ORADELL, NJ -- The Produce News has promoted Lora Abcarian to Northwest editor, where she will help direct editorial coverage in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Colorado. Ms. Abcarian had been a regional correspondent since joining the publication in 2005. Kathleen Thomas, who had held the position of Northwest editor, will now concentrate her efforts on advertising sales in that region. "Lora has proven to be a valuable part of our editorial team and is a key factor in our growing success in the Northwest," said John Groh, editor and publisher of The Produce News. "We feel that Kathleen and

In July 2006, Dan Hinkle, president of Hinkle Produce in Cissna Park, IL, entered into a long-term contract with the United Feature Syndicate, owner of the "Peanuts" characters' trademark. He then entered into an exclusive contract with International Paper to produce the "Charlie Brown" pumpkin patch bin wraps. Last fall, Mr. Hinkle told The Produce News, "The response to the program, all commodities included, has been phenomenal. Retailers are finding that branded produce is very important in driving sales. I don't mean to downgrade other characters, but what is more friendly to consumers

Sarah Alvernaz, who was formerly a marketing coordinator for the California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, has been named general manager of California Sweet Potato Growers, a grower-owned cooperative based in Livingston, CA. Ms. Alvernaz, 26, attended California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, graduating in 2004 with a major in agriculture business and a minor in agriculture communications. Following graduation, her first produce- related job was with Famous Software. "From there, I went to the California Tree Fruit Agreement and worked on both domestic and international

Historically, the California avocado harvest has begun in late fall and built to a peak in spring and summer. But with increasing volumes of imported fruit in the market, the tendency more recently has been to hold off until February or March, when Chilean volume is in decline, to begin picking in earnest. This year, growers are not expected to start ramping up their harvest until even later in the year, largely because of an exceptionally small crop on the trees. Avocados are normally alternate-bearing, meaning that a light crop year is usually followed by a heavy crop year. But 2009 will

The European Flavors marketing program is in its second year of a three-year effort to promote both fresh and processed fruits and vegetables grown in Europe to the United States, Russia and Japan. The marketing efforts vary among the three target countries. Currently, in the United States, European Flavors promotes two items: kiwifruit and blood oranges, both of which are grown in Italy and approved for importation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The European Flavors program is funded by the European Union, Italy and Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli, a cooperative that assists member

The Blue Book will begin offering its extensive credit-reporting services to the lumber and building materials industry after being selected from among a half-dozen candidates to fill a void created when a long-time credit agency for that industry ceased operations. Since 1876, the lumber and building materials industry had relied on industry-specific credit information from an organization known as Lumbermens, according to Nicholas Kent, president and chief executive officer of the North American Wholesale Lumber Association, based in Rolling Meadows, IL. "Our association members were