At two public meetings held during the last week of January, avocado growers vented their anger at the California Avocado Commission as a result of a recent audit that revealed questionable, perhaps fraudulent, use of commission funds. (See The Produce News, Jan. 19, 2009, page 1.)

WASHINGTON -- What does a peanut butter plant in Georgia have in common with fruit and vegetable producers? Not much until the peanut butter plant becomes the focus of one of the larger food recalls in history and fuels calls for new legislation to tighten food-safety regulations for the entire food industry.

TransFair USA, based in Oakland, CA, has opened channels for all Fair Trade- certified products to be marketed in the United States. The move, which became effective Jan. 22, comes at the prompting of importers and greatly broadens opportunities for Fair Trade growers around the world.

TransFair USA is the only independent third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL), a leading voice for the specialty crop industry, will run for Florida agriculture commissioner when his congressional term runs out in two years.

For the eighth consecutive year, Vancouver, BC-based The Oppenheimer Group has been named among Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies, and 2009 also marks the second consecutive year the produce marketer has been awarded Platinum Club member status by the judging panel.

Overseen by sponsors Deloitte, CIBC Commercial Banking, The National Post and Queen's School of Business, the award selection entails a detailed assessment process, and each year's recognition reflects the previous year's performance.

Ben Parker, who operated a produce wholesale brokerage operation in Dallas named Ben Parker Inc., died last month leaving behind $5 million to $6 million in produce debt, according to Kate Ellis of the law firm of McCarron & Diess in Washington, DC.