If the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast for the 2009 cranberry crop holds true, it would be the second largest cranberry harvest on record. The USDA figures, released in mid-August, predict 7.09 million barrels (each barrel weighs 100 pounds), down 10 percent from 2008. The forecast was for yields to be down in Massachusetts and Wisconsin but up in New Jersey, Oregon and Washington state. David Farrimond, executive director of the Cranberry Marketing Committee, told The Produce News Aug. 26 that he believed "the crop is going to be there," and

Graham Daren Pimiskern, 42-year-old sales director of Del Fresco Produce Ltd. in Kingsville, ON, died Aug. 28 at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston, ON. He died peacefully with family members and friends by his side. Mr. Pimiskern suffered from kidney disease for the past year, struggling with a series of related setbacks. "Every day, Daren [as he was commonly called] continued to be upbeat and positive so that his family and friends would believe that he was going to beat his battle," said Suzy D'Alimonte, office manager for Del Fresco Produce. "On Sunday, August 23, Daren's fight went downhill

Just in time to commemorate September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Watsonville, CA-based California Giant Berry Farms renewed its support of Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services, a Watsonville- based non-profit serving children with cancer and their families. "We're so grateful to have partnerships like the one we have with California Giant. This donation goes a long way toward supporting families in our community," Susan Osorio, executive director, said in an Aug. 31 press release. The funds will be used to provide counseling and financial support to families of children

Suntreat, a provider of premium California citrus in Lindsay, CA, announced Aug. 27 that it has hired Al Imbimbo as its vice president of sales. Mr. Imbimbo assumed his new role with the company on Aug. 17. With Tom Roberts, director of sales and marketing, retiring after 38 years, Mr. Imbimbo will be responsible for directing all sales activities for the company. Suntreat said that it is planning an aggressive growth strategy that emphasizes introduction of new varieties and enhanced specialty citrus product offerings. "Suntreat has been a cornerstone in the California citrus deal for 50

On Wednesday evening, Sept. 2, Hurricane Jimena was rolling across the central plains of the Baja California peninsula likely inflicting some damage on the tomato, cucumber and other crops that are currently in the ground awaiting harvest in the fall. "It would be a miracle if we come out of this without damage," John King, vice president of sales for Andrew & Williamson Sales Co. Inc. in San Diego, said the afternoon of Sept. 2. "We will know a lot more in 24 hours. The storm should start to come through in the early morning hours tomorrow." Mr. King said that ironically, a lack of water is

Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc. in Sparta, MI, selected RCT Inc. to receive a special award for outstanding service. "Riveridge is pleased to present this well-deserved award to RCT," Rog Geers, vice president of Riveridge, said in a press release. "This is an opportunity for us to recognize RCT for their commitment to superior service. We value the relationship developed over the past 10 years and appreciate their ability to provide consistent and dependable deliveries. Randy Lemmen, RCT outbound operations manager, has been instrumental in Riveridge achieving our 99.8 percent on-time