WASHINGTON -- The produce industry learned that it will lose a key advocate on Capitol Hill next year with the Oct. 20 announcement that Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) is retiring at the end of 2012.

ATLANTA — Members of the garlic industry gathered Oct. 15 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza hotel, here, for a breakfast meeting sponsored by Christopher Ranch LLC before the opening of the Produce Marketing Association’s 2011 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exhibition show floor to discuss the state of the garlic industry and some of the mutual challenges those in the deal are facing. A common concern was labor.

A public-private partnership in Chile has launched the country’s first certified seal for early table grapes, highlighting quality characteristics unique to the Northern Atacama region.

Chilean early grapes have been popular with U.S. consumers for many years, but this new quality certification seal, called FreshAtacama, seeks to differentiate the product further with a consistent season guarantee.

Gourmet Trading Co., a leading distributor of fresh asparagus, announced that it has been named the exclusive supplier of “Green Giant Fresh” bagged asparagus. Furthermore, the Los Angeles-based firm will market its “Green Giant Fresh” branded asparagus under the Box Tops for Education promotion program.