A produce seller using electronic data interchange when invoicing for product may not be protecting its PACA Trust rights because of a potentially inherent flaw in that system. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an advance notice of a proposed rule-making in response to these concerns raised by Western Growers Association and other industry members.

The International Federation for Produce Coding is incorporating in England in the first quarter of 2006. The organization will become an independent entity, and "if all goes as planned," it will "probably" become the International Federation for Produce Standards, according to the group's secretary-general, Alicia Calhoun.

Ms. Calhoun serves in that capacity from her post as director of industry technology and standards for the Produce Marketing Association in Newark, DE.

Salinas-based Ag Against Hunger, a clearinghouse for surplus crops grown in the Salinas Valley and the Pajaro Valley, distributed more than 11.9 million pounds of fresh produce to families in need in 2005. Food banks in California's Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties distributed much of this produce.

Ag Against Hunger President Joe Pezzini, who also works for Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, said that Ag Against Hunger is the "local agricultural industry's way of fighting hunger in our community."

There is a new addition to Dole's packaged salad line, and it is a corker.

Consumers are in for a happy surprise as corkscrew pasta (and bow tie, shell and penne) make their debut in the produce section, thanks to Westlake Village, CA-based Dole Fresh Vegetables' line of four innovative Fresh Makes Veggie Pasta Salad Kits.

The New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, announced the launch of its annual contest for defense commissaries, which encourages creating big displays of New York-grown apples.

"Over the years, we've worked closely with the Defense Commissary Agency to encourage [it] to promote New York apples in the commissaries," said David McClurg, vice president of marketing for the association.

Pro*Act in Monterey, CA, has appointed Kirk Massey to its director of client services post.

Mr. Massey brings over 20 years of foodservice produce management experience and produce knowledge to the position at Pro*Act. Since 1997, he has been the produce business manager at Shamrock Foods in Denver. His responsibilities included managing procurement, marketing, sales and operations for produce at the broadline distributor.