From his in-store vantage point, produce clerk Ray Ortega can see that a good many consumers are confused about the produce they buy. They are not even that sure how to tell if an apple is good, let alone how to pick a ripe coconut or a juicy pineapple.

Integrated Fresh Solutions, a marketer of fresh tomatoes to the wholesale, retail and foodservice industries, announced Feb. 11 that it has formed a new company, Fresh Link Tomato, which provides sourcing opportunities from major tomato-growing regions.

IFS, a holding company based in Dallas, owns a portfolio of companies that are vertically integrated in the produce supply chain. Michael Leach, vice president of IFS, said that the inspiration behind the formation of the new company comes from the dramatic changes the tomato business has been experiencing.

MIRABEL, QC -- Along with celebrating its 20th year in business, HydroSerre Mirabel Inc. has added and promoted a number of key staffers. The company is known for its hydroponic lettuce grown with floating-raft technology in greenhouses here, and it will begin using the process later this year at a new facility in Rickman, TN.

WASHINGTON -- Producers are expressing outrage over a U.S. Department of Agriculture plan to collect $10 million in user fees to help finance enforcement of the new country-of-origin labeling measure. This comes as the produce industry is left guessing what the final COOL program may look like.

"It's shocking that the president would pledge to veto any legislation that increases taxes, yet propose a new tax to implement country-of-origin labeling," National Farmers Union President Tom Buis said in a statement.

NEWARK, DE -- Produce Marketing Association has announced that Julia Stewart has joined the association staff to manage its public relations and crisis communications activities.

As the association's new public relations director, the former Julia Daly will work with PMA staff and management to direct the association's integrated communications with members and other publics, serve as a media spokesperson, and direct PMA's crisis prevention, mitigation and management activities.

After 35 years in the produce industry, John Kalil, president of Houston's Finest Produce Co. in Houston, said that shutting his doors and filing bankruptcy was the last thing he wanted to do. But that was the move he made Jan. 29.