As Florida producers and industry affiliates prepare for the 70th annual Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Convention Sept. 21-25 at the Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton Resort, they find themselves facing an agenda that in many regards is a replica of last year's. The basic issues are the same, and while progress has been made on some fronts, the schedule gives the overall impression of a series of time-lapse photographs that has advanced just a few frames in 12 months' time.

While the Wisconsin fresh cranberry crop is running late this year, the timing is good for the marketplace and the 2013 deal holds a great promise, according to Bob Wilson, managing member of The Cranberry Network LLC, headquartered in Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

Overall, “I am optimistic we will have a great year,” he said.

The Cranberry Network is the marketing agency for Habelman Bros. Co., a leading grower-shipper based in Tomah, WI.

Avocados From Mexico will showcase the largest marketing program in the brand's history at the upcoming Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit exposition in New Orleans, LA.

Driven by the collaboration between the Avocado Producers & Exporting Packers Association of Mexico and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association, the new national campaign will differentiate and distinguish Avocados From Mexico. A fully integrated marketing program including advertising, public relations, and retail and foodservice support, will be introduced to the trade at the convention.

If all goes as expected, a new refrigerated unit train with a capacity for 200 loads of fresh produce will travel between California and Illinois beginning in late February.

Operated by McKay TransCold, it will be called TransCold Express and will utilize the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. McKay TransCold is a third-party logistics firm based in Minneapolis that will provide multi-modal logistics solutions to its customers.

GROTON, CT — The inaugural "Alliance Event for the Produce Industry" was held Sept. 17-18 at the Marriott Mystic Hotel & Spa, here, attracting 130 attendees for an educational forum co-sponsored by the New England Produce Council and the Eastern Produce Council, featuring presentations by the Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association.

The opening day opened with a morning tour of Lyman Orchards, located in nearby Middlefield, CT.

Bob Von Rohr, director of customer relations for Sunny Valley International, headquartered in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News that the company’s primary blueberry import programs are from Argentina and Chile, and it brings some product in from Uruguay.

“Timing on our Argentina deal is similar to last year,” said Von Rohr. “Because we don’t source from the early production areas, we are expecting to start the latter part of September with our first air shipments into Miami. Peak volumes will pivot around the few weeks before and few weeks after the mid-November time frame.