ISELIN, NJ — Allegiance Retail Services LLC announced that Victor Savanello has rejoined the company as director of produce and floral. He had left Allegiance in mid-June to join JOH Sales & Marketing as account executive in commodity sales.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, at the behest of U.S. tomato producers, is currently contemplating discontinuing an anti-dumping investigation suspension agreement under which the Mexican tomato industry has been operating since 1996, and the Mexican government, on behalf of Mexican producers, has been attempting to re-negotiate the agreement to the satisfaction of all concerned. A comment period, prior to the department making a decision, ends Monday, Jan. 28.

There are new and interesting things going on at Homegrown Organic Farms in Porterville, CA.

“We are now bringing in organic limes from Mexico, and shipping them out of our Arvin, CA, facility," said Scott Mabs, director of marketing. "We have been working with this grower in Mexico for the past year and have developed a good relationship.

“We are also we’re bringing in Chilean blueberries,” he continued. “Our domestic program has grown so large that the imports will help to keep our volumes at needed levels.”

Nate Stone, chief operating officer for Ben B. Schwartz & Sons Inc., located on the Detroit Terminal Market, said the company has outstanding leadership, and that the upbeat staff members share a great relationship. Everyone under the Ben B. Schwartz & Sons’ roof has a positive attitude about the firm and what their role in it is.

Three generations of the Crisantes family have been tied to the land and each other as they bring premium fresh organic produce to the marketplace. Wholesum Family Farms, which distributes fresh commodities under the “Wholesum Harvest” label through its warehouse in Nogales, AZ, has been committed to agricultural excellence for 80 years.

Miguel Crisantes Gatzionis moved to Mexico from Greece in the 1920s. His son, Don Miguel, started farming in Sinaloa, Mexico in 1930. Don Miguel Crisantes’ son, Theojary, transitioned the family’s farm to organic using sustainable practices.