TUBAC, AZ — The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas honored two members of the Nogales produce industry with "Pillars of the FPAA" awards during its 44th annual convention, held Nov. 8-10 at the Tubac Golf Resort, here. The awards were presented Nov. 10 during the closing gala.

Prospects are strong for a bountiful holiday apple season that will delight American consumers.

“When apples start, Honeycrisp is strong,” said Roger Pepperl, director of marketing for Stemilt Growers Inc. in Wenatchee, WA. “But as you go into the holidays, more varieties are available. Pink Ladies do very well over the holidays, and Fujis will also be in.”

Just three months old, JU Fresh Produce of Pharr, TX has gotten off to a hot start. Now the company has a new website up and running, www.jufresh.com, to keep clients abreast of the latest news regarding its line of Mexican avocados.

And while JU Fresh has just been in business for three months, the company’s principals, Joaquin Urias and partners Salvador Hernandez and Juan Contreras, have spent their lives in the Mexican avocado business and learned the ins and outs well before launching JU Fresh.

Speaking at the recent Western Growers convention, CNN political commentator David Gergen said it was a superior ground game by the Obama campaign that won the President re-election.

As the featured speaker at the Political Action Committee fundraising luncheon on Nov. 13 in Scottsdale, AZ, Mr. Gergen said President Obama won re-election for several reasons but chief among them was that the "Obama team outplayed Romney. They played a smarter game."

It sometimes seems that Texas A&M University in College Station has a disproportionate effect on the produce industry and agriculture at-large. Techniques and varieties developed at TAMU are in play around the globe.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Stephen Barnard, president of Mission Produce Inc. in Oxnard, CA, was elected to serve as chairman of the board of Western Growers Association for the coming year at the group's annual convention, held Nov. 11-14, here.