Jeff Warkentin

On Oct.

David Beecher

Bland Farms LLC has named David Beecher the firm’s new director of operations, replacing Michael Hively, who left the firm

The always-heavy demand prior to the Thanksgiving holiday caused a number of items to spike in price in mid- to late November, including some vegetable crops that saw f.o.b. markets in excess of $20. While the early-December lull will bring some markets down, several other items, including the cole crops, are expected to remain in short supply possibly through the end of December.

WASHINGTON -- President Obama signed a fiscal 2012 spending bill Nov. 18 that not only funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the current year but directs USDA to change how vegetables are counted in its proposed school meal rule.

The House passed the budget bill Nov. 17, followed by the Senate hours later, which includes funding for the Food & Drug Administration and USDA, among other government agencies.

Tom Tjerandsen, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, North America, in Santiago, Chile, who works from Sonoma, CA, told The Produce News that Chile exported approximately 900,000 tons of fruit to North America in the past year.

Dave Dever, president and chief executive officer of Pandol Bros. Inc. in Delano, CA, has submitted his resignation and will join Sun World International as president and chief executive officer, replacing Al Vangelos, who is stepping down from the position he has held since 2008.

According to a Nov. 21 press release issued by Sun World, Mr. Vangelos is leaving the Bakersfield, CA-based company's top management position to pursue other interests but will remain as a member of Sun World's board of managers. Mr. Dever will begin his new position with Sun World on Jan. 16, 2012.