WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's changes to the H-2A program that went into effect in January and may have made it easier to hire agricultural workers have been suspended, according to the Labor Department. Instead, employers are left with a mid-season rule change that is likely to make an already complex program even tougher to navigate this year.

WASHINGTON -- A Mexican trucking association is suing the U.S. government for more than $6 billion in the latest saga over Washington's decision to not allow Mexican truckers on U.S. roads, according to a Reuters report.

Mexico's National Cargo Transportation Association said that the U.S. government violated the North American Free Trade Agreement by not letting Mexican trucks use U.S. highways. Mexican truckers are tapping an arbitration clause in the trade agreement that allows parties to sue for trade agreement violations.

TEANECK, NJ -- The National Mango Board held the fourth in a series of 15 outreach meetings that it will conduct this year in the United States, Mexico, Central America and South America on June 2, here, at the Marriott at Glenpointe.

CITRUSDAL, SOUTH AFRICA -- The season's first shipload of South African citrus sailed May 31 from Cape Town and is scheduled to arrive about June 24 on the Delaware River's Gloucester Marine Terminal in Gloucester City, NJ.

Many grower-packers throughout the Citrusdal shipping district interviewed by The Produce News May 27-29 indicated that the quality of their fruit is excellent. Several packinghouse tours verified the claims.

WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) circulated a draft food- safety bill May 26 that would levy new fees on all facilities registered with the Food & Drug Administration to pay for more frequent inspections and set new produce safety standards.

After months of speculation about food-safety legislation, a powerful House committee is scheduled to hold its first hearing on the bill June 3.