president of the International Fresh-cut Produce Association for three years until it merged with United Fresh in 2006.

Stemilt Growers Inc., based in Wenatchee, WA, is slicing its way into one of the faster-growing value-added market segments of the fresh produce industry.

Two years ago, the company began slicing and bagging fresh apples, and it is currently making a big push to introduce consumers to its trademarked "AppleSweets." During the latter part of October, the product -- and the cutting-edge technology used to create the slices -- were featured on the Food Network's show, "How'd That Get on my Plate?"