Ben Parker Inc. in Dallas ceased operations owing almost $8 million in debt, with accounts-receivables of about $3 million, according to court documents prepared by the firm's in-house accounting employee.

The Canadian Produce Marketing Association, the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association announced the launch of producetraceability.org, an on-line resource to aid produce companies in the transition to new traceability measures proposed by the joint Produce Traceability Initiative.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd.'s customers should soon find an even better shopping experience at its produce departments across Canada.

The country's largest retailer recently implemented a new "Field-to-Fork" program, with "the end goal being to put fresher, higher-quality product in the hands of our customers," the program's director, Mike Mauti, told The Produce News Feb. 11.

O. Lippi & Co. Inc., one of the older firms on the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, which specialized in bananas, tropical fruits, avocados and citrus, has gone out of business. The company closed its doors Jan. 30.

Michael Janis, general manager of the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, said that O. Lippi was hurt by a difficult year in the banana markets in 2008 and that the "current national business environment severely impacted them."

Dan Newhouse, who has represented Washington's 15th legislative district at the state capitol since 2002, was appointed Feb. 13 by Gov. Christine Gregoire to become the new director of the Washington Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Newhouse is expected to be confirmed by the state Senate and to assume his official responsibilities Wednesday, Feb. 18. He replaces Valoria Loveland, who retired from the position last year.

CHERRY HILL, NJ -- New Jersey Assemblyman Douglas H. Fisher has been appointed secretary of agriculture for the state of New Jersey.

Mr. Fisher, who was first elected to the state Assembly in 2001 and who most recently served as chairman of the Assembly's Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, was introduced as the state's new ag chief during the New Jersey State Agricultural Convention, held here Feb. 10-11.

He replaces Charles H. Kuperus, who resigned Dec. 31 after serving for about seven years as secretary of agriculture.