Incoming CPMA Chair Walt Breeden is the director of sales and citrus category manager, Canada, for The Oppenheimer Group. His new responsibilities will include supporting key priorities and focus areas within CPMA’s 2013-14 strategy.

Chuck Weisinger, president of Weis-Buy Farms Inc., had nothing but positive comments about the outlook for fresh produce in 2013. “I’m more optimistic about 2013 than in many years,” he told The Produce News March 13. “Nationwide people are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and that means business will continue to improve.”

The company is headquartered in Fort Myers, FL, and Mr. Weisinger has been in the produce business for more than 50 years. Weis-Buy specializes in tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and watermelons.

Al Murray, assistant secretary of agriculture for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, headquartered in Trenton, NJ, told The Produce News that the upcoming Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention & Trade Show, being held in Toronto April 17-19, presents a great opportunity for the department to promote the state’s agricultural products.

The Canadian Potato Museum is the happy recipient of a $49,500 donation from a joint promotion between Prince Edward Island Farm, W.P.Griffin Inc. and Sobeys.

During the February Potato Lovers Month promotion, Sobeys and Foodland outlets throughout Atlantic Canada sold 10-pound bags of W.P. Griffin potatoes, donating 25 cents from every bag purchased to the museum.

W.P. Griffin Inc. supplied the Heritage Netted Gems. The farm, located in Elmsdale, is a family-run operation, with approximately 3,000 acres dedicated to potatoes, grains and soybeans.

Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention Chair Bernadette Hamel, vice president of national procurement-produce for Metro Richelieu Inc., is ready to welcome the industry to the largest convention in CPMA history. Ms. Hamel — along with CPMA staff and the 12 committees tasked with bringing the annual convention to life — has been working hard to make Toronto’s event one that shouldn’t be missed.

Canadawide will be setting up shop at Booth 305 at the 2013 CPMA Convention April 17-19 to showcase its new Frescadel product line. The line features a new convenient clamshell used for a variety of products, including kiwifruit, grapes, clementines, peaches, plums and nectarines.

With today’s consumers looking for fresh produce full of flavor, packaging is a concern.