Produce for Kids, an organization that promotes the benefits of healthy eating and supports worthy causes for children, celebrated the completion of its 2009 annual program and the continued support of its partner retailers and suppliers at a reception at the Southeast Produce Council's annual conference and expo.

The cocktail reception, held Friday, March 5, recognized the retailers and sponsors who have been such a big support of PFK.

PLEASANTON, CA — More than 225 produce industry professionals gathered Feb. 24 at the Castlewood Country Club, here, for the first of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council's two Northern California membership luncheon meetings in 2010.

The Southern California-based organization holds two luncheon meetings as well as a golf tournament and expo in the northern half of the state each year to accommodate the many members and industry representatives from the Bay area. The location also has quick and easy access from both the San Joaquin and Salinas valleys.

NOGALES, AZ — A season that began with the doldrums has become one of the more profitable in memory for the Nogales produce industry with the only apparent difference between brokers, growers and distributors being the amount by which they have profited from production problems in other growing regions.

Uncle Matt's, based in Clermont, FL, is partnering with Agrinova, a co-op of small organic growers in Sicily, to offer premium organic Sicilian blood oranges to U.S. consumers. The oranges will be available starting the week of March 8 through early April.

Founded in Sicily over 20 years ago, Agrinova farms its crops in the nutrient- rich volcanic soil near Mount Etna. Like Uncle Matt's, Agrinova believes in farming in harmony with nature and does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides on any of their crops.

Two Wenatchee, WA, family-based operations have merged to become what is arguably the leading U.S. tree fruit growing, packing and marketing operation.

Through the deal, Dovex Marketing & Packing will be combined into Stemilt Growers Inc.'s operations, and both companies’ fruit will be marketed under the "Stemilt" label. Stemilt will gain approximately 175,000 bins of fruit storage and a state-of-the-art apple-packing facility, according to a March 3 release from Stemilt Growers Inc.

Jim Hadley, president, chief executive officer and partner of Harold Crawford Co. Inc. in Bakersfield, CA, died Feb. 20, just one month after undergoing surgery for colon cancer. He was 66.

"It was sudden," said Harold Crawford, the company's founder and chairman of the board. “He had surgery, and 32 days later he was gone.”

Mr. Hadley had been with the company for about seven years and had been president and CEO since January 2008. Previously, “he was a consultant for us for about five years,” Mr. Crawford said.