MAUI, HI -- Bob Gray of Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. in Salinas, CA, was elected chairman of the board of Western Growers at its 82nd annual meeting, held here, Monday, Nov. 12. Mr. Gray was previously senior vice chairman and replaces Steve Patricio of Westside Produce in Firebaugh, CA, who just completed what he called one of the "most challenging" years in the history of the association. Giving the chairman's report on Monday at the group's "Major Luncheon," Mr. Patricio said that four very important issues all reached a high point of discussion and action over the past 12 months: food safety

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Social Security Administration has agreed to not send divisive "no match" letters this year but is planning to mail them in February or March of 2008, depending on the outcome of federal litigation, according to Mark Hinkle, SSA spokesperson. SSA was intending to send no-match letters to employers with employees whose names and the Social Security information on their W-2 forms did not match information in the SSA database. Employers receiving "no match" letters would be required to fire employees whose SSA discrepancies are not resolved within 90 days. If the employer

The California division of the Natural Resources Conservation Service has recognized Jesus Castillo for his outstanding contributions to environmentally responsible farming. He was a small farmer in his native Jalisco, Mexico, and since he arrived in the Santa Maria, CA, area, he has used his years of experience to make a living growing strawberries and tomatillos. "Conservation is important to me because we live on this planet and we are destroying it by contaminating and applying the wrong practices," he said through an interpreter in a release. "The planet has to be passed down to future

Attendees at this year's annual meeting of the Washington State Horticultural Association are in for a rare treat on Dec. 3. They are scheduled to get a private screening of the new documentary, Gee Whiz: the Story of Grady Auvil. Filmmaker Jamie Howell and co-producer Jeff Ostenson have captured an intense snapshot of the larger-than-life figure who introduced the Granny Smith apple to Washington's Wenatchee Valley. Intense work on the project also revealed a man who was obsessed with efficiency and had a few quirky takes on just about everything. "We're in the race to the finish," Mr. Howell

Nick Zaninovich, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died Nov. 7 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Born Oct. 24, 1920, in Cutler, CA, he was the youngest son of Antone and Domina Zaninovich, who emigrated from Croatia in the early 1900s. Mr. Zaninovich attended grammar school in Sultana, CA, and Dinuba High School. His college education was interrupted by the death of his father and the need for him to return home to help run the family farm. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps during World War II, and upon completion of his service, he returned to California to

The New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, has launched a new variety guide and merchandising display that makes it easy for retailers to promote the excellent eating qualities of "Apple Country" apples. "These are the most beautiful p-o-s materials we've ever created," Jim Allen, president of the association, said in a press release. "We're already getting hundreds of requests from retailers to put these up in their produce aisles." The new guides feature information on 20 of New York's more popular apple varieties including the health benefits of eating apples, consumer handling tips and