December is National Pear Month, and Cristie Mather, director of communications for the Pear Bureau Northwest, said that she is gratified by the national features focusing on pears.

"This has really been a good year for us," she told The Produce News in early November. “We're really excited about the quality of these stories.”

The holiday season is arriving and Guadalupe, CA-based Apio Inc. has dressed up a few of its more popular trays for the occasion. Beginning Nov. 15, "Eat Smart" is now featuring a festive holiday-themed label applied to all U.S. shipments of “Eat Smart” 40-ounce classic vegetable trays and “Eat Smart” 36-ounce veggie blend trays.

The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference has been scheduled for Jan. 6-9, 2011. Sponsored by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and the South Carolina Peach Council, the event will be held in Savannah, GA, at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

Featuring informative workshops, classes and demonstrations, the 2011 event also has been expanded to a third day of programs. In addition, The North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association will hold its annual meeting in conjunction with the conference.

CEDARVILLE, NJ — A new solar power system is complete and running even more efficiently than expected for Santa Sweets Inc., here.

Kevin Delaney, director of corporate sustainability and productivity for Procacci Bros. and Santa Sweets, took The Produce News on a tour of the largest part of the solar power network Nov. 8.

Chile's blueberry exports grew to a record 49,800 tons in the 2009-10 shipping season, according to statistics provided by the Santiago, Chile- based Chilean Blueberry Committee.

This was an increase of 20 percent over the previous season and overwhelmed the 30,300 tons exported by Chile in 2007-08.

Chile began exporting blueberries in 2003-04, when it shipped 9,500 tons. There has been steadily rapid export growth since.