The International Fresh-cut Produce Association in Alexandria, VA, is partnering with the Perishables Group, an independent consulting firm, to provide the fresh-cut produce industry with syndicated data reports that measure the performance of the total fresh-cut fruit and vegetable business at retail. The new initiative -- sponsored by DuPont -- will provide association members with the first-ever picture of the total fresh-cut produce space, including UPC-coded product, as well as items sold by the pound and processed in the store. The Perishables Group data set includes all UPC/fixed weight

Sibling rivalry isn't an issue for brothers Jay and Glenn Johnson at the Johnson Produce Co. in Pompano Beach, FL. It's more of a team effort for this third-generation duo at the company founded by their grandfather, John Bill (JW) Johnson, 60 years ago. As a matter of fact, the family owns and operates three related concerns: the Johnson Produce Co., shipping out of Pompano Beach and Santa Fe, FL; JGL Produce, shipping out of Immokalee, FL; and the J.W. Johnson Tomato Co., a packinghouse outside Waynesville, NC. "That's just a summer deal," Jay Johnson pointed out. The tomato house started

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- If exciting field tours, educational workshops, a bold keynote speech, a comprehensive trade show and fun-filled social events make for a successful conference, then by all accounts the Southeast Produce Council's recently completed third annual conference and expo fit the bill. The conference, held March 2-4 in the Fort Lauderdale area, got underway with a golf tournament at the TPC Heron Bay in Coral Springs. The team from Southern Valley took first place, and all golfers enjoyed a buffet barbecue dinner at the club Thursday evening, March 2. The event, dubbed Southern

The U.S. mango industry has been collecting assessments on imported mangos for the past 14 months and the National Mango Promotion Board is poised to begin promoting the product. "By the end of March, we will have run some trade ads and begun some promotional programs in the industry," said William Watson, executive director of the board. Mr. Watson was hired in June of last year, soon after the appointed members of the board met for the first time at their organizational meeting in Washington, DC. The former watermelon commodity board executive was charged with pulling together the initial

Acreage figures point to a Texas spring onion crop that is almost 15 percent larger than last year, and early reports indicate that quality and size will also be up. "My guys just finished walking the fields and they told me the crop is looking quite good. We are very optimistic," Bob De Bruyn of De Bruyn Produce Co. said March 1. "It doesn't look like a particularly heavy crop, but the condition is really good." The Texas Onion Committee, which operates the Texas onion marketing order, has reported that a combined 17,694 acres were planted in the fall for harvest this spring in the Rio Grande

Stemilt Growers Inc. in Wenatchee, WA, announced the addition of Christine Aguiar, former marketing and promotions manager for the California Pear Advisory Board, to Stemilt's team of merchandising managers. Ms. Aguiar will work out of Sacramento, CA, and call on domestic accounts nationwide for Stemilt. Her responsibilities will include the implementation of promotions and the development of merchandising plans that will strengthen Stemilts fruit sales and market presence. Ms. Aguiar served as the marketing and promotions manager of the board until December. She joined the board in 1999 and