Fred L. Williamson, a well-known tomato industry leader and co-founder of Andrew Williamson Fresh Produce in San Diego, died March 20, at the age of 70.

Company spokesperson Mark Munger said Mr. Williamson had been sicker than he let on and that pneumonia was the official cause of death.

The Dispute Resolution Corp. recently lost two of the founding members of its 12-person board of directors with the departure of Alain Par? of Metro Richelieu Inc. and Reggie Brown of the Florida Tomato Committee.

Mr. Par? told The Produce News about his resignation on March 15 after finishing a conference call with other DRC board members and its president and chief executive officer, Stephen Whitney.

"I was part of the task force to build the DRC 10 years ago and I am sad to leave," Mr. Par? said.

WASHINGTON -- House lawmakers have introduced a bill the specialty crop industry hopes will become the blueprint for Congress to follow in helping producers in the 2007 farm bill.

The Equitable Agriculture Today for a Healthy America Act, or EAT Healthy America Act, includes a lengthy list of programs for the specialty crop industry that would increase market access and place a renewed focus on nutrition, research and conservation.

Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc., with headquarters in Oviedo, FL, is moving to a bin harvesting system this year for its Texas and Vidalia onions to help increase efficiencies and improve quality.

The mission of Imagination Farms to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables among children continues to expand with the addition of Six L's/ Custom Pak in Immokalee, FL, as a Disney Garden premium supplier of tomatoes and watermelons.

Beginning in April, Six L's/Custom Pak will provide a year-round program of tomatoes to include grape tomatoes, cherry-on-the-vine tomatoes and round tomatoes. In addition to tomatoes, Custom Pak will also be shipping watermelons in the "Disney Garden" brand beginning in June.

Long before the fields around Walla Walla, WA, showed even a hint of green in 2007, planning for the 23rd annual Sweet Onion Festival had reached a fever pitch in the administrative office of Kathy Fry, director of marketing for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee.

Ms. Fry, who has overseen the festival since 2003, said that plans for this year's two-day event, slated for July 21-22 at the county fairgrounds, have been ongoing since January, when she began contacting sponsors, vendors, entertainment and volunteers.