Growers, packers and shippers of fresh produce, who in many cases rely heavily on immigrant labor, potentially could have been the most severely affected by the nationwide boycott planned for Monday, May 1.

EAGLE, ID -- It's no secret that creative displays in the retail environment move product. Need proof? For the 15th year in a row, the number of entrants in the Potato Lover's Month Retail Display Contest significantly increased.

BALTIMORE -- Novazone Inc., a provider of innovative ozone- based solutions to improve the freshness and safety of food and water, is looking to make its mark in produce as part of its plan to become strategically focused on the food industry. The company was on hand promoting its services at the International Fresh-cut Produce Association's Fresh Cut Expo 2006, here, April 26-29.

An April 24-25 seminar on merchandising and handling organic produce "was everything we hoped it would be," said Mike Mascari, owner and president of Indianapolis Fruit Co. in Indianapolis.

The seminar attracted 240 people, many from a large section of the middle of the United States, and was deemed "a large success" by Mr. Mascari.

Sun Pacific, the Los Angeles-based grower-shipper known for its recent success in launching the national Cutie clementine program, announced the hiring of Tristan Kieva as its new vice president of marketing.

Ms. Kieva has been in the produce industry for 16 years, the last seven of which were spent at Frieda's Inc. in Los Alamitos, CA, where she rose to the position of vice president of sales and marketing. Prior to Frieda's, she worked as marketing director for Paramount Farms in Los Angeles, and as the corporate marketing manager for Smart & Final in Vernon, CA.