Westlake Produce Co. in Winter Haven, FL, might not be the biggest player in the Florida citrus game, but it is large enough to provide ample volume of standard and specialty product -- and small enough to remain nimble and cater to its clients.

Launched in August with the idea to better facilitate purchasing transactions between produce buyers and sellers, freshproducelocator.com has experienced a recent surge in popularity, according to its developer.

The site has added numerous features and now lists 37 buyer members. Buyers on the site include some of the very large in the industry, such as Indianapolis Fruit Co., Pro-Act, Ben E. Keith, Save Mart Supermarkets, Stater Bros. and Supervalu.

Nixa, MO-based Market Fresh Produce LLC has appointed Mike Kemp its new chief operations officer. He brings a wealth of experience to Market Fresh that includes over 26 years in the produce industry.

Mr. Kemp's most recent position was vice president of perishable procurement for Save-A-Lot Ltd. in St. Louis.

Matt Harris, director of trade for the Washington State Potato Commission, said that he is heartened by a proposal drafted by the U.S. Department of Transportation that would once again allow Mexican truckers access to American roadways.

A 2007 pilot program implemented through the Department of Transportation gave Mexican carriers limited access to American roadways at the same time American carriers were operating within the first 25 miles of the U.S.-Mexican border.

PORTLAND, OR -- As of Jan. 28, Dennis James will leave his post as director of marketing at the Pear Bureau Northwest in order to take a brief break in his career so that he can focus on his personal life.

Florida farmers dodged a bullet Jan. 13-14 when a second consecutive night of sub-freezing temperatures failed to materialize. In most of the state's production areas, high cloud cover moved in overnight and acted as a blanket to trap the ground's heat and keep temperatures from dropping to forecast levels.

The cloud cover settled in south of Hernando County, about an hour north of Tampa, FL, and west of Orlando. Most of the state's winter crops are produced south of Hernando County. In Brooksville, Hernando's county seat, temperatures dropped below freezing after midnight.