Labor problems top issue for FFVA leaders
WASHINGTON -- With immigration reform in limbo, the border crackdown continuing and planting season around the corner, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association's top leaders see the continuing farm labor shortage as the most pressing issues facing growers today.
The association's top leaders met June 23-24 and the top issue on the agenda was the concern over dimming prospects for immigration reform in Congress.
"Labor is the most important challenge facing Florida producers today," FFVA Chairman Tony DiMare said during the two-day meeting.
Walla Walla Sweet Onion festival should be a crowd-pleaser
Kathy Fry, marketing director for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee, said that this year's Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival July 14-16 is going to be a chart-topper. For the first time in its 22-year history, the event has been expanded to more than two days, and admission and parking are free to all attendees.
Toronto-based Bamford Produce joins Pro*Act
Pro*Act, a leading fresh produce supplier to the foodservice industry based in Monterey, CA, announced that Bamford Produce in Toronto has joined the company's distribution network.
USDA moves to allow UglyRipe shipments
A proposed rule change offered June 27 by the Agriculture Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks to allow UglyRipe tomatoes to be shipped outside Florida.
The rule change is subject to a 60-day comment period, which began June 29.
J. Marchini & Son opens sales office in Salinas
SALINAS, CA -- J. Marchini & Son has long had radicchio growing in fields in Salinas and nearby Watsonville and Hollister. To complement that effort, the Le Grand, CA-based company, located 30 miles east of Fresno, opened a sales office in Salinas June 19.
Sales Manager Jenny Nelson is the lone representative in the new Salinas office. "The move has been planned for some time," Ms. Nelson said. "It's been time to spread our wings."
Ms. Nelson has been with the company for more than six years and has been sales manager for two years.
NATTWG meets in Mexico to hear dumping claim
Dumping issues among the United States, Canada and Mexico are nothing new, but a pending renewal of a dispute would be the third such major legal entanglement in a decade.
Ruth Sanders, founder of Sierra View Sales, was 71
Ruth Sanders, a former board member of Mendelson-Zeller and the founder of Sierra View Sales Inc. in Fresno, CA, died June 21 after a prolonged illness. She was 71.
Born Sept. 6, 1934, in Omaha, NE, Ms. Sanders worked as a dispatcher for a trucking company for about three years before moving to California in 1958.
CWA honors Chuck Hodges as Agriculturist of the Year
PALM DESERT, CA -- More than 200 members of the California Women for Agriculture, farmers and supporters gathered at Palm Valley Country Club June 22 to honor Chuck Hodges, managing partner of Prime Time International, as Agriculturist of the Year.
Mr. Hodges, with partners Carl Sam Maggio and Mark Nickerson, merged marketing and farming companies to form Prime Time International in 1992. Prior to that, he was vice president of sales and marketing for Sun World before forming CH Sales in 1991.
Ready Pac expands sales leadership team
Irwindale, CA-based Ready Pac Produce announced the hiring of three new senior-level executives to strengthen its sales team.
Garry Granger joined Ready Pac as senior vice president of foodservice sales, Stephen Bonaro came on board in the newly created position of division vice president of retail sales for the Central Region, and Alan Ediger is now vice president of retail sales for the Western Division.
They will report directly to Allan Sabatier, executive vice president of sales and marketing.
VANTAGE POINT: Florida tomatoes shine in many ways during recipe contest
NEW YORK -- If I were rating my favorite ways to spend an afternoon, participating as a judge in a culinary contest consisting of recipes featuring fresh Florida tomatoes would be near the top of the list. And that's exactly what I had the privilege and pleasure of doing June 22 for the Florida Tomato Committee's "Fresh Florida Tomato Contest: 'Best of the Best' Culinary Student Recipes." The event was held at Lewis & Neale Inc. Strategic Food Communications, a public relations firm here.