An April 2 workshop in Visalia, CA, will provide vital information on how maximum residue levels for pesticides can affect the export of agricultural commodities.

A practical understanding of MRL science and policy issues will help attendees understand the evolving regulatory requirements of global trading partners. The meeting will provide practical insight on how MRLs are developed and how they drive pest management programs, export business and what the future looks like for global trade.

The Star Group, which supplies fresh fruit and vegetables from around the globe to retail and foodservice customers and includes the companies Star Produce, Nova Produce, Consolidated Fruit Packers, BC Hot House Foods, Sliced FC and Patterson Farms, announced two management promotions.

Jarrett Little has been promoted to senior vice president of sales, and Greg Kennedy was promoted from director of portfolio sales to president of Sliced FC.

RIO RICO, AZ — The Feb. 18 USDA report indicated that so far in this young season, 620,000 cases of Mexican mangoes have crossed the U.S. border. As of the same date in 2013, that industry total figure was 850,000 cases, according to Chris Ciruli, chief operating officer of Ciruli Bros. LLC, based here.

These first days of Mexico’s mango deal reflect that axiom that mango trees have a large crop every other year. Mexico had a bumper mango crop in 2013.

Though Bland Farms LLC has become an international giant in the sweet onion industry, the empire was built on Vidalia onions and they remain at the top of the pecking order at the company’s Glennville, GA, headquarters. But the company’s sweet onions from Mexico and Texas are playing an increasingly important role and take top billing this time of year.

Bland is one of the world’s larger grower-shippers of Vidalia onions and has a 12-month sweet onion program with farms around the world. But owner Delbert Bland is planning for even bigger and better things.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's monthly forecast of the 2013-14 Florida orange crop decreased slightly to 114 million boxes. The USDA estimated early-mid orange varieties down 1 million to 53 million boxes, while Valencias remained at 61 million boxes.

Black Gold Farms, an leader in Irish potato production based in Grand Forks, ND, recently acquired all facilities and real estate from Dawson Farms, a leading sweet potato grower located near Delhi, LA.

While Black Gold Farms has been growing sweet potatoes for four years for the processing industry, this acquisition will allow it to considerably expand its volume of processing potatoes as well as provide an entrance into the table stock sweet potato arena in a significant way.