FirstFruits Marketing in Yakima, WA, and its growers are kicking off the fall apple season by giving back with the Take A Bite Out of Hunger campaign that aims to donate 1 million apples to food banks throughout the United States. "This is an amazing gift that comes at a critical time," Jason Luke Clark, executive director of Second Harvest Inland Northwest and a board member of Feeding America, said in a Sept. 29 press release. “Our organization alone serves over 200 food banks, and more than 40 percent of our clients are children and another 10 percent are seniors. First Fruits is making it

Ocean Mist Farms is partnering with Sony this fall to promote the release of the movie "Eat Pray Love" on DVD. The retail offer includes an instant-redeemable coupon for $3 off a purchase of Sony's “Eat Pray Love” movie on DVD with the purchase of an Ocean Mist Farms artichoke. From Nov. 30 through Dec. 31, more than 3,000 IRCs will be affixed to bulk artichokes sold nationwide at retailers carrying Ocean Mist Farms artichokes. The target market for the movie is females, 18 and older, which relates to the profile of an artichoke consumer. Ocean Mist Farms will also provide the IRC directly to

WASHINGTON — Legislation to revamp the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's food-safety programs and to improve school lunches are just two issues Congress will be debating when it returns Nov. 15 after mid-term elections. But these bills — top-shelf issues for the produce industry — will have to compete with more than a dozen other legislative priorities for floor time during what could be a polarized lame-duck session that may follow a power-shift to a Republican-controlled Congress. After two failed attempts to consider food-safety legislation on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Harry

As Bland Farms LLC in Glennville, GA, prepared for the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit convention, the company was coming off one of its finer Vidalia, GA, onion seasons ever and was well into its fall program featuring Peruvian sweet onions, "Empire Sweets" from New York state and sweet onions from Utah. “It’s going real well,” Michael Hively, chief financial officer of Bland Farms, told The Produce News Oct. 4. “Between the three locations, I think we can provide the customer base with what they’re looking for when it comes to a sweet onion. All three programs are going really

For the month of October, California Giant Berry Farms is reminding shoppers that the company cares about the causes that affect their daily lives. As a proud sponsor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the company will make a $10,000 contribution to the National Breast Cancer Foundation based on consumer purchases of California Giant strawberries during the month of October. Supporting healthy lifestyles and giving back are continued commitments at California Giant Berry Farms. From annual on-pack promotions and fundraising to the award-winning cycling team, the company regularly communicates

Fairgoers at this year's Central Washington State Fair in Yakima were treated to a "flash mob dance" by Pink Lady America, according to Alan Taylor, marketing director for the apple organization. Headquartered in Yakima, WA, Pink Lady America is the North American member of the International Pink Lady Alliance that grows and markets the trademarked Pink Lady brand of the Cripps Pink apple variety. Each global member organization promotes to reflect its region. The Washington group’s flash mob dance featured more than 50 young Washington women who were trained in dance by a choreographer in