A 7.7 earthquake that struck northern Chile Nov. 14 is expected to have no effect on the country's fruit exports.

Tom Tjerandsen, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association in Sonoma, CA, told The Produce News a couple of hours after the quake that it was "in the far north in the dry desert area." He contacted the trade in Santiago and Valparaiso after the quake "and no one felt anything," he said. "It won't have any impact on the food exports heading north from Chile."

The Canadian produce industry is a close-knit group that can be compared to a large extended family. That family lost one of its more beloved and respected members on Nov. 8 when Cory Clack-Streef, president of Mississauga, ON-based Faye Clack Communications, died following a two- year battle with breast cancer. She was 46.

WASHINGTON -- A Senate vote cast Nov. 16 failed to end the stalemate on the 2007 farm bill, a move that could jeopardize the hard-fought funding reforms for specialty crop programs this year.

Steve Kenfield, who joined SunFed in Nogales, AZ, as vice president of sales and marketing about a year ago and who was quickly promoted to president, has now returned to California's San Joaquin Valley and accepted employment at The HMC Group Marketing in Kingsburg, CA. Before going to SunFed, he had been president of Ripe 'N Ready in Parlier, CA, for several years. Previously he was president of Kings Canyon-Corrin LLC in Reedley, CA.

MAUI, HI -- Bob Gray of Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. in Salinas, CA, was elected chairman of the board of Western Growers at its 82nd annual meeting, held here, Monday, Nov. 12.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Social Security Administration has agreed to not send divisive "no match" letters this year but is planning to mail them in February or March of 2008, depending on the outcome of federal litigation, according to Mark Hinkle, SSA spokesperson.