Silveira to lead Mastronardi's new Western division
SALINAS, CA -- Industry veteran Ken Silveira has joined Kingsville, ON-based Mastronardi Produce Ltd. as president of its new division, Mastronardi West.
Mastronardi Produce is opening a 20,000-square-foot warehouse here, with additional office space connected to it. The company will begin shipping product out of Salinas by April 1, Mr. Silveira told The Produce News Feb. 24.
The Salinas office will carve out a U.S. region designated as west of Denver, with distribution in California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington as its primary focus, Mr. Silveira said.
Lighter tree fruit crop expected after near-record 2008 harvest
PARLIER, CA -- Official estimates for the 2009 California peach, nectarine and plum crops will not be made until April after fruit has actually set on the trees. But the California Tree Fruit Agreement, at its winter committee and board meetings held here Feb. 19 approved budgetary assessments based on a tentative and somewhat "conservative" preliminary estimate of a combined total of 50 million boxes of fruit for the season.
Food safety and promotions take center stage at NWA convention
CHARLESTON, SC -- Although uncertainty about the economy may have kept attendance down slightly at this year's National Watermelon Association convention, that didn't stop the approximately 400 members of the trade who turned out for the event, now in its 95th year. The event was Feb. 18-22 at the Francis Marion Hotel, here.
USDA says COOL regulations go into effect March 16
WASHINGTON - After holding the regulations up for one last review, the Obama administration gave final clearance for the mandatory country-of- origin labeling rules to go into effect March 16.
Top executives need to embrace food-safety culture
WASHINGTON - With the country mired in an economic downturn, Congress eying food-safety legislation and a massive peanut butter recall underway, produce companies need to make food safety an essential part of their business culture, according to Bob Whitaker.
Dr. Whitaker, the chief science office at the Produce Marketing Association, plans to tell buyers and sellers at the association's March 19 Produce Solutions Conference that produce companies need to view food safety as a revenue generator, not a costly burden.
It's official: No federal water for Central California farmers
It came as no surprise, but it is now official. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday, Feb. 20, a zero allocation of water from the Central Valley Project for agriculture use for 2009. As reported previously in The Produce News, Westlands Water District, which has historically provided CVP water to some 660,000 acres of farmland on the West Side of the central San Joaquin Valley, will be the most seriously affected by the zero allocation.
Vidalia industry recognizes leaders of yesterday and today
The theme was Fire & Ice, but the list of award winners was nothing but hot. At its annual industry celebration banquet held Feb. 7 in Vidalia, GA, the Vidalia Onion Committee announced the 2008 award recipient for Grower of the Year and its Hall of Fame inductees.
Study finds economic impact of produce and floral industries totals $554 billion
WASHINGTON -- A new study shows that the economic and employment contribution of the produce and floral industries amounts to $554 billion annually - a number that is likely to boost the industry's influence among decision-makers on Capitol Hill and across state capitals.
NAM contest brings healthy sales lift to retailers
DILLSBURG, PA -- The National Apple Month program has announced the winners of its fall 2008 National Apple Month retail and military display contests, concluding the very successful apple industry's generic promotion.
The annual contest, which jump-starts the domestic apple industry's marketing season, provided retailers and the apple industry with increased sales and gave consumers easy access to great-tasting, good-for-you apples and the participating partner products Marzetti "Caramel Apple Dips" and Smucker's "Natural Peanut Butter."
Bryon McDougall fills big boots at family business
Bryon McDougall, director of operations for McDougall & Sons, loves a challenge. "Every day's a new day, and every day is different," he told The Produce News. And he manages to cram an awful lot into each day. "I had all my excitement when I was young," he laughed. "I'm 28 going on 40."