FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Participants of two recent field tours had an opportunity to visit two of Florida's premier grower-shippers, where they saw produce growing in the fields and under glass, watched packinglines in action and heard about the latest advances in celery research.

The all-day field tours held March 3 were part of the Southeast Produce Council's annual conference and expo, held here March 2-4.

Plant City, FL-based William Manis Co. announced the opening of a Vero Beach sales office.

Lloyd Rosen, vice president of the firm, told The Produce News that it has been put in place to function as a sales arm to help the company in its future strategies. Newly hired sales associate Gary Parris, a veteran in the produce industry, will head the office.

The California Tree Fruit Agreement in Reedley, CA, which represents growers of California peaches, nectarines and plums, has learned that the Australian government will "try to fast track opening Australia to our fruits," Dale Janzen, field director for the CTFA, told The Produce News March 8.

That news comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this year that China had opened its doors to California plums.

The Vidalia, GA-based Vidalia Onion Committee decided it was time that the famous onions it promotes had a recognizable image.

"Consumers know the value of a Vidalia, and they're looking for us by name in stores," said VOC Executive Director Wendy Brannen. "But for several years now, we've had bits and pieces of old marketing campaigns left floating around the country."

SALINAS, CA -- The National Steinbeck Center Museum, here, received a $2 million donation from Rabobank, a leading bank serving the global food and agriculture industry with retail branches throughout California, in a ceremony held March 7 at the center.

California fresh-market carrot production came in at 20.6 million hundredweight in 2005, 2.5 percent higher than both 2003 and 2004, when production came in at 20 million hundredweight.

"It was a bit of a surprise to me," said Jerry Munson of the California Fresh Carrot Advisory Board in Dinuba, CA, adding that it is further confirmation of the popularity of the baby cut-carrot market. He said that the full effect of baby cut-carrot production was first noticed in 1998, when fresh-market carrot production jumped into the 19 million range and stayed there through 2002.