PHILADELPHIA " The venue for a lunch meeting with The Produce News on Feb. 15 was a fitting scene for Bill Weyland. Across the street from the restaurant was the historic U.S. Customs House, quite relevant to the general manager of imports for DNE World Fruit Sales Inc., based in Ft. Pierce, FL. Mr. Weyland works from an office in North Brunswick, NJ.

The Dispute Resolution Corp., the Ottowa-based organization that was created five years ago to facilitate a timely and affordable dispute resolution process in the Canadian produce trade, will lose a key member of its staff March 4 with the departure of Chuck Dentelbeck, director of operations, who announced Feb. 10 that he will leave the organization to start his own consulting company.

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., a leading global producer and distributor of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, and a top producer and distributor of prepared fruit, vegetables and other products in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reported solid financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and year-ended Dec. 31.

Ballantine Produce Co. in Reedley, CA, announced the addition of Greg Mancini to its sales and marketing team.

Mr. Mancini will be involved in all areas of sales of the company, including domestic and imported tree fruit, grapes and specialty items.

His experience in marketing stone fruit and grape programs will add depth to the Ballantine organization and sales strength to its diverse product offerings.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., based in Minneapolis has acquired the operations and certain assets of three produce sourcing and marketing companies: FoodSource Inc., FoodSource Procurement LLC and Epic Roots Inc.

The three companies combined had gross revenues of approximately $270 million in 2004.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

WASHINGTON " Farm groups wasted no time protesting the Bush administration?s proposal to cut farm and commodity subsidies in the 2006 budget.

A coalition of 100 farm groups fired off a letter to newly confirmed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, warning that reductions would "seriously undermine many nutrition, conservation, crop insurance and farm programs that are important to all Americans."