Mehmet Oz may host a popular television and radio show, but he didn't win over friends in the produce industry when he warned the public to fear pesticide residues in certain fresh fruits and vegetables.

After a Sept. 24 segment of the "Dr. Oz Show" listed the "dirtiest produce items," four fruit and vegetable trade associations fired off a Sept. 28 letter refuting the charges.

Over the past several months, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. has made quite a bit of news. However, most of it has been bad.

OXNARD, CA -- John Leo Boskovich, former vice president of Boskovich Farms in Oxnard, CA, died Sept. 7 at the age of 84 after a brief period of declining health.

CORAL GABLES, FL -- Turbana Corp. is celebrating 40 years of existence since opening its doors in 1970.

Since its inception, Turbana has been one of the premier importers of premium bananas, exotic bananas and plantains in North America.

"It is amazing how far the company has gone and how much it has grown since it started, not just as an importer of quality fruit, but as a leader of socially responsible farming and an advocate of fair trade," Juan Alarcon, chief executive officer at Turbana, said in a Sept. 24 press release.

Tiffany Cruickshank, transportation manager and sales assistant for Snake River Produce Co., might just be the onion industry's all-American girl. She’s equally at home fishing for king salmon in Alaska with her husband, Chad; moving cattle with her horse, Lenny; tromping through Oregon’s Duck Valley with her dog, Roscoe; or arranging to move onions from her desk in Nyssa, OR.

SAVANNAH, GA -- The Southeast Produce Council elected new leaders at its annual fall conference, held here Sept. 23-25, led by John Shuman of Shuman Produce as president. He is joined by Andrew Scott of General Produce Inc. as first vice president, David Sherrod of Apio Inc. as second vice president, Mark Daniels of Military Produce Group as secretary and Steve Williams of Sweetbay Supermarkets as treasurer.