WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack named 25 committee members Jan. 5 who will advise him on key U.S. Department of Agriculture issues that affect the fruit and vegetable industry.

The new members appointed to the Fruit & Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee represent grower-shippers, wholesalers, retailers, processors, trade associations, importers, foodservice suppliers, brokers and state departments of agriculture.

The L&M Family of Companies, headquartered in Raleigh, NC, last month finalized its purchase of Griffin Holder Co., a year-round producer of yellow, mild, white, red and sweet onions based in Rocky Ford, CO, giving L&M a year-round supply of onions.

NEWARK, DE -- The Produce Marketing Association has announced key personnel changes and additions following a reorganization of staff to help implement the trade association's strategic plan. The plan, adopted in 2008, calls for PMA to align itself to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and global industry.

DAYTONA SHORES, FL -- The most significant freeze in a century had Florida farmers worried at midday Monday, Jan. 4, about the fate of the winter crops. An icy artic mass blew into the state over the weekend of Jan. 2-3, and promised to hover throughout the week, with an even more threatening blow expected this weekend (Jan. 9-10).

The Eastern Produce Council's first New York Produce Show & Conference, set for Nov. 9-11 in the city of New York, will also offer networking events, workshops and tours of the Hunts Point Terminal Market, the new Philadelphia market, local retailers, restaurants and wholesale facilities.

"New York City is the epicenter of the region that buys more fresh produce than any location in the country," EPC President Dean Holmquist, director of produce and floral for Foodtown Inc., said in a late December press release.

A familiar face in the Chilean produce industry has joined The Oppenheimer Group's Santiago team.

Industry veteran Bill Lewis became the company's South American trade manager on Dec. 9. In his newly created role, he will concentrate on developing Oppenheimer's export programs, which currently include the destinations of Asia, Europe and Central America.