WASHINGTON — Beginning July 22, eligible fruit growers who experienced losses in 2012 due to frost and freeze, and who did not have access to crop insurance, will be able to apply for disaster relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The IFTEX show was recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, amidst great optimism within the Kenyan floral industry, while also clouded by the prospect of insecurity and terrorism threats that plague Kenya. The pro-business, cheerful spirit of the Kenyan people was on full display throughout the exhibition hall as they welcomed the foreign visitors to their country, encouraging us to explore the beauty and wildlife of the countryside while also urging prudent caution and common sense.

In the ever-changing, unstable world of the floral industry, a company that is planning its 125th anniversary in 2015 is a bit of an anomaly. Jan Spek Rozen, a family rose business in the Netherlands founded in 1890 by Jan Spek, and one of the older rose companies in the world, is such a rarity.

Successful retail care and handling of roses is a simple process. A few simple steps assure that roses will open and last seven days or more. Each of the steps is critical and should be followed each time flowers are processed. Share these steps with floral personnel — rose quality will improve and customers will return to buy more flowers.

Sunkist will be showcasing more than 40 of its varieties of fresh citrus at this year's PMA Foodservice Conference & Expo July 25-27, allowing foodservice trade to sample fresh mixology recipes that highlight trending global influences and Meyer lemons, a variety that is quickly growing in popularity.

Flowers have a wonderful impact on the lives of millions of people around the world. For those of us who are part of this industry, they create meaningful, important work, and for those of us who are consumers of flowers, they bring the joy of experiencing beautiful works of nature firsthand.

Rosaprima, a leading grower of Ecuadorian roses, is located in the heart of Ecuador’s Guachalá region, on the skirts of the Cayambe volcano. Guachalá is a small region, covering only a few thousand acres, and has always been a mystical place known for its fertility and abundance.