LOS ANGELES -- John Corsaro, executive vice president of the Giumarra Cos., announced July 12 that Giumarra will be opening a new division, Giumarra Southeast, to focus on marketing vegetables and melons from the southeastern region of the United States. This new division will also be responsible for imports from South America for shipment to the eastern United States.

Giumarra Southeast will be based in Boca Raton, FL, and will be headed by Gary Sargent.

The Union of Growers of Brazilian Papaya, whose primary focus is the production and distribution of papaya from South America's largest country, also handles ginger and is now promoting the availability of that commodity to the U.S. market.

Numerous factors have created a nationwide truck shortage and higher freight rates, with the impact being especially acute in California because of new state regulations on reefer emissions.

Irvine, CA-based Western Growers Association sent out an advisory to its members in late June stating that rates were already climbing.

A second round of testing for a "green" Michigan celery-shipping carton will begin July 15.

Gary Wruble, general manager of the Michigan Celery Cooperative Inc., headquartered in Hudsonville, MI, told The Produce News June 25, “We have spent a fair bit of time looking at packaging for the fresh product” to boost that industry by developing a recyclable carton. A first round of testing has been completed. With the July 2010 testing, “we will walk with this to make sure it works.” If so, “we will really launch it in 2011.”

A new face on the sales team, two new growers in the "family," new packaging and a doubling of organic onion volume make up a portion of news out of Sweet Clover Produce's Walla Walla, WA, office.

In a June 28 interview, Sales Manager Bill (Sweet Willie) Brownfield told The Produce News that Walla Walla Sweet onions were shipping, and new-crop yellows, reds, whites and Sweet Clover Sweets would begin shipping around the week of July 19.

VERO BEACH, FL -- Seald Sweet International announced July 9 a new placement of executive leadership to the company's chief financial officer position, which is soon to be vacated by a promotion within the organization's parent company, Belgium- based UNIVEG Group.

Gary J. Collins has been appointed as Seald Sweet's CFO, succeeding Vitor Figueiredo. In line with the company's strategy of promoting within, Mr. Figueiredo is slated to take over the helm as managing director of UNIVEG Portugal in October.