NEWARK, DE -- Produce Marketing Association staff are hosting local tours of food safety regulators on each U.S. coast just two weeks before the global produce industry will focus on food safety at PMA's 2009 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition.

Senior Food & Drug Administration officials, including Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, visited small farms in PMA's home state of Delaware Sept. 18 as part of a fact-finding tour to learn more about produce safety, such as traceability. That tour, planned by PMA, included a town hall meeting with area growers.

Ocean Mist Farms will unveil a comprehensive redesign of its packaging for the more than 25 fresh vegetable commodities the company grows and ships at this year's PMA Fresh Summit.

The features of the new packaging design, which will be on display in the company's booth (No. 4138), are based on consumer research and input from retail partners, Kori Tuggle, marketing manager for Ocean Mist, said in a Sept. 14 press release.

Retailers achieved $70 million more in avocado sales during the California avocado season, according to the California Avocado Commission, which plans to provide more details on this analysis of IRI/FreshLook Marketing data at the upcoming Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in Anaheim, CA.

Wanted: SYPPs (savvy young produce professionals) under 35 seeking to make industry connections with other young professionals.

Have a drink on the Produce Marketing Association's Foundation for Industry Talent at the Young Professionals Reception on Friday Oct. 2 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the association's Fresh Summit convention in Anaheim, CA, and build a network of peers with a short, fun speed-networking activity and lots of time to socialize.

NAPLES, FL -- Even the worst season in a decade was not enough to keep attendees at the 34th annual Florida Joint Tomato Conference from focusing on the future.

"Dreadful," committee Chairman Bob Spencer said in summarizing the 2008- 09 season in the Florida Tomato Committee's annual report, which was released at the conference, held Sept. 8-14 at the Ritz-Carlton-Naples, here. "It is doubtful the industry could survive another season like this one."

Stemilt Growers recently unveiled a pair of promotions designed to help retailers sell apples and pears during the fall and winter months.

The What a Pear promotion is new this year, while Crunch before Lunch was given a fresh design since Stemilt originally launched it back in January 2008.