James Dale (J.D.) Ward Jr., co-founder of Sierra View Sales in Fresno, CA, died Dec. 9 in Lenox, IA, where he had been living for the past 18 months since moving from Fresno, CA. He was 55. The cause of death was not revealed. Born Aug. 7, 1953 in Fremont, NE, Mr. Ward served for three years in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked as a carpenter and house builder until a back injury made it necessary for him to pursue other work. He joined the sales team at Mendelson-Zeller Co. Inc. in Fresno, where his mother, Ruth Sanders, was sales manager for the Central California office. "J.D. worked

SACRAMENTO, CA -- State and federal agriculture officials have confirmed a Mexican fruit fly infestation near Azusa in Los Angeles County, prompting the declaration of a 70-square-mile quarantine. A map of the quarantine area is available on-line at http://pi.cdfa.ca.gov/pqm/manual/PDF/maps/MEXFLYAZUSA.pdf At least 6.5 million sterile Mexican fruit flies were scheduled for release each week over a 13-square-mile area at the core of the quarantine zone, beginning Monday, Dec. 22. Sterile fly releases have been used successfully to eradicate many fruit fly infestations in California since the

A group of more than 30 leading growers, suppliers, buyers, technical experts, environmental organizations and public interest organizations announced Dec. 18 the formation of the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops. Through an inclusive effort, the multi-stakeholder initiative will develop and share a comprehensive system for measuring sustainable performance across the supply chain -- at farms, processors, distributors, food-service providers and retailers. The project will address the needs of specialty crop stakeholders while seeking to improve environmental and social impacts.

The Center for Produce Safety and the California Leafy Greens Research Board announced Nov. 20 a joint call for food-safety research proposals. The research areas are directed to answer critical research questions that fill the gaps in the basic understanding in specific areas of food-safety practices for leafy greens production. The objective is to provide the leafy greens produce industry with practical, translatable research data that can be used at all levels throughout the supply chain. The available funding is $300,000. Completed proposals were to be uploaded to the center's grant site

The Idaho Potato Retail Display Contest, one of the industry's more anticipated retail promotions of the year, is back. With more than $150,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs and a free DVD/MP3 player to all qualified entrants, everyone's a winner guaranteed. Now in its 18th year, this contest continues to attract huge support from retailers from across the country. Last year, close to 1,900 entries were received. This year for the first time, Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blends and Molly McButter are joining the Idaho Potato Commission to help pump up sales in the produce department. These healthy

Montreal-based Metro Inc., one of the larger retailers in Canada, has named Daniel Archambault its new director of produce procurement, sales and quality control for Quebec. Mr. Archambault, Metro's former produce sales manager and a 27-year veteran at the firm, replaces Ghislain Perron, a 29-year Metro employee and a 40-year veteran of the produce industry, who was named director of special projects for produce in July. Bernadette Hamel, Metro's vice president of produce purchasing, merchandising and customer service for Quebec and central negotiations for Ontario and Quebec, told The Produce