SACRAMENTO, CA -- The California Department of Food & Agriculture and the University of California at Davis-based Center for Produce Safety have signed a no-cost agreement to enhance the department's food safety grants process and leverage additional funding. "The Center for Produce Safety's exemplary grant-review process adds substantial technical expertise to this program," CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura said in an April 8 press release. "Add to that their ability to provide matching funds for these projects, and it's easy to see how this agreement will help strengthen the safety of our food

WASHINGTON -- The United Fresh Produce Association has announced the appointment of Ray Gilmer as vice president of communications, where he will bring more than 20 years of combined experience in agricultural issues management, public relations and crisis management to United's senior management team. "Ray is well known to many throughout the produce industry, due to more than a decade heading up communications and public affairs at the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association," Tom Stenzel, United's president and chief executive officer, said in an April 8 press release. "We are indeed

SONOMA, CA -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced approval of a long-awaited protocol that permits the shipment of sweet oranges and grapefruits from Chile to the United States. The final rule was published April 7 in the Federal Register. For the past three years, clementines have been allowed into the United States, and now U.S. produce marketers will also be receiving these new citrus items. The sweet orange harvest is expected to begin in June, and will be followed by grapefruit in August. The weather conditions in Chile so far suggest good volumes and excellent quality

WASHINGTON -- Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc. in Terra Bella, CA, has expanded its recall of pistachios after the Food & Drug Administration found Salmonella in its California processing plant. The new recall includes all roasted shelled pistachios and roasted in-shell pistachios from its 2008 crop, and raw shelled pistachios that are not subsequently roasted prior to retail sale, the California company said in an April 6 press release. But the recall also includes nearly 250 candies, ice cream and other processed food items that contain Setton pistachios. Setton first recalled 2 million

Columbia Marketing International in Wenatchee, WA, is poised to bring the trademarked Kiku apple to the American marketplace. The grower base was solidified April 2 following the announcement that Applewood Orchards Inc., located in Deerfield, MI, was granted a sub-license to produce the variety. The company joins Columbia Fruit Packers Inc. and Rice Fruit Co. in Gardners, PA, in the Kiku grower-packer triad. According to Bob Mast, vice president of marketing for CMI, the company holds exclusive rights to market the Kiku in the United States. "This coming season is our kickoff year," he told

WASHINGTON -- The California Leafy Green Product Handler Marketing Agreement is being exported to other states and other commodities, but it should be adopted nationally and set as a standard for importers to follow, Scott Horsfall, the marketing agreement's chief executive director, said at an April 7 meeting on food safety. Mr. Horsfall told The Produce News that the industry hopes to have a draft federal marketing agreement available this summer to start the lengthy process of establishing food-safety standards for leafy greens grown throughout the country. The California leafy greens