SALINAS, CA -- A committee of his peers has selected Joe Pezzini, vice president of operations of Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, as the Salinas Valley Chamber's 2007 Agricultural Leadership Award winner.

The Agricultural Leadership Award is part of the tradition established in 1990 by the Salinas Valley Chamber to acknowledge the individual, company, group, association or agency that has made the most significant contribution to the agricultural community in the Salinas area. The award winners are chosen by a committee made up exclusively of past award recipients.

FRESNO, CA -- Researchers are continuing to discover new ways in which a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is beneficial to health and helps ward off diseases. One new study, which appeared in the May 2007 issue of Journal of Nutrition, shows that "grapes may slow the progression of Type I Autoimmune Diabetes in lab mice," according to a press release from the California Table Grape Commission.

WASHINGTON -- The wrestling match between Congress and President Bush on Iraq war funding ended when the president signed the bill May 25 to pay for military operations and the long-awaited $3 billion in emergency disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers.

In response to a May 18 announcement by Yum! Brands Inc. that it has expanded its tomato deal with a Florida farmworker group to cover all its restaurant chains, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Food Restaurants, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange is urging its members to not participate in any labor deal that requires tomato companies to adhere to terms and conditions for its employees set by unaffiliated organizations.

Progreso Produce in Boerne, TX, a leading grower-shipper in the Texas/ Mexico import corridor, has hired Sandy Watts as its new general manager.

Mr. Watts comes to Progreso with 25 years of experience in the produce industry, having worked in both Florida and Texas with direct experience in citrus, melons and Mexican imports.