Staff members of the California Avocado Commission and TMA+Peritus in an avocado grove recently as members of the Wisconsin-based marketing firm were in California to meet with handlers, packers and shippers to become more

FoodLink, the buying platform that connects fresh food retailers and wholesalers to a network of over 2,000 supplier companies, announced a definitive agreement to acquire TRUETRAC, a leading provider of mobile traceability solutions to growers, harvesters, packers and shippers of fresh produce.

The combined company will be the food industry's first integrated network for the Produce Traceability Initiative that links crop planning, harvesting, packing, order management, shipping, receiving and individual item tracking from the field to the supermarket checkout line.

Community-Suffolk Inc., located at the Boston Market Terminal in Everett, MA, is a full-line hardware vegetable house. Its line includes year-round supplies of celery, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, onions, and a full line of citrus items including oranges, limes, lemons, radishes, garlic, apples, iceberg lettuce, salad savoy and leaf vegetables. The company’s citrus division is based on a developed partnership with Sunkist, and it also labels oranges under its “MF” brand.

Seven weeks ago, Joaquin Urias worked for someone else. Today, he is executive vice president of a company, JU Fresh Produce in Pharr, TX, that has done $2 million worth of business in 42 days.

Central Coast row crop shippers were seeing modest to moderate demand on most key items. Russet supplies far outpace demand. Onion shippers were expecting a bullish undertone and potentially a strong seller’s market during the winter season.

WEATHER

The second hot spell in as many weeks was expected to continue through Oct. 18 in Salinas, CA, with daytime highs in the mid-80s. Temperatures were expected to drop into the mid-60s by Oct. 21 then settle into the low 60s Oct. 23. There is a 40 percent chance of more rain Oct. 22-23.

The Idaho Grower Shippers Association board of directors announced Oct. 9 that Mark Klompien has been named president of the organization. He fills the position vacated in late September by Travis Blacker, who joined the Idaho Potato Commission as industry relations director.