US Farms Inc., a diversified nursery and farming business based in San Diego, CA, has further diversified with its entrance into the fresh tomato market.

US Farms grows and markets various horticultural products through several subsidies. Previously, the company's primary fresh produce commodities were aloe vera and asparagus.

Three years after its planting, Sun Pacific in Los Angeles is ready to harvest and distribute the Sugraone variety table grape.

"This will be our first year having the Sugraone, and we are very excited to be able to offer it in big volume to our clients as a way to kick off their California table grape program," Tristan Kieva, Sun Pacific's vice president of marketing, said in a press release.

What started in early 2006 as an educational session on organics has become a broader privately operated trade show for Indianapolis Fruit Co. in Indianapolis.

Shane Towne, marketing and new business development coordinator for Indianapolis Fruit, said that the organic show of a year ago was a big success for the wholesale company to educate its retail customers, and in turn their consumers, about organic produce.

The National Mango Board is seeking candidates for nomination for terms starting Jan. 1. Industry members are encouraged to submit candidate's names to the NMB staff no later than April 30. Once NMB staff members have a qualified list of candidates, they will submit them to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which will make the final selection.

As the Chilean kiwifruit season moves into gear in April, Chilean apples are already in stride and movement is good.

Tom Tjerandsen, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, based in Sonoma, CA, said that more than a third of Chile's fresh-apple exports to the United States are the Gala variety. About 16 percent, or 6.5 million boxes, each, are Granny Smith and Red Delicious. Braeburn, Red Chief and Fuji rank next with about 5 percent each of the total export volume.

Merchants Foodservice has become the newest member of Produce Alliance.

Produce Alliance, headquartered in Nashville, TN, is a management services group specializing in the procurement and distribution of fresh produce to the foodservice industry. With the addition of Merchants Foodservice, Produce Alliance now has 34 members with 37 distribution centers.