CIUDAD OBREGON, SONORA, MEXICO - Representatives from some of the top U.S. and Canadian produce organizations discussed the challenges they encounter while conducting business in the North American produce trade during a panel discussion held here as part of the recent trade symposium, Agriculture in Sonora, A Business Opportunity. David Smith, chief executive officer of B.C. Hot House in Surrey, BC, which offers greenhouse-grown product to the North American market, likened his organization's situation to what is occurring now in Sonora in that it started as a niche market and grew rapidly,

The Diamond State Port Corp. and Pacific Delaware Inc. have signed a new five-year agreement with a two-year extension option for the storage and distribution of Chilean fruit imports through the port of Wilmington, DE. PDI is a U.S. corporation whose main customer, Swordfish Shipping Inc., is represented in Chile by Pacific Seaways, a Chilean corporation that provides shipping services for Chilean fruit exporters. The port of Wilmington is the largest gateway for Chilean fruit imports on the Delaware River, and this contract, which runs at least through the year 2010, will enable the port to

David Puglia has joined the Western Growers Association government relations team as vice president of state government affairs. Most recently, Mr. Puglia was a vice president at APCO Worldwide, a leading issues-management and media-relations consulting firm. His expertise and professionalism are widely known and respected in the offices of the state capital. "We are extremely pleased that Dave has joined the Western Growers government relations team," said Tom Nassif, president of WGA. He is one of the truly outstanding professionals in the government arena. He has a sterling reputation and

OAKLAND, CA - An overflow crowd teeming with retailers packed the Oakland Hilton Tuesday, April 27, here, for a Northern California luncheon meeting of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council. With featured speaker Ronnie de la Cruz of the Produce Marketing Association discussing how retailers can utilize their in-store staff to sell more produce, the meeting was packed with representatives from Safeway, Albertson's, Save Mart, Raley's and other Northern California-based companies. Mr. de la Cruz advocated a proactive approach and gave specific strategies that an in-store produce clerk can use to

WASHINGTON - Sprouts continue to cause foodborne illnesses, despite the fact that the Food & Drug Administration released safety guidelines for the industry six years ago. Now FDA is holding a public meeting next month to start the process of writing mandatory regulations to stem the number of sprout-related outbreaks. Since 1996, sprouts have been associated with 27 outbreaks, or 40 percent of all foodborne illnesses linked to fresh produce, according to FDA, which has issued several health advisories warning consumers about the risks of eating sprouts. Salmonella and E.coli have been

Kelsi Farms Inc. in Visalia, CA, a produce marketing company formed about six months ago, will be handling the sales of a line of organic vegetables and melons from Double D Farms in Coalinga, CA, according to Robert Faulkner, Kelsi's founder. The product line includes garlic, broccoli, romaine, red and green leaf lettuce, yellow and red onions, cantaloupe, honeydew, orange flesh honeydew, seedless watermelon, butternut squash, acorn squash, white sweet corn, zucchini and cucumbers. All of the products are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers and packed in the "Double D