FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- If exciting field tours, educational workshops, a bold keynote speech, a comprehensive trade show and fun-filled social events make for a successful conference, then by all accounts the Southeast Produce Council's recently completed third annual conference and expo fit the bill.

The conference, held March 2-4 in the Fort Lauderdale area, got underway with a golf tournament at the TPC Heron Bay in Coral Springs. The team from Southern Valley took first place, and all golfers enjoyed a buffet barbecue dinner at the club Thursday evening, March 2.

The U.S. mango industry has been collecting assessments on imported mangos for the past 14 months and the National Mango Promotion Board is poised to begin promoting the product.

"By the end of March, we will have run some trade ads and begun some promotional programs in the industry," said William Watson, executive director of the board.

Acreage figures point to a Texas spring onion crop that is almost 15 percent larger than last year, and early reports indicate that quality and size will also be up.

"My guys just finished walking the fields and they told me the crop is looking quite good. We are very optimistic," Bob De Bruyn of De Bruyn Produce Co. said March 1. "It doesn't look like a particularly heavy crop, but the condition is really good."

Stemilt Growers Inc. in Wenatchee, WA, announced the addition of Christine Aguiar, former marketing and promotions manager for the California Pear Advisory Board, to Stemilt's team of merchandising managers.

Salinas, CA-based Tanimura & Antle Inc. has partnered with Allrecipes.com, a popular cooking and recipe web site, to continue building brand recognition and to promote product trial and usage among T&A's audience of home cooks.

Nielsen/NetRatings ranked Allrecipes.com as the leading recipe and everyday cooking web site. More than 9.1 million unique visitors went to the site, which is among the Internet's longest-running food sites, for recipes, menus and cooking advice in December.

The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee in Monte Vista, CO, announced March 8 that it has filled its top position after an extensive search.

Jim Ehrlich, 49, a local regional manager for Coors Beer for the past 10 years, was selected from several applicants. The job has been vacant since former Director Chris Voigt left last year to head the Washington State Potato Commission.