Ocean Mist Farms, based in Castroville, CA, has pledged $50,000 to the Produce Marketing Association Foundation for Industry Talent. This funding will support programs designed to broaden awareness about the rewards and opportunities of a career in the produce industry.

Luciano Fiszman is an expert on blueberries. In fact, the 29-year-old agronomy engineer is the expert on blueberries in Argentina for Los Angeles-headquartered Gourmet Trading Co.

Mr. Fiszman began his produce career in 2001 while still a student at the University of Buenos Aires, where he started as a research assistant. "I became a researcher myself in 2004," he said.

This summer, as consumers are looking for ways to enjoy healthy meals that help stretch the family's grocery budget, Iceberg lettuce can help achieve that goal by offering versatility, value and the "crunch factor" that's a natural for summer dishes.

The California Date Administrative Committee and Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers Association joined forces to commission new research to determine the extent of antioxidants and polyphenols in dates.

Early studies have indicated exceptionally high levels of the compounds, well above those for other fruits, prompting considerable excitement among growers and consumers alike.

As the first shipments of Navel oranges from Chile are arriving in U.S. ports on both coasts, the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association is launching a media campaign to build consumer awareness for the latest addition to the summer citrus mix.

Navel oranges will be joining the successful clementine deal, now in its third year, with the first grapefruits scheduled to arrive in September. Lemons and mandarins round out Chile's citrus offerings.