WASHINGTON -- Next month, the so-called "no-match" regulation designed to crack down on employers who hire illegal workers goes into effect, and the rule is likely to devastate agriculture and other industries already struggling with a weakened labor force.

Whole Foods Market Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc. announced Aug. 16 that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has denied the Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction related to the proposed merger between Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats Markets.

Naturipe Farms LLC, based in Naples, FL, announced that Bruce Peterson has joined the company as president and chief executive officer.

Mr. Peterson is a 37-year veteran of the produce industry who is best known for his 15-year stint at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where he launched and built that retail giant's perishable foods division before leaving the company in early 2007. Earlier this year, he presided over his own consulting firm, Peterson Insights Inc.

ORADELL, NJ -- Armed with charming smiles, a wealth of information about kiwifruit and a cool kiwi-green sport utility vehicle, a team of young men and women are blanketing the New York metropolitan area to help spread the word about "Zespri" brand New Zealand kiwifruit.

The "Power Up" tour, sponsored by Zespri and The Oppenheimer Group, the brand's Vancouver, BC-based marketer, was one week into a six-week sojourn to New York-area retailers, where team members are holding sampling events to help raise awareness of the nutritional properties of the delectable orbs.

Production numbers for California apples for the 2007-08 season likely will come in a little lower than the 3.4 million boxes of fresh apples shipped during the 2006-07 year, according to Alex Ott, executive director of the California Apple Commission.

Mr. Ott said that estimates have this year's shipments at 3 million to 3.1 million boxes. The final tally for the 2005-06 season wrapped up at 3.6 million boxes; 2004-05 was 3.9 million boxes.

Santiago, Chile-based Comite de Paltas de Chile estimated that the Hass avocado crop would be down 33-37 percent from last year's record production figures.

The volume of Hass avocados that Chile will export to its international markets in the 2007-08 season - which runs from July 2007 to February 2008 - is between 230 million and 242 million pounds.

The crop losses stem from a freeze that struck avocado-growing areas in Chile early in the week of July 10. The shortfall is expected to be felt most severely during late August and early September.