With the 2011 season for fresh grapes from California two months away, final numbers from the 2010 season show the industry shipped nearly 100 million boxes of fresh grapes.

A total of 98.3 million boxes (97.7 in 19-pound box equivalents) of fresh grapes from California were shipped during the 2010 season, with 37.4 million boxes exported to more than 62 countries around the world. The remainder was sold in the United States. California produces 99 percent of the commercial fresh grapes grown in the United States.

Safe working conditions. Fair wages. Preservation of ecosystems. Community development. While greenhouse grower Divemex S.A. in Guadalajara, Mexico, has long championed these sustainable concepts -- and many more -- the grower has further demonstrated its commitment by Fair Trade-certifying all the peppers it produces in Culiacan.

MONTEREY, CA -- From a buying co-op founded in 1991 by six visionary independent distributors, PRO*ACT has grown to become what it has called America's leading distributor of fresh produce to the foodservice industry.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the group today is comprised of 45 distributors with over 70 distribution centers, all leading specialty distributors in their markets, who together represent more than $3 billion in sales and more than 50 million cases of fresh produce purchased and sold through the PRO*ACT network annually.

VENTURA, CA -- "2010 was a good year for Sunkist growers," Sunkist President and Chief Executive Officer Russell Hanlin told the more than 800 growers who met Feb. 23 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds for the citrus marketing cooperative's 117th annual meeting.

"In 2010 we were faced with, and successfully overcame, many difficulties imposed by the weak global economy," Mr. Hanlin said in a Feb. 23 press release. "We ended the year strong and financially stable, increasingly more efficient and well-positioned for continued success."