Members of the Georgia Senate honored Delbert Bland, president and chief executive officer of Bland Farms LLC in Glennville, GA, Feb. 5 for his significant contributions to the state's economic health and wellbeing.

Bland Farms began growing Vidalia onions on five acres in 1982. From those humble roots, growing operations burgeoned over the years beyond the borders of the Peach State and into Utah, Pennsylvania, Colorado, California, Texas and Peru.

NEWARK, DE -- Kathy Means, Produce Marketing Association's vice president of government relations, has been named to serve the 2008-12 term on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits & Vegetables. Appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, Ms. Means is one of 34 chosen nationally to sit on the committee.

Watsonville, CA-based Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. has hired Kevin Murphy as its senior vice president of supply and operations.

Mr. Murphy's responsibilities include production, logistics and distribution, packaging, nursery, quality assurance and food safety. He replaces Al Rodrigues, who retired from this position.

Dulcinea Farms has reinforced its leadership with the appointment of Luzius Caviezel as general manager and Keith Kato as senior vice president of sales and marketing. The new management structure places a strong emphasis on sales and marketing, concentrating on key retail customers and the continued growth of the brand.

WASHINGTON -- A broad coalition of groups urged Congress to continue a pilot program that would allow cross-border truck deliveries into the United States and Mexico, though Congress has passed legislation to cut the program's funding.

FRESNO, CA -- "A proposed change to the federal regulations on the permissible levels of loose grapes has California's fresh grape industry and U.S. retailers talking about an earlier survey by the California Table Grape Commission that indicates the change will have no impact for consumers," according to a March 7 press release from the commission. The proposed change would apply only to consumer packs such as bags and clamshells.