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President Bush approves specialty crops bill

WASHINGTON - Right before the holidays, the produce industry got some good news from Washington. President Bush signed the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act Dec. 21, funneling precious new money into programs that promote fruits and vegetables. Three years in the making, the new law authorizes $54 million annually for five years in grants that are designed to enhance the competitiveness of each state?s fresh produce crops. 'As a model for federal agricultural funding, none of the millions of dollars earmarked for the produce industry will come in the form of direct subsidies," said Western

Frank Basile, long-time employee at Monterey Mushrooms, was 55

Frank Basile, a well-known and well-respected produce industry veteran, died of liver cancer on Dec. 15 at his home in Gilroy, CA. He was 55. Mr. Basile was senior sales manager for the Western region at Monterey Mushrooms in Watsonville, CA, for more than 22 years. As a sales manager in the produce industry, customer relationships are paramount, and Mr. Basile enjoyed the utmost respect of his many customers, according to Monterey Mushrooms. He made a significant contribution at Monterey; he played a major role in building Monterey?s Western region sales portfolio as well as performing a key

L&M taps experienced veteran for position in Northeast

L&M Cos., headquartered in Raleigh, NC, announced that it has hired Arthur O?Leary as marketing manager for its Northeast operations. Mr. O'Leary will use his 25 years of experience with various industry associations to help build and enhance all the company?s produce segments in the New England and New York regions. In addition, he will be involved in advertisement planning, business programs and product development. For nearly 20 years, Mr. O'Leary served as regional manager for the Northwest Pear Bureau. Covering Canada, metro New York, New Jersey and New England, he worked with retailers

United and restaurant industry to hold supply chain meeting

WASHINGTON -- For the first time, top executives with produce companies and restaurants are planning to meet in early October to open a dialogue about supply-chain issues as part of a new partnership between the National Restaurant Association and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. United said that the partnership, which was announced Jan. 5, is part of a new focus on supply-chain issues, and the group is exploring a similar initiative to formalize the lines of communication with the retail segment. Reaching out to the restaurant industry first was an easy fit since Jennifer Tong

Food-safety certification helps to build interest in sales for New Limeco LLC

By Tad Thompson A new PrimusLabs Global Certification is proving very beneficial for sales at New Limeco LLC, according to Eddie Caram, the general manager of the Princeton, FL, firm. "This has opened doors to what consumers and the chainstore buyers want," Mr. Caram told The Produce News Jan. 11. In December, the firm's distribution facility and Florida avocado fields were certified with a 97 percent approval rating He added, “People we are partnering with in Guatemala and Belize are also into food safety traceability since it became a big concern for us.” Mr. Caram indicated that New Limeco

USApple's Allison Parker to lead NAM

VIENNA, VA -- The U.S. Apple Association announced Jan. 14 that the National Apple Month program is now being overseen by Allison Parker, USApple's director of consumer health and education. Currently the NAM Retail & Commissary Display contest is sponsored by J.M. Smuckers and Marzetti. The program appreciates its sponsors for their commitment to partnering with the U.S. apple industry on this promotion in an effort to encourage consumption of healthy and delicious apples and apple products along with products that combine well with them like peanut butter and caramel dips. Ms. Parker, a
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BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that it will open three new clubs in December. Locations in Springfield, MA, and Sumter, SC, will open Dec. 12, followed by the Casselberry, FL, club on Dec. 17.

All three locations will include on-site BJ’s Gas stations offering everyday low fuel prices and additional savings through BJ’s Fuel Savers Program. Gas stations in Springfield and Sumter opened in November. The Casselberry station is scheduled to open Dec. 3.

The Casselberry club, located at the Casselberry Exchange at 108 State Road 436, is BJ’s 42nd Florida location.

The Springfield club, at 1655 Boston Road, is the company’s 26th in Massachusetts and its first new location in its home state in 13 years.

The Sumter club, located at 1475 Alice Drive, is the third in South Carolina.

“BJ’s continues to grow in communities where unbeatable value resonates,” said Bill Werner, executive vice president of strategy and development at BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We’ll bring savings of up to 25 percent off grocery store prices every day, and we look forward to taking care of the families who depend on us.”

BJ’s has a long-standing commitment to supporting its communities. For more than 15 years, the company has partnered with Feeding America and its network of food banks, providing more than 155 million meals to people in need. Each new club will support a local food bank with ongoing donations of produce, meat, dairy products and other essentials.

BJ’s offers members value on everyday essentials in a convenient one-stop shop, including fresh foods, produce, full-service deli items, bakery goods, household necessities, home décor, pet supplies, toys, consumer electronics and more. Members also enjoy a “treasure hunt” shopping experience, discovering new and seasonal items with each visit.

Members can choose from several time-saving shopping options, both online and in-club. Curbside pickup, in-club pickup, same-day delivery* and shipping are available on BJs.com. In-club shoppers can use ExpressPay** in the BJ’s mobile app to scan products and skip the checkout line.

Additional member benefits include:

  • Unbeatable grocery prices: Members can save up to 25 percent off grocery store prices every day.
  • Risk-free membership: BJ’s offers a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
  • Coupon stacking: Members can combine BJ’s coupons with many manufacturers’ coupons to maximize savings.

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