ATLANTA -- Fresh Harvest Mexico is a new joint venture between Guatemala's Planesa S.A. and Fresh Harvest International in Pompano Beach, FL. Planesa founder and owner Roberto Castaneda met with The Produce News, here, amid the PMA convention to discuss his 50-50 partnership in Mexico with his friend George Ellis, owner of Fresh Harvest. They will be growing blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Mr. Castaneda called Mr. Ellis "one of the best producers of blueberries in Florida." Mr. Castaneda, whose office is in Guatemala City, said that truck transportation from Mexican fields to

There's no sitting still for Warmerdam Packing LLC in Hanford, CA. Even as the company marks its 40th anniversary, it is undertaking changes intended to make the fruit growing and packing operation bigger and better. Warmerdam Packing was founded in 1965 by Bill Warmerdam, who is still the company's president and who is known for his innovative packinghouse design concepts. His son, John Warmerdam, is general manager and oversees field operations. Earlier this year, the company hired a new chief operating officer, Martin Hovsepian, who has more than 20 years of experience in the business

WASHINGTON -- Tomatoes and/or tomato sauces may reduce the risk of certain cancers, but the Food & Drug Administration has flatly rejected health claims linking lycopene as having any cancer-prevention qualities. After a two-year review and several delays, FDA ruled on two petitions that asked regulators to allow a wide variety of new health claims regarding eating tomatoes and processed tomato products. In the "partial denial" letters, FDA allowed only limited health claims linking tomatoes and tomato sauces with reducing the risk of ovarian, prostate, gastric and pancreatic cancers, and

Frontera Produce announced that it has begun a new melon import program into the port of Corpus Christi to service retailers and wholesale distributors throughout the United States. Frontera, based in Edinburg, TX, will be importing cantaloupe and honeydew from Guatemala through Altobaso S.A., contracting 2,400 tons per week for the duration of the season running November to May. "There were several factors that influenced our decision to select this port. Other Gulf ports were considered, however the port of Corpus Christi offered a strategic location with accessible rail and highway

PHILADELPHIA -- International logistics executive George Sibley received the eighth "Friend of Chile" award Nov. 16 at a luncheon, here. Mr. Sibley, who is senior vice president of Barthco International Inc., here, received the award from the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia. More than 150 people were in attendance at the Hyatt Regency hotel, which, appropriately, overlooks the Delaware River. Ports on the river received 55 million cases of Chilean fruit last year. Accolades for Mr. Sibley indicated that he was the freight forwarder for the first shipload of Chilean fruit

WASHINGTON -- Dole Fresh Fruit International said that a federal review board's decision to postpone acting on whether to keep ethylene on a list of substances allowed on organically labeled bananas would leave farmers in a tenuous position. At a Nov. 16 meeting, Franz Wielemaker, director of sourcing and development for Dole's organic program, said that the National Organic Standards Board should recommend that the U.S. Department of Agriculture continue listing ethylene as a post-harvest substance used for banana ripening. The board's recommendation to postpone a decision on ethylene is