The question of how the chief executive officer of a new national fresh produce association would be picked proved to be the issue that doomed the merger talks between the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association.

MCL Fresh Inc., a Los Angeles-based grower, packer and shipper of organic, conventional and specialty fruits and vegetables, announced that Sheri Normandin (formerly Sheri Mierau) has been named director of sales and customer relations.

Salinas Valley leaf lettuce shippers were seeing a substantial spike in demand. West Side melon shippers were experiencing strong early-season demand, while California and New Mexico yellow onion shippers are seeing steady and firm demand. Idaho russet shippers are experiencing modest carton demand.

TRANSPORTATION & FUEL

Demand for trucks and the cost of freight remain at peak levels and will continue as such through July.  

Because water is a wildcard for Colorado’s agricultural producers in 2012, companies like Fagerberg Produce will not delay harvesting of their crops. Sales Manager Alan Kinoshita said this year’s onion crop will come on earlier than it did in 2011. “Because of water, we will take the onions when they’re ready,” he said.

“We are promoting a new Idaho marketing partnership between High Country and L&M,” said Carrie Smith, marketing manager for L&M Cos., headquartered in Raleigh, NC. “We will have a new ‘Nature’s Delight’ Idaho label for cartons, as well as High Country’s ‘Oven King’ label. We are reintroducing High Country and L&M as an Idaho quality pack.”

TENNISON HOOFARD joined Sunview Marketing International on June 18.

Mr. Hoofard will be working in export sales, handling all varieties of table grapes that Sunview grows.

Mr. Hoofard has been in the produce industry for almost nine years and credited his family for first getting him involved. Prior to joining Sunview Marketing, he worked for Kings Crown Produce Sales, located in Terra Bella, CA, for five-and-a-half years.