As a key expansion component at Al Harrison Co. in Nogales, AZ, on July 23, Thomas (T.J.) Bauer became the vice president of the company.

Mr. Bauer was previously the director of the Nogales office of L&M Cos. Inc., which is based in Raleigh, NC.

With the fading of July, both plum and nectarine production from California should remain fairly steady, so the firm prices that have accompanied the deals for most of the season should prevail.

Dale Janzen, director of industry relations for the California Tree Fruit Agreement, said that the significant acreage removal of stone fruits in California's San Joaquin Valley following the 2008 season "have turned the late-season [volume] peaks into foothills. Looking at the upcoming varieties, I don’t see anything but steady supplies. We’ve gotten through the July crunch."

Mann Packing Co. Inc. in Salinas, CA, hired John Haydock as senior vice president of sales.

Mr. Haydock has spent his entire career in the food business. He began as a sales representative in 1980 with American Home Food Products, then moved to Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream Co., a division of Kraft, where he worked from 1985 to 1999. While there he led sales for the "Breyers," “Light n Lively,” “Good Humor,” “Popsicle,” “Klondike” and “Minute Maid” brands.

Green Giant and the Facebook game FarmVille are offering on-line game players and their families another incentive to eat fresh vegetables.

Held June 10-12 at McCall, ID's historic Shore Lodge overlooking Payette Lake, the Idaho-Oregon Fruit & Vegetable Association convention brought several dozen association members and companions to this year’s 48th annual event.

According to Candi Fitch, executive director of the association, "Attendance for the convention and annual meeting was the largest it has been for several years."

New Leaf Food Safety Solutions LLC in Salinas, CA, has developed SmartWash, a food wash solution that optimizes the performance of standard wash systems to deliver complete protection against bacterial cross-contamination, a common precursor to outbreaks of foodborne illness.