WASHINGTON " More than 50 groups rallied on Capitol Hill, along with Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, to urge approval of the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic, known as CAFTA-DR, as Congress began hearings on the controversial trade pact.

Now in its eighth year, the merchandising and promotion program for Sonora Spring Grapes has been highly successful, resulting in broader acceptance of Mexican-grown grapes by U.S. retailers, according to Veronica Kraushaar, president of Vanguard Marketing Strategies.

Those programs, which initially focused on major chains, are now being expanded to regional chains and even to smaller ethnic groups.

The 2005 California onion harvest is expected to kick off in the Imperial Valley in late April, a few days later than normal, with good quality but smaller sizes expected and volume lighter than usual due to weather.

A similar situation is anticipated later in the season as the onion harvest moves north into the central San Joaquin Valley.

With the addition of two new growers, The Oppenheimer Group is forecasting its longest and most strategic Mexican grape season to date.

This year marks the fifth season that Vancouver, BC-based Oppenheimer will represent grapes grown by the Platt Bros. in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. This year, Oppenheimer has added a second grower in that area, Vi?edo Monte Cristo, as well as Vi?edo Maribel in Caborca, a city located northwest of Hermosillo.

Sometimes those issues that seem to be a problem turn out just fine. So it has gone for those in the Chilean fruit business this year.

Rain early in the season harmed the cherry harvest, and for grapes and other items, it reduced export levels through the season?s first couple of months. The industry began to rebound in February, and has come on so strongly that this will become a record year for Chilean export volumes to the United States, Tom Tjerandsen, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association in Sacramento, CA, told The Produce News April 11.

Ready Pac in Irwindale, CA, has announced that John Schouten has joined the executive team in the newly created role of executive vice president and chief operating officer, reporting directly to Larry Kern, president and chief executive officer.