Vida Fresh Inc., a Los Angeles area-based grower, shipper, importer and exporter of fresh herbs and assorted fruits and vegetables, has received certification for the second successive year from the Mexican government for its food- safety practices on its herb farms in Baja California, Mexico. According to Gary Thurston, a salesman with the company, Vida Fresh is "leading the charge" to improve food-safety practices on farms in Mexico by complying with the certification protocol of the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture's National Service for Food Quality & Safety, commonly known by its Spanish

ATLANTA -- Produce for Kids hosted a ceremony Sunday, Nov. 6 at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit to honor its 2005 participating retailers for their combined help in raising $225,000 for the program so far in 2005. "The checks were make out to the Children's Miracle Network, the organization that Produce for Kids supports," said Heidi McIntyre, marketing director for the organization. "We also presented each of our sponsors with a plaque to thank them for their 2005 contributions." The 2005 participating retailers are Harris Teeter, Publix, Kroger, Meijer, Giant, Tops and

SAN DIEGO -- Former Western Growers Association Chairman of the Board Doc Danna of Danna & Danna Inc. in San Jose, CA, received the prestigious Award of Honor from WGA at the group's 80th annual meeting, here, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the famed Hotel Del Coronado. Mr. Danna, who is 94 years old, was honored for his six decades of service to WGA. Another former chairman of the board of the association and longtime friend, Andy D'Arrigo of D'Arrigo Bros. of California in Salinas, presented the award and cited Mr. Danna's gentle nature and keen intellect. Mr. Danna began farming in a then-rural

Seald Sweet LLC recently announced partnership deals in Florida and California that strengthen the Vero Beach, FL- based company's position as a year-round supplier of high- quality citrus. In Florida, Seald Sweet concluded a joint venture acquisition and operating agreement with SunBrite Citrus Inc. in Fort Pierce, FL, which is one of its grower-shipper members. Under the agreement, reached Oct. 19, Seald Sweet becomes a 50 percent owner of a newly formed company SunBrite Holdings LLC, with the Schirard family retaining the other half of the company. According to Seald Sweet Senior Vice

Kelly O'Grady has a sales pitch for Earthbound Farm that is simple and sincere: Organic produce is good for consumers and good for the environment. It's really more of a philosophy for the 25-year-old sales associate, who has worked for the organic grower-shipper in San Juan Bautista, CA, for the past two years. "I'm helping bring the benefits of organic foods to consumers. I guess overall that's the most rewarding aspect of my job," she said. "Working in the organic industry is being socially and environmentally responsible." Ms. O'Grady has been a member of the produce trade since she was

ATLANTA -- "Mex Best" is a brand that Mexican producers and their government use to promote Mexican products around the world. Enrique Lobo, minister of the agricultural office of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC, said that different Mexican categories, including produce, fisheries, livestock and groceries, are promoted at the single top relevant trade fair in major markets around the world. In the case of produce, Mex Best promotes at the PMA convention. Mr. Lobo sat with The Produce News in the Mex Best booth on Nov. 7 to discuss the PMA promotion and Mexican produce industry. He said