LAKELAND, FL -- Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Dan L. Gunter announced March 15 that he will leave the department after almost two years.

Mr. Gunter, whose resignation is effective April 16, will become president and chief operating officer of Alico Inc., an agribusiness company based in LaBelle, FL.

Pro*Act, a leading fresh produce supplier to the foodservice industry based in Monterey, CA, announced that Hardie's Fruit & Vegetable Co.-South, formerly Five Star Produce, in Austin, TX, has become its newest produce distributor.

Pro*Act provides consolidated produce distribution programs, sourcing, and information services to regional and national multi-unit foodservice operators through its vast network of independent distributors.

WASHINGTON -- Time is running out for the U.S. Senate to fix a controversial immigration reform bill, but Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) reassured a crowd of producers and farmers who traveled to the nation's Capitol March 15 that relief is in sight.

During a meeting with the Senate leadership, Sen. Craig said that he was told immigration reform legislation would not move out of the Senate without an appropriate title for agriculture.

"We are causing them to understand that this industry is more sensitive to the need for a steady labor force than all others," he said.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association's 81st Annual Convention & Trade Show will be the association's "biggest Vancouver show in history," said Ron Lemaire, the organization's executive vice president and director of marketing.

The convention takes place at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre from March 22-25.

"We're seeing a lot of new exhibitors," Mr. Lemaire said, including representation from 17 or 18 countries, including South Africa, Belgium and Asia-Pacific countries.

James N. Duggan, a 30-year veteran of the produce industry, died Sunday, Feb. 19 in his Chico, CA, home after a brief battle with cancer.

Born in San Francisco, Mr. Duggan started his produce career in 1976 when he bought Dale Landing Produce in Eureka, CA. A. Levy & J. Zentner subsequently made Mr. Duggan a deal and took over Dale Landing, making Mr. Duggan manager of the Eureka branch. He then transferred to San Luis Obispo, where he managed that location from 1977 to 1979.

The International Fresh-cut Produce Association in Alexandria, VA, is partnering with the Perishables Group, an independent consulting firm, to provide the fresh-cut produce industry with syndicated data reports that measure the performance of the total fresh-cut fruit and vegetable business at retail.

The new initiative -- sponsored by DuPont -- will provide association members with the first-ever picture of the total fresh-cut produce space, including UPC-coded product, as well as items sold by the pound and processed in the store.