The 2005-06 California Navel orange crop came in heavier than expected, at a whopping 91 million cartons. This year, the California Agricultural Statistics Service estimates the 2006-07 crop to be about 27 percent lighter, or about 66 million cartons.

Last year's harvest was characterized by small fruit size. This year, sizes should be better, but some growers said that it is still not sizing as well as they would like.

To say that Joe Prandini died doing what he loved hits it pretty close to the truth. The 30-year veteran of Santa Maria, CA-based Bonipak Produce Co. died Oct. 21 of a heart attack while boarding a private plane destined for the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit in San Diego.

Mr. Prandini was 61 years old. He spent half of those of years moving up through the ranks of Bonipak, starting out with the company as a vacuum tube operator. At the time of his death, he was Bonipak's general manager and chief executive officer.

SAN DIEGO -- Looking to capitalize on the momentum it has gained in just under two years of operation, Sundia Corp., an up-and-coming marketer of fresh watermelons and a watermelon juice distributor, is now setting its sights on cut fruit.

"We are launching in January for nationwide distribution through chains and mass-market retailers," said Brad Oberwager, Sundia's chief executive officer. "This one's big."

SAN DIEGO -- Founded by John Shuman, president of Reidsville, GA-based Shuman Produce Inc., Produce for kids partners with retailers and produce handlers to raise money to benefit Children's Miracle Network, an organization that aids in the care of ill children.

At the PMA Fresh Summit on Sunday, Oct. 22, Produce for Kids held a reception to honor and thank the produce companies and retailers that have helped it to raise over $725,000 dollars for Children's Miracle Network.

SAN DIEGO -- Farming by its very nature is not for the risk-averse. Perhaps nowhere is this more exemplified than by the largely Latino workforce that takes a considerable risk just getting to and from work.

Voluminous evidence demonstrates that these workers -- who often work in the fields -- are not taking jobs away from anyone else, said Craig Regelbrugge, senior director of government relations for the American Nursery & Landscape Association.

SAN DIEGO -- You're sitting on your sofa watching a game on TV and eating pistachio nuts. Bear with me here; you'll probably relate to this. Most of the nuts are open, so you have no trouble shelling them by Braille and popping the meat into your mouth without taking your eyes off the screen. Then you pick up a nut that doesn't feel like it's open. You glance down and scrutinize the nut to see if there is enough of a crack between the shell halves to insert a fingernail. When you look back up, you realize you've missed a key play. And in the process, you probably broke a fingernail.