The Florida Citrus Commission wanted a leader with a more extensive marketing background than former Executive Director Ken Keck, ousted last summer in a political putsch that also reduced the number of seats on the commission to nine from 12. The commission found its man in Douglas Ackerman, recently named head of the Florida Department of Citrus after spending the last seven years as category marketing manager for Lakeland, FL-based Publix Super Markets Inc.

It’s the winter, which means there is potential for cold weather even in sunny California and limited strawberry supplies when that weather hits.

California’s winter strawberry-producing districts had virtually no rain from Thanksgiving until the middle of January, but they were hit with several cold snaps that dipped temperatures down and retarded the growth of the plants.

As January comes to a close, strawberry shipments are inconsistent but running quite a bit ahead of the rain-plagued 2011 season to date.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has rolled out final school meal standards that will double the amount of fruits and vegetables and reduce sodium, a move that will affect 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day.