Montreal-based Metro Inc., one of the larger retailers in Canada, has named Daniel Archambault its new director of produce procurement, sales and quality control for Quebec.

Mr. Archambault, Metro's former produce sales manager and a 27-year veteran at the firm, replaces Ghislain Perron, a 29-year Metro employee and a 40-year veteran of the produce industry, who was named director of special projects for produce in July.

MONTEREY, CA -- Salyer American Fresh Foods announced Dec. 8 that its new website is now on-line at www.salyeramerican.com.

Among its many useful features is a unique, easy-to-use link to crop updates by commodity. Produce buyers can click the crop update button at the top of the page to learn the latest information on crop appearance, quality and availability.

Featured commodities include broccoli, cauliflower, celery, green onions, Iceberg lettuce, leaf lettuce and Romaine. Crop updates are done weekly and posted at 10 a.m. PST each Saturday.

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama has named former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as his choice to run the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Vilsack, who served two terms as Iowa's Democratic governor and who represented a state known for growing corn and soybeans, has been tabbed to run a department facing critical energy, agriculture and nutrition issues.

At a Dec. 17 press conference in Chicago, President-elect Obama said that his nominee for secretary of agriculture was a leader in clean energy and an advocate for policies that protect family farms.

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ -- The citrus industry of Valencia, Spain, descended Dec. 17 on the Gloucester Marine Terminal with considerable force.

The Holt family, owners of Holt Logistics Corp in Gloucester City, NJ, including the terminal on the Delaware River, hosted a delegation of about 25 visitors from Valencia. Many representatives of the Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York produce import trade were present to meet them. A strong media representation was also present.

The competition is underway to honor companies and chefs among the foodservice industry's top produce performers in the United Fresh Research & Education Foundation's Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards.

Five winning chefs and their corporate executives will receive complimentary airfare, two nights' hotel accommodation and an all access convention pass to United Fresh 2009, slated for April 21-24 in Las Vegas, NV, where the winners will receive their awards at the chairman's reception and awards banquet Thursday evening, April 23.

An ice storm that struck New England Dec. 11-12 hit the distant suburbs of the city.

Camilo Pe?alosa, vice president of Infinite Herbs in Everett, MA, said Dec. 15 that the iciest and most treacherous part of the storm was generally limited to the Interstate 495 ring around the northern and western suburbs of Boston.