August is National Back to School month and Stemilt Growers is celebrating by adding a new item to its popular line of kid-sized apples and pears, Lil Snappers.

Bartlett pears are now available in the convenient three-pound Lil Snappers package. This kid-friendly item is set to arrive in stores nationwide in September — just in time to help moms fill their child's lunch with healthy fruit.

Procacci Bros. Sales Corp. and its affiliate, Santa Sweets Inc., jointly announced the promotion of Rick Feighery to vice president of sales and Kevin Delaney to director of marketing.

Mr. Feighery, formerly director of sales, has been involved in all aspects of Procacci Bros. growing and wholesale operations since joining the company in 1998.

He has accumulated extensive product knowledge and retail sales experience while leading the company's organic program, and will oversee business development and strategy for Procacci Bros. and Santa Sweets Inc.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released projections for the upcoming 2012-13 season, and indications are that the crop will be down 14 percent nationwide.

In its sixth year of growing Asian vegetables, Mont Saint-Hilaire-based Organzo is looking to add an American grower to its team. “We were recently in Georgia looking to add an American grower, it will be smaller acreage to begin but the goal is to achieve year-round growing,” said Julie Nichols, president and founder of Organzo. “We are also looking for additional growers in the U.S.”

Bloomington, CA-based Index Fresh, a grower-owned packing, marketing and shipping company, announced that KEITH BLANCHARD has joined its field staff, effective July 31.

Columbia Marketing International, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, will market a quality pear crop this season. “There will be plenty of promotable pears,” said Vice President of Marketing Bob Mast. His assessment comes on the heels of information about a July 20 storm cell that caused damage to fruit-growing regions in Washington.

According to Mr. Mast, Washington’s coming apple crop will be affected the storm. He said there may be some surface damage to the skins of some pear varieties. But he expects some of the blemishing will be resolved as the fruit matures.