Alfredo Miron entering Guatemalan office
lvaro Colom will be sworn in as the new president of Guatemala on Jan. 14. A key leader in the new administration will be Alfredo Miron. A fresh foliage grower-exporter, Alfredo Miron may be best known in the U.S. produce and floral industry for being, in the 1990s, the first international member on the board of the Newark, DE-based Produce Marketing Association.
In an interview with The Produce News on Nov. 6, Mr. Miron said that he has been a lifelong friend of Mr. Colom, as the two attended school together in Guatemala City.
New PLU number for large-size pomegranates
A new PLU number has been confirmed and assigned by the Produce Electronic Identification Board and the International Federation for Produce Standards for pomegranates size 24 and larger.
The new number is 3440. PLU code 3127 is now used for size 30-36 and 4445 remains for size 42 and smaller.
Steffanie Smith takes seat as River Point Farms CEO
Steffanie Smith has taken the reins at River Point Farms in Hermiston, OR, as its new chief executive officer. She assumed her new responsibilities the week of Nov. 5.
River Point Farms is among America's larger onion producers, and Ms. Smith said, "I look forward to bringing a new perspective to the company while preserving the integrity of the already-established business."
Maurice (Marty) Martin dies at 77
Maurice (Marty) Leon Martin, 77, of Salinas, CA, died of cancer Saturday, Nov. 3, in his home surrounded by his family.
RFID-enabled packaging offers cost savings to industry
Montreal-based HIDE-Pack and Frisco, TX-based Domino Integrated Solutions Group have teamed to develop a method of implementing radio frequency identification technology in a wide variety of packaged goods by embedding an RFID inlay within the structure of a package.
The HIDE-Pack concept -- an approach to integrated RFID-enabled packaging -- is a patent-pending technology owned by HIDE-Pack and available commercially through Domino ISG.
IN THE TRENCHES: Food-safety issues are everyone's responsibility
While participating in a produce industry charity golf tournament, one of the players in my foursome hooked his tee shot like the bend in a banana. The ball got off with a good rip, but then curved from right to left, hit a tree branch and bounced into a small pond. What do you think came out of his mouth next? You guessed it. "I got it out there, but the wind took it away from me," he grumbled after tossing his club toward his bag.
Brooks Tropicals teams with U.N. for hurricane relief in Belize
After Hurricane Dean ravaged the countryside of northern Belize, Brooks Tropicals employees helped to distribute emergency food and supplies for the United Nations' UNICEF program. Brooks also sent crews and equipment to clean up debris and help repair homes in the area.
Faye Clack Communications Inc.'s Cory Clack-Streef succumbs to cancer
The Canadian produce industry is a close-knit group that can be compared to a large extended family. That family lost one of its more beloved and respected members on Nov. 8 when Cory Clack-Streef, president of Mississauga, ON-based Faye Clack Communications, died following a two- year battle with breast cancer. She was 46.
Senate vote places 2007 farm bill in jeopardy
WASHINGTON -- A Senate vote cast Nov. 16 failed to end the stalemate on the 2007 farm bill, a move that could jeopardize the hard-fought funding reforms for specialty crop programs this year.
Kenfield joins HMC but continues as SunFed adviser
Steve Kenfield, who joined SunFed in Nogales, AZ, as vice president of sales and marketing about a year ago and who was quickly promoted to president, has now returned to California's San Joaquin Valley and accepted employment at The HMC Group Marketing in Kingsburg, CA. Before going to SunFed, he had been president of Ripe 'N Ready in Parlier, CA, for several years. Previously he was president of Kings Canyon-Corrin LLC in Reedley, CA.