PLANT CITY, FL -- For the past month, temperatures have been near normal throughout Florida, but the state's growers are still grappling with the after- effects of an unprecedented two-week New Year's freeze that caused as much as $1 billion in economic losses. The first hard data on the economic impact of the big freeze are beginning to roll in and support anecdotal evidence and estimates previously reported in The Produce News of $1 billion in lost product, revenues and wages. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's crop report released Tuesday, Feb. 9, noted that the freeze caused "significant

WASHINGTON -- The United Fresh Produce Association has launched a new campaign called A Salad Bar in Every School, a multi-year effort in which the produce industry will raise funds to donate salad bars to schools around the country. The association linked the new initiative to first lady Michelle Obama's anti- obesity campaign, which also was unveiled Feb. 9. On the same day, President Obama established a task force on childhood obesity charged with developing an interagency plan to address the growing epidemic. "We are pleased to join first lady Michelle Obama's campaign announced today to

CHICAGO -- Sunkist Growers and Jewel-Osco's Chicago area retail stores joined forces in January to help the hungry through a "Sharing is Caring" program. At the end of the monthlong program, $7,500 was donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Sunkist provided special display units of Cara Cara oranges, and with every three-pound bag that customers purchased, 25 cents was donated to the food bank. One quarter of Jewel-Osco's stores also offered Cara Cara sampling and a take-home recipe booklet to further educate consumers about this wonderful variety. "We were honored to have the opportunity

The mid-Atlantic produce industry was whacked by one large storm Feb. 5-6 and is braced for another Feb. 9-10. As much as two feet of new snow was expected to hit Philadelphia, which was forecast to be in the bull's eye of the midweek, full-fledged blizzard. According to a Feb. 8 report by The Weather Channel, among major mid- Atlantic landmarks, Dulles Airport received the greatest snowfall in the Feb. 5-6 storm, with 30 inches. Tony Vitrano, president of the Tony Vitrano Co., said that the Maryland Wholesale Produce Center in Jessup, MD, also received 30 inches. Mr. Vitrano told The Produce

According to news services, a big snowfall predicted for Feb. 10 will set a Philadelphia record for the snowiest winter ever but should not affect construction of the new market. However, John Vena, owner of John Vena Inc. on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, said that the bad winter weather will have "minimal" impact on the construction of the new Philadelphia market because the building is now enclosed and work is underway inside the new building. Mr. Vena told The Produce News Feb. 8, "Today they are delivering heavy refrigeration equipment. Two trailers were unloaded. There is lots

Five Crowns Marketing, based in Brawley, CA, has entered into a strategic partnership with Prima Bella Produce. Under terms of the agreement, Five Crowns will acquire stock in Prima Bella, and will take over all sales and marketing functions for the packaged corn shipper, effective April 1. "We are very excited about the new partnership," Mark Bacchetti, owner of Prima Bella Produce, said in a Feb. 8 press release. "Five Crowns has been a key supplier of ours for the past six years. We built a new plant at their Crown Cooling facility in Brawley a year-and-a-half ago." The two companies have