Latest News From Chris Koger

Revol Greens, Owatonna, Minn., has hired Michael Wainscott as chief financial officer, a new role at the company.

Naturipe is bringing back the FeBLUEary blueberry campaign to grocery stores for the fifth year, along with a new push on digital platforms.

Bland Farms, Glennville, Ga., has promoted Luke McBee to director of operations.

Chris Alvarez has been promoted at Giro Pack Inc. to director of sales and customer service.

The FDA has concluded an investigation into a fall 2020 E. coli outbreak linked to leafy greens.

JOH, Billerica, Mass., has hired Andrew Moore as a home meal replacement specialist in the company’s fresh division.

The California Statewide Pear Research Webinar features the latest research into pests, production methods and varieties.

The Sorma Group, Cesena, Italy, has expanded the capabilities of its optical sorting machine with HyperVision, allowing it to analyze up to 15 pieces of fruit each second.

The National Mango Board has scheduled a web seminar to introduce its retail strategy for whole and fresh-cut mangoes for 2021.

Genuine Coconut has launched three products in North America.

The Giumarra Cos., Los Angeles, has a new partnership with the CarSol Group, a Santiago, Chile, grower and distributor of blueberries from Chile and Peru.

Scott Harker has joined Verdant Technologies as vice president of sales.

Calavo Growers Inc., Santa Paula, Calif., is using Apeel Sciences' plant-based solution to extend the shelf life of avocados.

Church Brothers Farms, Salinas, Calif., has hired Jennifer Wagner Sanchez as director of marketing.

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc., Coral Gables, Fla., is relaunching its Homestyle Guacamole in four unique flavors.

IFCO Systems has hired Candice Herndon as president of IFCO North America.

The grower whose butternut squash has been involved in recalls of fresh-cut products because of listeria concerns is working with the Food and Drug Administration to find the source.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the contracts for the fifth round of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Moxxy Marketing has hired Beth Adan as marketing director, a new role at the company, to manage brand objectives and raise agency visibility.

The Oppenheimer Group is expanding its Ocean Spray branded grape program, adding Southern Hemisphere fruit to expand to year-round availability with the label.

StePac Ltd., Tefen, Israel, is seeing interest for its standing pouches for retail display grow.

Lancaster Foods LLC, Jessup, Md., has recalled a dozen fresh-cut butternut products, citing potential Listeria Monocytogenes contamination.

Fallbrook, Calif.-based avocado grower McDaniel Fruit Co., marketer of the Linda Vista brand, has hired Tyler Cobb as director of grower relations and field sourcing.

Tim Corkill, a long-time regional marketing manager for FirstFruits Marketing, Yakima, Wash., has died.

 Morning Kiss Organic and DiSilva Fruit, part of the Arrowfarms family of companies, are shipping a variety of produce in time for Chinese New Year's celebrations.

Okanagan Specialty Fruits, developer and grower behind the innovative Arctic apple, has released a video capturing the 2020 harvest.

Western Growers, Irvine, Calif., has hired Robert Medler as Arizona government affairs manager.

Justin Machell has been promoted to CEO of Highland Ag Solutions LLC, Mulberry, Fla.

The Pear Bureau Northwest is asking retailers to show their love of red pears with a display contest.

Pero Family Farms Food Co. LLC, Delray Beach, Fla., has recalled multiple butternut squash products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established the Pecan Promotion, Research and Information order.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking for nominations for three grower seats on the Mushroom Council.

Onion grower-shipper G&R Farms, Glennville, Ga., has a new user-friendly website that showcases the company’s history, including its role in introducing Vidalia onions.

Fresh-Link Produce has hired Bob Ritchart, who has been in the produce industry for 25 year, as general manager of the company’s Eastern division.

Indoor grower BrightFarms, Irvington, N.Y., has promoted Jackie Hawkins to director of food safety and quality.

Monterey Mushrooms, Watsonville, Calif., has promoted Greg Sweet to chief operating officer, a new position for the company.

Seven produce industry representatives have been named to the Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables.

The California Walnut Board has hired Josh Rahm as director of technical and regulatory affairs.

A unique program at the University of Florida is asking home gardeners to grow and evaluate new tomato varieties.

Los Angeles Produce Distributors has posted two $250,000 surety bonds to employ Fernando Patoja and Tony Perez, as required by the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.

GrubMarket has acquired domestic and imported fruit marketer Bengard Marketing Inc.

The ITC heard hours of testimony on whether imported blueberries harm the livelihoods of domestic growers, with dozens of stakeholders on either side sparring over what affects prices in the U.S. blueberry market.

Seattle-based RipeLocker, a company that specializes in extending the shelf life of perishables, recently completed a test in which organic blueberries were stored in one of its containers for eight weeks.

Avocados from Mexico has created The Virtual Guac Bowl Stadium for its annual Super Bowl promotion, with prize packages that include avocado gear, weekly $1,000 giveaways and the chance to win $1 million.

The American Grown campaign, established in the wake of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, is encouraging U.S. growers to tell their stories.

Vertical farming company Plenty, South San Francisco, has added former Impossible Foods vice president of sales Dana Worth as senior vice president of commercial.

Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc. is transitioning to eco-friendly containerships, and the first shipments of fruit in the energy-efficient vessels recently arrived at Port Manatee, Palmetto, Fla.

Greenhouse grower NatureSweet has added Suzanne Wade, who has worked in executive roles at Walmart and H-E-B, to its board of directors.

The Oppenheimer Group has hired Sila Louw in a grower relations position in South Africa, its first position on the continent.

A national coalition of over 200 agricultural organizations and urban and rural water districts urged President-elect Joe Biden and congressional leadership today to address aging Western water infrastructure.