Japan informed the U.S. Department of Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service in Tokyo May 16 that it was removing a number of pests from quarantine and inspection status, which should give U.S. lettuce shippers a sales boost. "I think there could be an immediate impact," said Ken Gilliland of Western Growers Association. He explained that among the pests removed from the quarantine list is the Western Flower Thrip. "There are three pests that we are most concerned about, and apparently we are getting rid of one of them," he said. Prior to this change, the finding of this pest by Japanese or

ALAMEDA, CA -- Life in fresh produce has come full circle for Dan (The Produce Man) Avakian, who has just purchased the open-air market where he got his start in the industry in 1976 at age 15. Mr. Avakian, who for years co-hosted the nationally syndicated radio show "The Produce Pair," officially opened his store -- Dan's Fresh Produce -- May 22. The open-air market has had several owners since Mr. Avakian got his start here at age 15, with Mr. Avakian now taking the helm. Mr. Avakian partnered with his brother and a friend - who will be silent partners -- in buying the store. He secured the

A hot lettuce market caused by decreased supplies blurred any impact that might have occurred following the late April report on NBC's television program "Dateline" linking several cases of E. coli-related sickness with bagged lettuce. On Sunday, April 30, the television newsmagazine show featured a segment detailing the connection between bagged salads and an E. coli outbreak in the Midwest last year. At the United-Food Marketing Institute convention a week later, retailers and shippers were noting little effect. During one private meeting, a group of retailers told grower-shipper

The Garden State Preservation Trust approved the State Agriculture Development Committee's funding request for $116.7 million to build on the momentum of farmland preservation efforts across New Jersey. "The majority of this funding will be used to provide grants to local and county governments to help purchase the development rights to preserve farmland in their communities," Agriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus, who chairs the State Agriculture Development Committee, said in a statement. "The benefits of this investment in farmland preservation are real and lasting -- everything from

Dennis Donohue, president of European Vegetable Specialties in Salinas, CA, has been elected treasurer of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California. In agribusiness since 1988, Mr. Donohue worked for River Ranch, Fresh Express and Fresh Western before joining European Vegetable Specialties in 1996. He became president of the company two years later. EVS, a privately held company, is among the larger producers of radicchio in the world, with growing operations and customers in North America, South American, Europe and the Pacific Rim. A 13-member board of directors, which is elected

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. in Coral Gables, FL, has made four key appointments to its Asian, European and North American regions. Jimmy Tenazas, formerly vice president of Del Monte Fresh's North American deciduous program in Coral Gables, will take on the role of vice president of the Asia-Pacific region in Hong Kong, China, and will report directly to Hani El-Naffy, president and chief operating officer of Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. Michael Walsh, formerly vice president of deciduous sales in North America East, will relocate from Philadelphia to take on Mr. Tenazas' former role as