H.E. Butt Grocery Co. stores teamed up with Idaho potatoes and Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends to spice up its produce sales in March. The San Antonio, TX-based grocery chain pumped up produce purchases at its Texas locations with a New Orleans Cooking Adventure sweepstakes.

The monthlong promotion enticed H-E-B customers to add flavor to their fare, specifically Idaho potatoes, with product discounts and a chance to win a New Orleans Cooking Adventure, which included a trip to New Orleans and a private cooking lesson from famed Chef Paul Prudhomme.

WASHINGTON -- A federal court sided with grower groups June 29 and put on hold the Obama administration's move to abandon December 2008 H-2A rules.

At issue are final H-2A rules, which took effect Jan. 17, 2009, that were designed to fix problems with the 1987 temporary visa rules after a nearly two-year regulatory process. In March, just hours after Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis took office, the new rules were suspended, replaced with the original 1987 rules, and accompanied by a 10-day comment period.

Market Fresh Produce LLC has hired Don Sieling as its new national director of business development. Mr. Sieling will be responsible for ongoing development and implementation of the Market Fresh strategic marketing plan across North America.

Now in its 11th year, Market Fresh has experienced explosive growth since 2006. The company offers one of the industry's premium produce brands, "Market Fresh," for the full potato category, the full tomato category, sweet onions, storage onions and sweet potatoes.

July is National Blueberry Month, and Naples, FL-based Naturipe Farms, one of the larger producers of fresh blueberries globally, is celebrating fresh blueberries as an ideal "hero" with which to mark America's independence.

SAYREVILLE, NJ -- Although the United States is in the midst of the worst economy it has experienced since the Great Depression, Gene Shvedov is upbeat.

Mr. Shvedov, vice president of business development for National Refrigerated Trucking, told The Produce News at the firm's headquarters in this central New Jersey town that "my grandfather told me, 'In business, you have to help people. You can figure out how to make money later.' We live in a time that presents challenges and opportunities. If you have not been hit, you can benefit."

Founded in 1932, Caruso Inc. is a privately held storage, distribution and re- pack company located in Sharonville, OH. Jim and Steve Caruso now own the company that Sam Caruso, their grandfather, founded 77 years ago. For three generations, Caruso has been re-packing and distributing a variety of products - primarily produce - throughout a 12-state region.