BONITA SPRINGS, FL — The annual Florida Citrus Conference, held June 13-15 at the Hyatt Coconut Point Resort, here, opened with a cautious optimism about the industry's future that has been uncharacteristic in recent years.

Although there is still some fruit on trees, the citrus conference is viewed as the official end to the season, and the 2011-12 campaign was a highlight for an industry that has not had much to celebrate in recent years.

Dublin Farms Inc. in Horntown, VA, is a grower-shipper-packer of potatoes for the fresh market. The company also grows snap beans for processing, and grain crops like corn, soy beans and wheat for the poultry industry.

On May 30, the North Carolina crop was getting ready to start, said Tom Cullen, vice president of Thomas E. Moore in Dover, DE.

“We’re ahead of schedule in North Carolina, despite some dry weather,” said Mr. Cullen. “We’ve had a little wet weather in Delaware and Virginia, which were timely rains. All three areas are running from seven to 10 days earlier than last year.”

He added that the company’s Eastern Shore movement in Cape Charles, VA, will start harvesting its potato crop by the week of June 11, and the program will run for its normal month to six weeks.

Third- and fourth-generation farmers, Benny Hall Sr. and his son, Benny Hall Jr., are partner-owners of Benny Hall & Sons Inc., in Temperanceville, VA, on the Eastern Shore. The company grows red, white and yellow, or Yukon Gold, potatoes.

The relationships established between Cambridge Farms Inc. and its network of potato producers along the Eastern Shore were characterized by Kenneth Gad, vice president. “We really enjoy each and every region we’re in,” he commented. “We have special relationships with all our growers. We try to market for them the same way as if we put those potatoes in the ground ourselves.”

Cambridge Farms is headquartered in Boston. Mr. Gad operates the business with his partner, Steve Cohen.

Louis Hymel, director of purchasing and marketing for Spice World Inc., headquartered in Orlando, FL, said the company, a leading grower, packer, processor and shipper of a wide range of spices, has been producing organic garlic for about ten years.

“And we offer organic garlic in several different pack sizes and various types,” said Mr. Hymel. “Spice World offers fresh, peeled, ready to use jars and our highly popular ‘Squeeze Garlic.’ “