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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Barbara Wunder (321) 214-5207

FLORIDA FRUIT & VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION CONVENTION - ALL ABOUT HOW TO "MARKET SMART!"

Focus on making one's product truly stand out from the crowd

MAITLAND, Fla. (September 19, 2006) - Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association's 63rd Annual Convention, September 17 through 19 at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Florida, offered many opportunities for those in the fresh produce industry to learn how to bring their products to market with distinction.

Keynote speaker Joe Calloway has built a 20-year consulting career showing companies how to achieve true differentiation over competitors - and not settle for just being first among equals. For FFVA 2006, this popular business author shared how extraordinary companies transcend commodity and defy comparison with his presentation, "Indispensable: Stop Being a Commodity."

"In today's marketplace, buyers of almost everything see sameness among products, and this certainly holds true for the agricultural market," said Calloway. "If you are perceived as a commodity, then the only way you can win is with price. Clear
differentiation is the only way to keep from being pulled into the downward spiral of a price war."

Educational sessions helped keep participants up-to-date on recent trends in the industry. The first session, "Understanding the Produce Customer: Building a New Brand for Fruits and Vegetables," outlined how landmark research helped create the "More Matters" brand for fruit and vegetable consumption. The brand won't be launched until next March, but FFVA 2006 attendees got a sneak preview into this huge effort by retailers and leading industry partners.

A second educational session tackled the tough issue of immigration reform and what farm employers can do now to ensure a steady workforce.

And a third session, "Building a Stronger Produce Industry: The New Farm Bill," explained how a national industry coalition is building congressional support for exciting new federal agriculture policies. Industry leaders spoke about opportunities and challenges in marketing, research, conservation assistance and more.

In addition to educational opportunities, the convention also offered a silent auction and a live auction, which raised funds for a new migrant scholarship fund.

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops.

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