TAMPA, FL -- Temperatures in Florida approached 60 degrees Jan. 12 for the first time since New Year's Day as the state began to thaw from a record- shattering cold snap that decimated tomato and vegetable crops. Ten consecutive nights of sub-freezing temperatures also hurt the citrus crop -- though the damage may not show up for weeks -- and dented the strawberry crop.

APTOS, CA -- The Chilean Avocado Importers Association's marketing team recently visited Chile to experience the fruit harvesting first hand and to become Chilean avocado experts, thus resulting in more effective and innovative consumer marketing strategies.

NEWARK, DE -- Food safety veteran Johnna Hepner will join Produce Marketing Association Feb. 15 as director of food safety and technology, adding more than 20 years of experience to PMA's food safety team, headed by Chief Science & Technology Officer Bob Whitaker.

ORLANDO, FL -- Classrooms around the country accepted the invitation to participate in the Produce for Kids' Play with Your Produce Classroom Challenge.

The challenge, open to grades kindergarten to 6, asked teachers to help students discover healthy eating habits through a creative, fun classroom activity that focused on fresh produce.

Here is how the challenge worked: From Sept. 7 to Nov. 13, classes created and submitted details about their creative activities that focused on healthy eating that involved fresh fruits and vegetables.

IMMOKALEE, FL -- Larry Lipman, chief executive officer of the Lipman Family of Companies, made his retirement official with a Jan. 5 announcement to his staff. In early December Mr. Lipman acknowledged his pending retirement plans but did not share exact details regarding the expected timeline for his departure or plans for a CEO search.

Mature ferns in central Florida that were scheduled for harvest for Valentine's Day suffered losses due to a prolonged bout of freezing weather in early January, but at least some growers got away with losses of only 20-30 percent, according to David Register, vice president and director of operations for FernTrust.