Senate agriculture committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow will kick off the Washington Public Policy Conference, delivering the keynote address at the opening general session breakfast Tuesday, Oct. 1. In her role as chair of the Senate agriculture committee, Stabenow plays a pivotal role in shaping U.S. agricultural policies. Stabenow will discuss the public policy opportunities and challenges facing the produce industry, including the status of the farm bill and comprehensive immigration reform.

Three Republican candidates have declared their intention to seek the office of Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in the November 2014 elections to replace the departing current officeholder, Todd Staples. No Democrat had officially entered the race as of Sept. 10 — and it likely will not matter if one does. In an overwhelmingly red state, the real battle for the commissioner’s seat will almost certainly come down to the March primary.

Industry veteran and Southeast Produce Council President Andrew Scott is joining Superior Sales Inc. of Hudsonville, MI, as vice president of sales and marketing, effective today.

Scott will be based in Atlanta and will also have an office at J&R Baker Farms, Superior’s southeastern growing partner in Norman Park, GA.

It’s an exciting apple season for three generations of the Hartmann family at Pacificpro Inc. “Washington apples have been the core commodity of Pacificpro and the Hartmann family since they first started in the business 50 years ago,” Vice President Randy Hartmann told The Produce News. The company is headquartered in Bellevue, WA.

Hendrix Produce Inc. has teamed up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation for a cause-marketing program involving sweet onions during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

“We’re really honored to partner with NBCF,” said Vice President Kevin Hendrix. “While we enjoy giving back locally — and even regionally — we’ve wanted to branch out on a more national level for some time.”

Several specimens of Asian citrus psyllid were found in three adjoining backyards in Dinuba, CA, in an area surrounded by commercial citrus groves, early in the week of Sept. 9, and the discovery is expected to trigger a quarantine, prohibiting the movement of citrus fruit or plant materials from anywhere within a five-mile radius of where the pests were found, according to Bob Blakely, director of industry relations for California Citrus Mutual in Exeter, CA.