The Vineland Produce Auction has seen excellent quality produce and strong volume all summer, and will soon look to New Jersey’s fall produce season, according to the auction’s Carol DeFoor.

“The summer has gone well,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of volume, and quality is excellent. We had a drier summer, so there were no issues with quality.”

Peppers and hard squashes have been good movers, she noted. “All the stuff is beautiful, absolutely gorgeous.”

Sun Belle Inc. has added agriculture marketing expert Jennifer Sparks to its leadership team as director of marketing and communications.

Healthy Family Project is looking for the cause marketing organization’s next official registered dietitian. Since 2008, Healthy Family Project has retained a registered dietitian to serve as the sounding board to review recipes, create content, interact in social media groups and outlets, and respond to nutrition-based media inquiries. 

A mid-August start to harvest saw Lenz Family Farms’ northern Colorado potato operation kick off the 2022 season, which runs from August through February.

Bevan Lenz, who handles sales and IT, added, “The crop was average.  We started off with a cool summer that got above average hot, and heat slowed down potato growth. But we are on schedule for harvest.”

World Fresh Produce, an importer and marketer of high-quality produce from around the globe, has added a former Walmart produce veteran to its executive ranks as part of an aggressive growth strategy.

Patrick Haines, who spent nearly 35 years at Walmart in a variety of merchandising-related roles, joined World Fresh Aug. 29 as executive vice president of the five-year-old company.  

Lipman Family Farms will be increasing production of its winter vegetable supply in Immokalee, FL, with an additional 1,400 acres. Lipman’s growth in Florida production exemplifies the company’s ongoing commitment and focus on being one the largest vertically integrated tomato and vegetable suppliers in North America.