WASHINGTON -- Western Growers Association's top executive joined a handful of leaders Oct. 29, here, in a panel discussion on immigration reform as part of an all-out push to gather enforcement, faith-based and business leaders to call on the U.S. House to pass reform this year.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce organized more than 600 conservative leaders from nearly 40 states to visit more than 100 Capitol Hill offices, all part of "Americans for Reform: Immigration Reform for our Economy, Faith and Security."

Treating consumers to tasty new avocado-enriched snack, the maker of "Wholly Guacamole" brand is adding bean dips to its line of pre-packaged dips, which also includes "Wholly Salsa" products.

While much better than normal pricing remains for many vegetable items from the West, only cauliflower seems to be commanding the stratospheric prices of mid-October.

"There just still isn't much flower around," said Mark Sergent, chief executive officer of S&S Marketing & Sales Inc., a buying broker and distributor based in Salinas, CA.

He said the leaf lettuce items came off their $20-plus markets, though most items were still returning better than a $10 bill on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Johnston Farms in Edison, CA, which grows several varieties of Mandarins in addition to Navel oranges, packed mainly under the company’s “Blue Jay” brand, is finding that its Satsuma Mandarins are continuing to grow in popularity.

Dennis Johnston, a partner in the company, attributes that growing popularity to the high flavor of the variety.

This summer, Paramount Citrus Cooperative in Delano, CA, announced two major expansions in its citrus program.

As reported previously in The Produce News, three weeks after disclosing that it had ended its joint venture with Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative in Pasadena, CA, to market Mandarins under the “Cuties” brand, Paramount announced in a press release June 10 “the launch of a new premium California Mandarin brand, ‘Wonderful Halos,’ and revealed plans to spend a record $100 million over the next five years” to promote and market the new brand.

Paul Mastronardi, president and chief executive officer of Mastronardi Produce, based in Kingsville, ON, has been named Ontario's 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Food & Beverage category.

Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates the contribution and spirit of entrepreneurs everywhere. The Canadian program is in its 20th year of honoring the country's most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business.