While the Texas produce industry avoided a direct hit from last month's Hurricane Rita, there are short- and long-term effects from that storm as well as Hurricane Katrina, said John McClung of the Texas Produce Association.

"We lost no crops or acreage," said Mr. McClung, and the hurricane didnt disrupt any immediate shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Additionally, he said that the imports that typically come into Texas enter by truck via the southern border with Mexico, which also wasnt affected by Hurricane Rita.

William Garin, heralded as one the early and top promoters of Iceberg lettuce, died of natural causes Oct. 9 at his home in Salinas, CA. He was 84.

There will be no rush to fill the position recently vacated by Tim Debus, who recently resigned from the International Banana Association to take a position with IFCO Systems.

The IBA contracted with United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association in Washington, DC, to manage the banana group when Robert Moore retired in 1999 after heading the IBA for decades.

Monterey Mushrooms, the largest branded grower, shipper and marketer of fresh mushrooms in the United States, announced that Craig See has joined its sales team as sales manager for the Pacific Northwest and western Canada regions, effective Sept. 12.

He replaces Harry DeTurk, who retired from the company in July.

Mr. See has been in the produce business for the past eight years in various sales and management capacities with Impact Sales, Avo-Mex, Food Tech International and, most recently, International Herbs in Surrey, BC.

Global Berry Farms LLC, headquartered in Naples, FL, is for the first time ever offering "Naturipe" brand organic cranberries to its customers.

The cranberries will be grown and packed by Sandhill Cranberry Inc. in Wisconsin, a leading fresh organic cranberry grower in the country. The berries will be available from October through December.

SunFed, a grower, packer, shipper and distributor based in Rio Rico, AZ, has hired Jorge Ruiz, previously with Farmer's Best International, in the newly created position of chief financial officer.

Danny Mandel, president of SunFed, made the announcement Oct. 3. Mr. Mandel told The Produce News that Mr. Ruiz "is going to be a great asset to our team."