Over the past seven years, Joe Bernardi, president of Bernardi & Associates Inc., and his family have raised more than half a million dollars for charities through the Kayla Bernardi BEE Positive Foundation. “It really is more than monetary,” said Cathie Bernardi. “It is about how many lives we can touch, and how far we can spread Kayla’s BEE Positive message.” Joe Bernardi, who was excited to use this story space to talk about his late daughter’s life and impact, agreed with his wife’s assessment 100 percent. “We would like to focus on that more than the dollar amounts,” he said. “The more

–Photos taken by Adam Campbell Members of the tropical plant community gathered in Tampa, FL, last week for the annual Tropical Plant International Expo. Educational sessions, new varieties, and high tech solutions were among the myriad experiences attendees had the unique opportunity to experience. The event was well attended and the trade show floor was filled with friends, old and new, enjoying the best the tropical plant industry has to offer.

Providing the country with a steady supply of the most nutritious food is hard work. While the produce industry is a 24/7 business, even the hardest-working among us needs a little downtime with a close friend — perhaps on a lazy Caturday or a Sundog. Whether these furry friends supervise us at work or just keep the couch warm for our return home, members of the produce industry are bananas about our pets. Keep an eye out for your industry friends and colleagues — and have a little fun in the process — with our Sightings: Face to Face with the Produce Industry series. Be sure to get yourself

As another year comes to a close, it feels like we could all use some extra holiday cheer. Enjoy these festive photos of the industry friends you might not have seen for quite a while. Many thanks to all who participated, and we hope to see your smiling faces in person at events in 2022. From all of us at The Produce News, we wish you a happy and certainly a healthy holiday season.

This year's New York Produce Show & Conference offered roughly 5,000 attendees and 400 exhibitors seven hours of non-stop business opportunities. While on the trade show floor attendees had a chance to take part in educational seminars run throughout the show. The four-day event ran Dec. 13-16.

The New York Produce Show & Conference, presented by the Eastern Produce Council, is back. Last night's opening reception, which was held at the New York Hilton, allowed industry members to reconnect before the trade show floor opened earlier this morning. The four-day event runs through Dec. 16, giving participants the opportunity to network, attend a trade show with more than 400 companies and enjoy tours of the New York region’s vibrant industry.