ORLANDO, FL — The Southeast Produce Council's Southern Exposure 2015 drew more people than ever before, setting records for over all attendance as well as for participation by the retail and foodservice sectors of the fresh produce industry.

Last year's Southern Exposure saw over all attendance of 1,748, of which 361 were from the retail and foodservice sectors, according to SEPC Executive Director David Sherrod.

California's San Joaquin Valley growers may face a second year of receiving no water from the Central Valley Project — an unprecedented situation.

The Bureau of Reclamation announced its initial 2015 water supply allocation for California's Central Valley. It will be re-examined on a monthly basis as the water year progresses, but this year started with Northern California's driest January in recorded history and the state is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of below-average precipitation.

The Southeast Produce Council's Southern Exposure 2015 drew more people than ever before, setting records for over all attendance as well as for participation by the retail and foodservice sectors of the fresh produce industry.

{igallery id=4437|cid=69|pid=1|type=category|children=0|addlinks=0|tags=|limit=0}

Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the agricultural company behind the newly approved GMO "Arctic" brand apple, has been acquired by Intrexon Corp. The acquisition comes less than two weeks after the U.S. Department of Agriculture deregulated the GMO apples.

Vega Produce LLC, headquartered in Doral, FL, has hired Don Hood, a 20-year veteran of the food industry, as its new retail business development manager.

RIO RICO, AZ — “The ‘Baby Ataulfo’ is gaining momentum,” said Edgar Duarte, a partner in Higueral Produce Inc., located here.

It is a small Ataulfo mango that developed despite a lack of pollination, explained Chuck Ciruli III, the chief executive officer of neighboring Ciruli Bros. LLC.