Good Florida strawberry season despite late start
Each strawberry season in Florida is different because of the things that affect it " not the least of which is the weather.
?Hurricanes Charlie and Frances blew through the state in early fall before we had begun our strawberry deal," said Chip Hinton, executive director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. "But Hurricane Jeanne, the third storm to hit the peninsula, arrived after we had put about 5,000 acres out. The total damage that resulted [had] a negative impact of about $10 million."
Brooks Tropicals announces new staff appointments
Brooks Tropicals in Homestead, FL, announced Feb. 1 a number of personnel changes.
Amanda Douglas, who has been with the company for three years, has been promoted to director of sales management. Her duties will include inventory management and providing appropriate departments with accurate information. She will also assist in specific commodity interoffice coordinations.
Joe Feldman leaves PSJ to head commodity sales at Ocean Mist
CASTROVILLE, CA " Ocean Mist Farms, based here, has hired Joe Feldman as vice president of commodity sales. He most recently was vice president of sales and marketing for nearby Pride of San Juan, a role he held for the past two-and-a-half years. Prior to working at PSJ, Mr. Feldman, 44, was a salesman for Apio Inc. for four years. Before Apio he had spent 16 years with River Ranch Fresh Foods LLC, finishing as sales manager.
Paramount's new almond products to be sold in produce departments
Paramount Farms, a leading vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds based in Los Angeles, is extending its reach in the snacking category with the introduction of "Sunkist Almond Munchies," a new line of six delicious heart-healthy almond snacks.
EU proposes substantial increase in banana tariff
At a Jan. 31 World Trade Organization meeting in Brussels, the European Union formally proposed a banana import tariff adjustment that would raise the levy to 230 euro ($300) per ton as of Jan. 1, 2006.
EU leaders said that this will balance the demands of large-scale growers in Latin America and interests of traditional suppliers in Africa and the Caribbean.
Harris Farms considers appeal of sexual harassment verdict
A federal-court jury in Fresno, CA, found Coalinga, CA-based Harris Farms Inc. liable for sexual harassment and awarded one of its employees nearly $1 million, a verdict that has outraged Harris Farms " one of California?s larger agricultural businesses.
The verdict was handed down Friday, Jan. 21. Sylvia Gomez, human resource director for Harris Farms, told The Produce News Monday, Jan. 24, that Harris Farms likely would appeal the verdict.
U.S. delegation of retailers and wholesalers tours Sicilian citrus region
International trade is at an all-time high, with no sign of slowing down. Products that are new to the U.S. market seem to surface daily, and many of them quickly carve a niche and become a permanent part of the produce department landscape.
Among the newly introduced items that consumers will have the pleasure of savoring in 2005 are specialty citrus varieties from Sicily, namely the Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello orange varieties.
Earl Halliday Nelson of Oneonta Trading was 69
Earl Halliday Nelson, a longtime member of the Oneonta Trading Corp. team, died Jan. 27 in Wenatchee, WA, of congestive heart failure. He was 69.
Memorial services were held Saturday, Feb. 5, at St. Luke?s Episcopal Church in Wenatchee.
Mr. Nelson is survived by his wife, Connie; daughter Page Swan and son-in-law Kelly; son Blake and daughter-in-law Amy; daughter Jill Mowell and son-in-law David; his brother, Russell Nelson; four grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Nogales celebrates arrival of Mexican avocados
Due to changes in regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the first loads of Mexican avocados are preparing to cross the border through Nogales, AZ.
On Nov. 30, the USDA announced the expansion of the Mexican avocado program, allowing avocados from approved municipalities in the state of Michoacan into the United States during all 12 months and into all states except California, Hawaii and Florida.
The new regulations became effective Jan. 31.
Ciruli Bros. taps Eric Viramontes as agricultural manager
Ciruli Bros., based in Nogales, AZ, announced the addition of Eric Viramontes as agricultural manager.
Mr. Viramontes will oversee the company?s grower relations and procurement functions. He will be responsible for carrying out decisions relating to managed field operations, and will oversee various row crops, coordinating between growing, harvesting and marketing.