Apples, cherries crowning gems in Chelan Fresh manifest
Chelan Fresh Marketing plans to promote two premiere products — Canadian apples and Pacific Northwest cherries — at this year’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association Annual Convention and Trade Show in Vancouver, BC, April 2-4.
Serving as a link between growers and retailers, the company — which represents more than 419 growers from its headquarters in Chelan, WA — has been moving quality tree fruit since 2004.
Metro’s Bernadette Hamel new CPMA chair
At the April CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Vancouver, outgoing CPMA Chair Walt Breeden of The Oppenheimer Group will hand over his duties to incoming Chair Bernadette Hamel, vice president of national procurement-produce for Metro Richelieu Inc. Hamel is no stranger to the CPMA, having served on the executive committee since 2010 and as convention chair for the 2013 Toronto convention.
“I’m very excited at the prospect of having the opportunity of being a key player in participating and improving our industry,” said Hamel.
Final tally shows record California grape crop for 2013
California shipped a record volume of fresh grapes during the 2013 season, surpassing 100 million boxes for the second time in history, the California Table Grape Commission announced in a March 20 press release.
The final tally for the 2013 harvest showed a total of 117.4 million boxes of fresh California grapes (116.2 19-pound equivalents) shipped, with a total crop value of $1.7 billion, according to the release. The season started with shipments in early May and continued into February 2014.
Mexico publishes rule allowing cross-border potato trade
The Mexican government published a final regulation March 20 regarding cross-border trade of fresh potatoes, allowing shipments of potatoes between the United States and Mexico in both directions, with the details on phytosanitary and other protocols still to be worked out.
Kirkland sentenced to one year in Adams case
David Andrew Kirkland, former director of purchasing for Adams Produce Co. in Birmingham, AL, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison March 20, 2014, according to an AL.com report. Upon his release, Kirkland will serve three years of probation.
Giumarra introduces California plum promotion
Giumarra Reedley announces its summer 2014 plum promotion, “Easy as Pie,” which should boost the quantity of plums consumers purchase. The new packaging and retail display program will be introduced to the industry at the Northern California Fresh Produce & Floral Expo on April 9 in Pleasanton, CA. Giumarra will be at Booth No. 95.
Deardorff anticipates good production from late March on
Deardorff Family Farms in Oxnard, CA, which grows 120 acres of strawberries in the Oxnard area in addition to an assortment of vegetables, expects the strawberry harvest to be “rocking and rolling” by the third week of March, according to Doug Lowthorp, a salesman for the company.
The season got off to a good start, because there had been no adverse weather from early December through the end of February, Lowthorp said. “Everything has been fantastic” up until late February rains disrupted the harvest.
Village Farms excited about CPMA expo being held in its own ‘backyard’
Village Farms LP is a North American-based company with headquarters in Delta, BC, and in Heathrow, FL.
The company is a leading producer of high-quality greenhouse produce. It operates more than 262 acres and markets an additional 120 acres of greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers across North America.
Helen L. Aquino, marketing manager for Village Farms, told The Produce News that Vancouver is home of Village Farms International where it has greenhouses located just south in Delta.
Walt Breeden reflects on year as CPMA Chair
The April CPMA Convention and Trade Show in Vancouver, BC, will mark the end of Walt Breeden’s term as chair of the Association, and he’s proud of the accomplishments of his team.
Breeden, director of Canadian sales for The Oppenheimer Group, reflected back on the highlights of his year in the spotlight as he prepares to hand the torch over to Metro’s Bernadette Hamel. “It’s been an outstanding opportunity to be CPMA chair. You don’t realize unless you travel across the country how passionate people are about the produce industry,” he noted.
FDA extends comment deadlines for FSMA rules
WASHINGTON—Produce companies will get more time to comment on new Food Safety Modernization Act rules as the Food & Drug Administration announced Wednesday it plans to extend the deadlines for its high-risk foods document and food defense proposal.
FDA plans a 90-day extension, bringing the deadline to June 30, for the proposal that would set new responsibilities for facilities to protect against intentional adulteration or terrorism.