The California Tree Fruit Agreement, the marketing orders that represent California's more than 1,100 fresh peach, plum and nectarine growers, has hired Jeff Smutny as its new vice president of marketing.

Mr. Smutny will join the CTFA team Aug. 19. In his new position, he will lead the marketing team in the strategic development and execution of marketing programs designed to expand the opportunities for the grower-members' success.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a Health Hazard Alert Aug. 1 for various sliced mushroom products distributed by Metcalfe, ON-based Continental Mushroom Corp. Ltd. that may be potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Paul Catania Sr. loved the produce industry.

After returning from World War II in 1945, where he was a seaman in the Canadian Navy for two years, Mr. Catania went to work for his father, Michael's, produce brokerage, M.L. Catania, which was founded in 1929.

He went on to manage its subsidiary, Superior Packing Co. in Bradford, ON, for 13 years. In 1963, he purchased M.L. Catania after his father's retirement and actively served as its president into the early 1990s. Along the way, he built the firm into what it is today, his son Paul Catania Jr. said.

Movement of Australian citrus was a bit slower than normal this July due to decreased volumes of citrus in Australia, but the quality and condition of the fruit are excellent, according to the exclusive U.S. importer of that country's citrus crop.

"During harvest, there were long stretches of morning fog that prevented producers from getting to the fruit for harvesting," said Stu Monaghan, national sales manager for DNE World Fruit Sales in Fort Pierce, FL.

WASHINGTON -- Produce companies already labeling commodities by country of origin are not expected to be rocked by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new labeling rule, and those that haven't started will find that USDA tried to minimize hefty regulatory costs.