PHARR, TX — Texas has gone through some big changes during the past decade, particularly South Texas, which has shifted from primarily an area focused on agriculture to one that incorporates both agriculture and commerce.

Add to that its location between two nations, and you have a recipe for great potential for companies that are able to take advantage of the opportunities.

Ruiz Sales is one of those companies.

International Citrus & Produce, which is headquartered in Burlingame, CA, but has a substantial presence in the Texas citrus deal, had a very good year and expects more of the same for the 2014-15 season.

President J.B. Cutsinger said he has been selling Texas citrus for more than 35 years and, though it has changed tremendously over the years, it is still an excellent deal with an excellent reputation.

On this day in late August, Don Ed Holmes, owner and president of The Onion House, which is located almost as far south in Texas as you can go, could be found more than 1,300 miles north in Olathe, CO.

“I’m up here checking out the sweet onions on the Western Slope,” said Holmes, speaking of the geographic region in Colorado defined as west of the Continental Divide.

It’s the same area that produces Colorado’s well-known Olathe sweet corn. “We’ve had this deal for about 20 years,” he said. “We’ve got three different growers producing for us.”

Taylor Farms has issued a voluntary recall of certain products shipped to Safeway and Costco due to possible Salmonella contamination. No illnesses have been reported.

As a result of routine testing, Taylor Farms Pacific Inc. of Tracy, CA, was notified that specific lots of “Expo Fresh” Roma tomatoes may be contaminated with Salmonella. The lot of Roma tomatoes was used in products made for Costco and Safeway and is being voluntarily recalled as a precautionary measure.

Only specific “use by” and “packed on” codes are affected:

More than 40 students from 13 universities will join over 20,000 fresh produce and floral industry members in Anaheim, CA, this October for the PMA Fresh Summit Convention & Expo. As part of the PMA Foundation Career Pathways program, created in 2004 with the help of Jay and Ruthie Pack Family Foundation, college students with diverse educational backgrounds are introduced to the industry's opportunities through a series of career panel discussions, educational workshops and networking.

Procacci Bros. Sales Corp., based in Philadelphia, is the newest produce company to join the Eat Brighter! campaign.

Eat Brighter! is a joint partnership between the Produce Marketing Association and the Sesame Workshop that will bring Sesame Street's lovable characters to the packaging of fresh fruits and veggies. The campaign has set its sights on increasing consumption of fruits and veggies among children aged 2-5.