Jacobs, Malcom & Burtt recently announced that it will focus exclusively on growing the brokerage and shipping arm of the company and discontinue its street business. Established in San Francisco in 1888, JMB has specialized in buying and selling asparagus for more than 100 years.

New to Maglio & Co., a produce processor, re-packer, distributor, and logistics provider, is DAN VEGA. Mr. Vega was hired as director, multi-unit, back in January as well.

DALLAS — Thousands of people packed the Dallas Convention Center for the United Fresh 2012 convention and expo, here, May 1-3 and the mood on the bustling floor was decidedly upbeat.

“The recession is over,” said one trade association executive. “There are a lot of people here and there is a lot of money here. You can tell things are getting better.”

Despite a February freeze that wiped out half of the early season crop, Georgia blueberry growers will still bring as many as 60 million pounds of fruit to the market this season.

One hundred Texas schools are the lucky recipients of salad bars as the United Fresh Produce Association continues its push to increase access to fresh produce at its annual meeting venues.

Local media packed into a room off the United Fresh 2012 convention floor to cover a press conference May 1 announcing that more than 60,000 children throughout Texas will benefit from the salad bars.

Deardorff Family Farms is moving into the branded tomato category. For 75 years, Deardorff Family Farms has been shipping tomatoes from California. Four generations of Deardorffs have seen many good varieties over those years — some with great flavor or great shelf life, others with better health characteristics or high yield. But, none combined everything in one variety — until now.