ORLANDO, FL — The Southeast Produce Council held its annual VIP dinner Wednesday evening, March 5, at the Orlando World Center Marriott, just prior to the opening of the 2025 Southern Exposure conference and trade show, here. A new feature this year was a scavenger hunt, which preceded the dinner.

A series of cold, low-pressure systems will move into California through next week with moderate rain expected throughout much of the state. The desert growing regions likely will not see much rain; however, cooler temperatures and strong winds are forecast through mid-March. 

Elanie Mason, who previously served as the Florida Watermelon Queen, will now take on the role of the watermelon industry’s official promotional ambassador for the next year after being named National Watermelon Queen at the recent National Watermelon Association 110th annual convention in Austin, TX.

BrightFarms is now shipping from its newest greenhouse in Macon, GA, which opened in late 2024. Spanning 1.5 million square feet once fully built, this facility — just a short drive from parent company Cox Enterprises in Atlanta — is transforming access to fresh, locally grown produce in Georgia. 

On the first day of its 2025 Floral Distribution Conference in Miami, the Wholesale Florist & Floral Supplier Association (WFFSA) announced the winners of its Breeder Excellence Award and Grower Excellence Award, as part of its new Floral Xcellence Awards, sponsored by Flowers of Colombia and Proflora 2025 by Asocolflores.