WASHINGTON -- What a difference a week can make for specialty crop producers. Facing a tight budget, the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee was ready to pass a 2007 farm bill on July 19 with few mandatory dollars tied to specialty crops and an eerie resemblance to the 2002 farm bill. But now the committee is poised to pass a bill with $1.6 billion for block grants, food-safety initiatives, research, conservation and nutrition programs. The bill was still being debated in the House Agriculture Committee at press time. "There are some mandatory dollars [in the bill] for specialty

After six months of negotiations, the three largest grocery chains in Southern California reached a tentative agreement July 17 with the United Food & Commercial Workers union, thus averting an impending strike that had been authorized by a vote of the union membership on June 24. Union members at 785 Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons stores were expected to ratify the agreement in votes scheduled for Sunday, July 22, according to an article in The Los Angeles Times. The new agreement, which includes wage increases and improved health benefits, is considered a victory for the union. It supersedes a

You want to purchase a stepladder at your local home improvement store. You have a choice between an inexpensive, cheesy, bargain-basement stepladder and a premium, quality priced, extra heavy-duty unit. Which ladder would you climb with a full gallon of red paint? You're planning to take a vacation on a cruise ship. There are many options for vessels that are heading out to sea. There is the el cheapo cruise ship Old Pinhole Sides that recently underwent some patching. Then there's Queen Reliable that is recognized for its well-built structure and safety record. The price package for this

Mary G. Redner, a co-founder of Redner's Warehouse Markets, died July 14 in the Reading Hospital & Medical Center in West Reading, PA, where she had been a patient for five days. She was 89. The Wyomissing, PA, resident was the wife of Earl W. Redner, to whom she was married for 58 years. Born Mary Germond on Oct. 5, 1917, in Oneonta, NY, she was the daughter of the late Seward and Ethel Germond. Ms. Redner was a kindergarten teacher in Port Jervis, NY, where she met her husband. She later taught in Silver Spring, MD. In 1970, she and her husband co-founded Redner's Markets, which they

MONTEREY, CA -- Mariani Packing Co., a longtime industry-leading dried fruit processor, has entered the fresh strawberry market with Albion-variety strawberries that carry the "Mariani" label. Mariani Packing, based in Vacaville, CA, has partnered with U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc., based here. U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc. handles the growing and sales. Having the growing and sales operations in-house is a big plus, said Ash Shoukry, president of U.S. Fruit & Veg. U.S. Fruit & Veg has been selling fresh strawberries for a couple of years, experience that undoubtedly helped when Mr. Shoukry approached Mark

WASHINGTON -- With specialty crop producers still reeling from the disappointing collapse of immigration reform, now comes news that a draft farm bill slated for markup this month appears not to deliver on promised money or priorities. The farm bill's funding levels fall far short for specialty crop programs, and this is particularly disturbing since specialty crops represent more than half of the cash receipts for crops in this country, according to Robert Guenther of United Fresh Produce Association, based here. Specialty crop producers are still getting less than 1 percent of the overall