With the new year, The Produce News staff will grow with the addition of Melanie Richer, who will join the publication as its new Canada editor and sales manager, better positioning The Produce News to serve the Canadian market.

The Southeast Produce Council has announced that Adam H. Putnam, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, will deliver the keynote address at its annual conference this March.

WASHINGTON -- President Barrack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed Dec. 7 to two action plans to streamline cross-border trade and harmonize regulations.

"Put simply, we're going to make it easier to conduct the trade and travel that creates jobs, and we're going to make it harder for those who would do us harm and threaten our security," President Obama said Dec. 7 during a White House press conference alongside Prime Minister Harper.

Purity.Organic Juice & Produce in San Francisco launched a weeklong on-line contest Dec. 12 — A Purity.Organic Holiday. The contest is hosted on the Purity.Organic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/PurityOrganic) as well as on a dedicated microsite (http://tinyurl.com/7lj7dqj) for non-Facebook users.

Karen Brux, commission vice president of marketing communications.

FRESNO, CA -– The California Table Grape Commission recently hired Karen Brux as vice p

Mike Rodgers

LOS ANGELES -- Giumarra Vineyards announced Dec.