The Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association, an organization that represents U.S. companies involved in importing fresh Peruvian asparagus, announced Feb. 15 that it will be led by co-chairmen in 2011.

Chris Martin of Los Angeles-based Gourmet Trading Co. will serve as co-chairman for the West Coast and Walter Yager of Miami-based Alpine Marketing is co-chairman for the East Coast.

For the third straight year and the 10th time since 1981, Loop Cold Storage Co. and Loop Fresh Produce LP in McAllen, TX, are expanding their facilities.

The move is a result of the increased volume of Mexican product making its way across the Texas border.

The Oppenheimer Group, headquartered in Vancouver, BC, has added a new person to its sales team. DAVID FIGLIOLA, whose first day was Jan. 4, brings a decade-and-a-half of industry experience to his role in the full-service marketer's Houston location. He will sell the full line of Oppenheimer items to customers in Texas and the surrounding states.

WASHINGTON — In the early-morning hours of Feb. 19, the House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution without an amendment that would have zeroed out funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program.

The House approved the temporary funding bill (H.R. 1) by a 235-189 vote, with all Democrats and three Republicans voting against the bill. The resolution expires March 4, leaving the Senate little time to craft its own bill, which may result in another resolution or a government shutdown.

WASHINGTON - It's the news the produce industry has been waiting to hear for years: Tomatoes were never the source of the Salmonella outbreak in 2008 but were mixed in with the Jalapeño and Serrano peppers, the items that ended up causing the outbreak.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention have authored a long-awaited analysis of the 2008 Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak that is slated to appear in the March 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In conjunction with the Florida Department of Citrus, Duda Farm Fresh Foods announced a promotion that will feature a coupon on its bags of Florida citrus for a free Florida citrus cookbook.

"This is a great opportunity to bring additional value to the consumer," Mark Bassetti, senior vice president of Duda Farm Fresh Foods, said in a Feb. 22 press release. "Offering a free Florida citrus cookbook is a convenient way for consumers to explore the variety of options our citrus products provide."