BONITA SPRINGS, FL -- After a decade of bad news, the beleaguered Florida citrus industry finally had cause for celebration at its annual conference held here June 24-26.

Experts called the bankruptcy sale of two SK Foods processing plants a tremendous bargain June 26 when the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento, CA, approved an Asian company's offer of $39 million.

Giumarra Cos. has entered into a new partnership with Campo Pablo Borquez S.A. de C.V. to market asparagus in North America.

Campo Pablo Borquez has been growing green asparagus in Caborca in the northwest part of the state of Sonora, Mexico, since 1988. In 1999, it opened a new production facility in the Yaqui Valley near Obregon City, located south of Sonora.

On June 26, a vessel arrived at the port of Long Beach, CA, bearing Florida- based DNE World Fruit Sales' first shipment of this season's Australian Navels.

Stu Monaghan, DNE's national sales manager, said that the cargo "passed with flying colors. The fruit has great color, it eats very well, Brix ratios are right there in the low 11s, so we started off with really great-tasting fruit and no quality issues whatsoever. It's typical of an Australian start: always strong, always high color, very good tasting."

Tom Bellamore has been named president of the California Avocado Commission, and he promises that there will be some noticeable changes to the operation within just a few months.

California pear growers are gearing up for production during 2009, and the California Pear Advisory Board has prepared estimates for 2009 California fresh pear production. The board, headquartered in Sacramento, CA, operates through grower assessment under the California Agricultural Marketing Act of 1937.