ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- The Philadelphia chapter of the United Fresh Produce Association and the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market held their 23rd annual ladies night party Dec. 1, here in Atlantic City's Tropicana Hotel & Casino. About 185 people attended the party, which included a reception, dinner and dancing. Chuck Zambito of Zambito Produce Sales Inc. in Woodbury, NJ, organizes the party every year in a volunteer effort. Mr. Zambito is president of the Philadelphia chapter of United Fresh. Each year, the organization makes a charitable contribution. The 2007 recipient of a gift from the

Retailers are proud of the displays that were featured in their produce departments during the fall months, September through November, and National Apple Month wants to see the results of each retailer's efforts. So NAM has announced its call for entries for its 2007 fall display contest in retail supermarkets and military commissaries. More than 50 winners will be named in the contest, with awards varying from $1,000 to $25 in cash prizes or charitable donations. Retailers must submit a completed entry form and a photograph of the display from their store. To obtain an entry form or

WASHINGTON -- Some small- and medium-sized farm operations are protesting the government's recent move to consider adopting California's leafy greens marketing agreement nationwide in the shape of a federal marketing program. In comments sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, groups such as the Community Alliance with Family Farmers and the Cornucopia Institute said that the metrics applied under California's marketing agreement suit large- scale farms that cater to fresh-cut processors rather than smaller growers of whole-leaf vegetables. "Such one-size-fits-all requirements, while

SALINAS, CA -- Church Bros. LLC and Premium Fresh, both based here, are working on an agreement that would have Church Bros. handling the sales and marketing of Premium Fresh products, both companies confirmed with The Produce News Nov. 27. Both Tom Church of Church Bros. and Emmitt Pfost of Premium Fresh said that they hoped a deal would be completed by the end of the Dec. 3 week. Premium Fresh would remain a separate company, responsible for its own profits or losses, and still would have its hand in the selling of its own products. Mr. Pfost, sales manager of pre-cut for Premium Fresh, and

To strengthen the delivery of its "Expect the world from us" customer experience, Vancouver, BC-based The Oppenheimer Group has acquired a pair of new sales representatives and repositioned two other key members of its sales team. Phillip Cuccerre brings 20 years of produce industry experience with him to his new role of senior sales representative based in the company's Houston office. Mr. Cuccerre comes to Oppenheimer from Chiquita Brands International, where he started in 1999 as a business development manager for the firm's Houston location. He parted ways with Chiquita as a national

A decision by Colorado District 1 Water Court Judge Roger Klein to accept a water augmentation plan submitted by the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District has given agricultural producers in northeast Colorado some cause for hope. But the million-dollar question remains: Will the Oct. 19 decision give producers in the drought-stricken state the necessary water resources to bring in crops in 2008? Following a 30-day trial in Water Court in Greeley, CO, Judge Klein issued a 101-page document outlining his decision after four months of deliberation. The judge's decision revolved around