SACRAMENTO, CA -- Mexico has announced that it will once again allow imports of California spinach but is requiring that any imported spinach products must by grown and shipped by member-companies of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.

Mexico's Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks announced the import requirements in late November. Canada issued similar import requirements earlier this year.

Dayka & Hackett LLC in Reedley, CA, has expanded its sales team with the hiring of two high-profile industry veterans, Julian Lipschitz and Mike Weaver, in what the company characterized as "a dramatic shift within the California grape and tree fruit marketing community." According to a company press release, "the move is expected to significantly bolster Dayka & Hackett's market share" in the grape and tree fruit categories.

WASHINGTON -- After the measure seemed hopelessly stalled, the Senate passed the 2007 farm bill Dec. 14, which will benefit fruit and vegetable growers, not in direct subsidies but in new funding for marketing, research and nutrition programs.

"After months of negotiations, we were able to work within a very strict budget allocation to complete our work and pass a farm bill that is good for agriculture, good for rural areas and good for the health of Americans," Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) said Dec. 14.

The Chilean fresh fruit season is kicking into high gear as the first ships from Valparaiso arrive in U.S. ports.

WASHINGTON -- A federal court has given the Bush administration until March 24 to revise its "no-match letter" regulation, and the Department of Homeland Security said it plans to publish a new proposal this month.

IRVINE, CA -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture appointed new members to the federal Hass Avocado Board during the board's Nov. 28 meeting. The HAB board of directors then elected the new term's officers: Len Francis as chairman, Jim Donovan as vice chairman, Don Reeder as treasurer (re-elected) and Ed Figueroa as secretary (re-elected). The officers will serve a one-year term ending November 2008.