Toronto — The Ontario Produce Marketing Association held its Annual General Meeting, June 13 at the Ontario Food Terminal’s Market Garden Restaurant. The meeting focused on key work underway by the association, including industry training, marketing efforts to increase consumption of produce in Ontario, government relations and industry networking events.

Soquel, CA-based SureHarvest announced June 12 that MELANIE BERETTI has joined its professional services team. She will help the company integrate sustainability principles within the agricultural business systems of its clients, according to a company press release.

In spring 2009, Glennville, GA-based Bland Farms LLC acquired Zappala Farms LLC in Cato, NY, including its “Empire Sweets” onion trademark. Three years into the deal, owner Delbert Bland is excited that his company has been able to put its own stamp on the New York produce deal.

“We’re very excited about this season,” Mr. Bland told The Produce News June 25. “We have a wonderful crop shaping up. We’ve now had enough time to get operations going the way we want, though it’s always a work in progress, like anything else.”

High-quality lemons from several growing regions will be available all summer long from Santa Paula, CA-based Limoneira Co.

“Our lemons are produced in California, Argentina and Chile,” said John Chamberlain, director of marketing for Limoneira. “They run continually throughout the summer months.”

Progreso Produce, a leading grower-shipper in the Texas-Mexico import corridor, has expanded its product mix to include avocados from Peru.

Progreso has been importing Mexican avocados for over a year and offers a year-round Mexican avocado program. The addition of Peruvian avocadoes fills a short 12-week market window and is a complement to its Mexican program.

Toronto — The Ontario Produce Marketing Association, the Ontario Food Terminal Board, the Toronto Wholesale Produce Association, Farmer’s Market Tenants and FoodShare have partnered to hold an inaugural public event at the Ontario Food Terminal.