With Vidalia onion season set to start sometime in mid-April, Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure is always perfectly timed for the team at Shuman Farms. 

“That’s why Southern Exposure is one of the most anticipated shows of the year,” said John Shuman, president and CEO of Shuman Farms. “It’s always a treat to reconnect with our friends in the industry, especially on the brink of springtime and in Florida.”

In fresh produce, the journey from field to family table is shaped by thousands of decisions—most of them made long before a shopper fills a basket. When to harvest. How to handle. Where to store. How quickly to move product. Each choice influences quality, flavor and trust.

That belief sits at the heart of this year’s Southeast Produce Council Southern Exposure show, held March 6–8 in Orlando, where the industry gathers under the theme From Fields to Families: Nourishing Our Nation.

Food, clothing and shelter. Generally, these three things are considered the essential, fundamental needs for human survival — of course that was determined before TikTok and Instagram were around. 

The Washington State Fruit Commission has appointed Eric Patrick as its new president to oversee marketing efforts for cherries and canned pears grown in the Northwest, as well as its industry education programs, effective March 2. He succeeds longtime President B.J. Thurlby, who retired Dec. 31 after 30 years with the commission.

With Valentine’s Day behind us, the berry category is working through its reset. Strawberries are mixed depending on origin. With holiday demand behind us, pricing is adjusting region by region, but West Coast weather will keep supplies from getting loose.

With the winter crop currently coming out of its Florida farms, plus a growing fresh-cut lineup that scales nationwide, Lipman Family Farms is sharing what is possible when innovation is a family tradition that spans more than 75 years. The company will be in booth No. 638 at the Southeast Produce Council's Southern Exposure Feb. 26-March 1 at Orlando World Center.