WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted 66-27 to pass the five-year farm bill, passing the baton to the U.S. House, which may begin debating the bill during the week of June 17.

The final vote came in the evening of June 10 after one amendment was approved (48-38) to set up a pilot grant program to expand high-speed Internet.

Interfresh Inc., a national supplier of fruits and vegetables based in Orange, CA, announced the opening of a new field office in Dallas to be headed up by Frank Bonaparte, a long-time industry veteran.

Bonaparte's career spans some 27 years across many facets of the produce industry, and for the past several years he has serviced a customer base in California's Bay Area.

Denver-based FreshPack Produce hired MIKE COMAZZI as vice president of procurement.

Comazzi has been working in the produce industry for a total of 31 years, first getting his start as a fuel jockey for an Orlando-based distributor in 1982. Prior to joining FreshPack, he worked for FreshPoint Inc. for 27 years.

In his spare time, Comazzi enjoys golfing, hiking and running. He currently resides in Littleton, CO, with his wife.

HAMMONTON, NJ — With “very consistent” weather during the winter and spring months, Atlantic Blueberry Co. is looking for the 2013 New Jersey blueberry season to start pretty much on time with greater volume than last year.

Stemilt Growers LLC, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, is lighting up the blogosphere with information that will help consumers sink their teeth into the finest fruit available from the Pacific Northwest.

“We started a real blog two months ago,” Director of Marketing Roger Pepperl told The Produce News on May 29.

After seven years as sales manager for Atlanta-based distributor General Produce Inc., Andrew Scott is leaving, effective June 12, to explore other opportunities in the produce industry.

Scott will continue in his role as president of the Southeast Produce Council, an organization he has served in a leadership capacity since 2004.