Kay Riley, president of Certified Onions Inc., said customers who purchase onions from the organization’s members are assured that product meets and exceeds the highest food-safety standards available today.

The nonprofit organization was formed in July 2009. “This is our sixth year of testing,” Riley told The Produce News.

Members voluntarily undergo stringent testing for off-label pesticide use and random maximum residue levels, and pathogen testing is also available. Third-party auditing is performed at both the field and shed levels.

Maverick Potato Co. Co-owner Roger Christensen was spot-on going into the 2014 potato harvest when he called for good quality and sizes. Now, several weeks into the shipping season, Christensen said demand is steady for the holidays, and he and Co-owner Michael Kruse continue to see good reception in both the domestic and Mexican markets.

Aldi Inc. announced that it has made a structural adjustment to its senior leadership organization in order to support the retailer’s further expansion both in the U.S. and internationally.

Jason Hart, who currently serves as president for Aldi U.S., has been promoted to a new role, effective April 1, 2015. Hart will become chief executive officer for Aldi U.S. and will be supported by Chuck Youngstrom and David Behm, who will continue in their roles of co-presidents for Aldi U.S.

Potatoes are shipping from facilities across the country, and the russets grown in Colorado’s San Luis Valley are “one of the better quality crops out of the continental U.S.,” according to David Tonso, manager of the RPE facility located near Monte Vista.

“Quality is excellent,” Tonso told The Produce News on Nov. 14. “The potatoes are just as good as last year with a better size profile.”

Adding to the enthusiasm for 2014’s season is the fact that “demand is crazy” in the run-up to the holidays, he said.

Despite several challenges, the fall red potato shipping for Associated Potato Growers Inc., is “going OK,” said Paul Dolan, manager of the Grand Forks, ND-based grower-packer-shipper.

“In the last couple of weeks” movement has picked up, he said Nov. 17. “Demand has picked up some.” But prices “are just OK. They are below last year by a couple of bucks, probably. We had to get down there to compete with russets.”

Iceberg lettuce, celery and cauliflower are the three core items that have kept California-based Santa Barbara Farms thriving since Ron Berghoefer opened the doors of his company in 1997. Previously, Berghoefer had managed another company’s local deal.

The company, which is headquartered in Lompoc about an hour’s drive north of Santa Barbara, has built its business around year-round supplies of these three commodities.

Iceberg lettuce is the firm’s top-volume item, and is joined by cauliflower and celery on the sales sheet.