The Canadian Produce Marketing Association will be losing two key employees later this month as Marie-Claude Thibault, the director of health and food safety, and Samy Pelerin, manager of government relations, announced that they will be leaving the association.

"We regret that Marie-Claude and Samy are leaving, as they have both done a wonderful job not just for the CPMA but for the industry as a whole," said CPMA President Dan Dempster. "We hate to lose people like them.

Three years after coming to the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee as its executive director, Chris Voigt has accepted a similar position with the Washington State Potato Commission.

Mr. Voigt, whose background includes several years with the U.S. Potato Board as manager of field operations and 10 years in the agrichemical industry, will become executive director as well as director of environmental and regulatory affairs at the Washington commission on Sept. 6.

The apple does not fall far from promotional opportunities for Modesto, CA-based Save Mart Supermarkets Inc.

Rick Smith, director of produce and floral for Save Mart, said that his philosophy has always been that apples can sell year-round.

"We try to promote some apple every week," Mr. Smith said. "We try to buy domestic and local first.

Mr. Smith's domain is the 80 or so Save Mart and S-Mart stores, all located throughout California. As soon as California apples become available, Save Mart will promote them.

Food Lion LLC announced that Derrick Penick is now senior vice president of fresh merchandising and distribution.

In his new position, Mr. Penick will oversee and direct Food Lion's fresh produce, meat, deli and bakery operations, including quality control and selection, and vendor relations.

He is also responsible for the company's extensive procurement, distribution and transportation networks. He succeeds Cathy Green, who is now senior vice president for retail operations.

The most remarkable thing about the 2004-05 avocado season to date, many would agree, is that there have been weeks when the total volume of avocados in the U.S. marketplace has been much higher than the market could have absorbed just a few short years ago, and yet prices have remained remarkably strong.

As Chilean imports have increased and Mexican access to the U.S. market has expanded from 31 states for six months to 47 states for 12 months, the demand for avocados has apparently more than kept pace with the increased volume.