LA QUINTA, CA -- Western Growers Association's 83rd annual convention, held here Nov. 9-12, carried the theme "Produce, Parties & Politics," and featured a heavy dose of all three.

Kevin Andrew of Sun World International was elected chairman of the board Nov. 10. Mr. Andrew, who is chief operating officer of Sun World, based in Bakersfield, CA, succeeds outgoing Chairman of the Board Robert Gray, chief executive officer of Duda Farm Fresh Foods Inc. in Salinas, CA.

A trade delegation of four buyer-importers from Mexico will visit the Salinas, CA, and Fresno, CA, areas before traveling to Portland, OR, in upcoming days.

Grower-shippers are encouraged to meet with and pitch their products to the delegation. Suitable products to promote include vegetables, fresh fruits such as apples, grapes, kiwi and stone fruit, as well as value-added produce products and specialty produce products.

BRIDGETON, NJ -- A new, modern Rutgers Food Innovation Center was inaugurated Oct. 17 in a food industry park, here. Roughly 200 people attended an opening ceremony, facility tour and a buffet made with the products of the center's food clients. The facility is a Rutgers University New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

The year 2008 has been one of leadership change in North America. Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) both campaigned on platforms of change during the U.S. presidential race and Mr. Obama was victorious because of it.

The Fruit & Vegetable Dispute Resolution Corp. has also seen changes to its leadership on its board of directors from all three member nations (the United States, Canada and Mexico), including the first woman to join the board.

A nationwide crop production report released Oct. 10 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service estimated California's orange production to be 44 million boxes (1.65 million tons) for 2008-09, down 32 percent from 2007-08 final numbers and 4 percent below the 2006-07 crop.

California's Navel oranges for 2008-09 are estimated at 32 million boxes (1.2 million tons), down 34 percent from 2007-08 and down 7 percent from 2006-07.

SunnyRidge Farm Inc., a grower, packer and shipper of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries based in Winter Haven, FL, has announced that it is adding strawberries to its line for the 2008-09 season.

The company is a family-owned-and-operated grower, packer and shipper of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It has purchased land to develop new strawberry farms, and also purchased some acreage that was already producing strawberries, both in Dover, FL, near Plant City. It will produce a total 150 acres in the coming season.