Golden Farms Express, a top-quality fresh citrus independent grower and packer from the Dinuba area in the San Joaquin Valley, is the latest California producer to affiliate with DNE California Inc. beginning with this fall's Navel packing season.

ATLANTA -- Fresh Harvest Mexico is a new joint venture between Guatemala's Planesa S.A. and Fresh Harvest International in Pompano Beach, FL.

Planesa founder and owner Roberto Castaneda met with The Produce News, here, amid the PMA convention to discuss his 50-50 partnership in Mexico with his friend George Ellis, owner of Fresh Harvest. They will be growing blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Mr. Castaneda called Mr. Ellis "one of the best producers of blueberries in Florida."

There's no sitting still for Warmerdam Packing LLC in Hanford, CA. Even as the company marks its 40th anniversary, it is undertaking changes intended to make the fruit growing and packing operation bigger and better.

Warmerdam Packing was founded in 1965 by Bill Warmerdam, who is still the company's president and who is known for his innovative packinghouse design concepts. His son, John Warmerdam, is general manager and oversees field operations.

WASHINGTON -- Tomatoes and/or tomato sauces may reduce the risk of certain cancers, but the Food & Drug Administration has flatly rejected health claims linking lycopene as having any cancer-prevention qualities.

After a two-year review and several delays, FDA ruled on two petitions that asked regulators to allow a wide variety of new health claims regarding eating tomatoes and processed tomato products.

Frontera Produce announced that it has begun a new melon import program into the port of Corpus Christi to service retailers and wholesale distributors throughout the United States.

Frontera, based in Edinburg, TX, will be importing cantaloupe and honeydew from Guatemala through Altobaso S.A., contracting 2,400 tons per week for the duration of the season running November to May.

PHILADELPHIA -- International logistics executive George Sibley received the eighth "Friend of Chile" award Nov. 16 at a luncheon, here.

Mr. Sibley, who is senior vice president of Barthco International Inc., here, received the award from the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce in Philadelphia. More than 150 people were in attendance at the Hyatt Regency hotel, which, appropriately, overlooks the Delaware River. Ports on the river received 55 million cases of Chilean fruit last year.