Early registration opened Dec. 3 for United Fresh 2013 in San Diego, The United Fresh Produce Association’s annual convention and expo serving all segments of the produce industry. This year’s theme, “Discover Fresh Horizons,” underscores the many opportunities for education, innovation and sales growth in fresh produce at the United Fresh show May 14-16.

Sometimes the produce game is about calculated risk. John Shuman, president of Shuman Produce Inc. in Reidsville, GA, took one of those leaps of faith when he decided to increase his Peruvian acreage earlier this year in advance of the season. The result has been a powerful performance in light of reduced Peruvian yields that has put the Georgia sweet onion provider in a very sweet position indeed.

“A customs broker who is completely dedicated to fruits and vegetables serves the importer best because every ounce of effort is concentrated within the produce industry,” said Ana Ramos, partner with her husband, Frank Ramos, in The Perishable Specialist Inc., located in Miami. “We are the epitome of streamlined process, and solely dedicated to fruits and vegetables, which represent 99.9 percent of our day-to-day business. We are more efficient because we are true perishable specialists.”

On Nov. 30, Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack appointed five members to serve on the National Mango Board. During the board's November meeting, 2012 board members elected officers to serve in various leadership roles for 2013, as well as approve new marketing, research and industry relations programs for the upcoming year.

Myra and Drew Goodman, founders of Earthbound Farm, an organic industry leader, were recently inducted into the Social Venture Network’s hall of fame as Environmental Evangelists, with three other contemporary luminaries in the category. The honor was officially announced at a Nov. 13 ceremony at Gotham Hall in New York City.

The Social Venture Network hall of fame honorees are examples of what the national nonprofit calls the “most innovative and influential leaders of the socially responsible business movement.”

Some fruit and vegetables are being held up at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles as longshoremen at 10 of the 14 container terminals in those side-by-side ports are refusing to cross picket lines set up by a related clerical union that is on strike.