WASHINGTON -- A new Food & Drug Administration rule may change the nutrient content claims that some produce items can make on their packaging labels. On July 25, FDA issued a long-awaited rule that sets new voluntary nutrition labeling regulations for the 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits and vegetables. The guidelines in FDA's final rule make changes to half of the most frequently consumed fruits and vegetables, with an average of approximately two revised nutrients per revised food item (i.e. 38 nutrients / 20 whole food items). The final rule also contains a chart detailing these

In early July, Monterey, CA-based Colorful Harvest LLC rolled out a tray pack of its "Scarlet Red Sweet Corn." For the past three years the company has sold the corn solely in bulk. The company is harvesting its California crop in Merced and has super-sweet seed varieties, said Colorful Harvest Chief Operating Officer Doug Ranno. The company also has trials in other areas of the state. The harvest season in California will run 10-12 weeks, Mr. Ranno said. "The new super-sweet seeds are able to produce the same color," Mr. Ranno said. "It's a sweeter flavor and the flavor lasts longer." Mr

Ripe Thing Marketing Services, located 10 miles south of Cincinnati in Crescent Springs, KY, is pushing tomato flavor. Gary Hodge of Hodge Marketing Group LLC in Crescent Springs bought the "Ripe Thing" name that was developed in 1996 by Do Ripe Farms LLC. Do Ripe declared bankruptcy in 2003, and Mr. Hodge soon after acquired the web site name, ripething.com, and the telephone number 1-88-tomatoes. Mr. Hodge left his position as vice president of business development of Caruso Inc. in Cincinnati last March to fully develop the brand, which is built around shipping tomatoes that are picked pink

Progreso Produce in Boerne, TX, has announced the opening of a branch office in Visalia, CA, that will be headed by Ki Thompson, who has over 20 years of experience in produce sales and marketing. Born and raised in the Salinas Valley, Mr. Thompson has a strong understanding of all aspects of the industry and has a diverse sales history in nearly every California and Arizona commodity, as well as Mexican and South American produce. "I have known Ki for many years and I have always been impressed with his sales experience in both the retail and foodservice sector," said Curtis DeBerry

Rochester, NY-based Birds Eye Foods Inc. announced July 25 that it would exit the vast majority of its non-branded frozen vegetable business to concentrate its resources on its branded segment. Most of its Watsonville, CA, facility's production is dedicated to the non-branded lines that are being eliminated. With that business ended, the Watsonville facility is expected to close around Dec. 31. About 550 full-time employees who work at this facility will be laid off, according to company spokesman Mike Lawrence. Vegetables produced in the Watsonville plant come from various area farmers. The

WASHINGTON -- Produce businesses across the country will benefit from new agricultural marketing grants doled out by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner on July 14. "These grants will be used to explore new and innovative approaches to marketing U.S. food and agricultural products, and to improve the efficiency and performance of our marketing system," said Mr. Conner. Here are just some of the programs that will receive matching funds from the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program: California - $48,920 to the California Department of Food & Agriculture to explore ways to increase