WASHINGTON -- Produce trade associations have called for federal food safety oversight, and now the Fruit & Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee approved a new resolution that calls on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to advocate for unified food-safety standards. The 25-member advisory committee agreed on two resolutions at its June 4-5 meeting that will be presented to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. Created in 2001, the committee recommends ways that USDA can tailor its programs to meet the needs of the fruit and vegetable industry. The group recommended that USDA "facilitate

There is nothing new about the idea of a store brand or a private label, but experts say the concept has evolved significantly in the last decade, and now retailers use it largely to differentiate themselves from their competitors. "Some of the best products in the supermarket are [packed as] private brands," said Bruce Knobeloch, vice president of marketing for River Ranch Fresh Foods in Salinas, CA, a leader in the production of private-label packaged salads. "The trend that we have seen, especially over the last three to four years, has been a movement toward developing premium private

A five-pound bag of Idaho potatoes isn't the only place to find the "Grown in Idaho" seal. While stationed in Guam, Technical Sergeant Ben David, who is currently stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, had the famous "Grown in Idaho" seal tattooed on his right shoulder. "A couple years ago, I looked at the 'Grown in Idaho' seal and thought, 'Hey, I'm grown in Idaho, too,'" said Mr. David. "I am extremely proud of my Idaho roots and am not afraid to show it. To me, the seal not only means great potatoes, it means a great state, a great way of life and something to be proud of." Mr. David isn

WEST CALDWELL, NJ -- Spirits were high at RLB Food Distributors LP here, in mid-May as company staff celebrated an ownership change that placed two well-liked executives at the helm of the firm. As The Produce News met with Floyd Avillo and Pat Mele III, who had just purchased all the company's stock, the staff coincidentally threw a congratulatory party for the new owners. Mr. Avillo and Mr. Mele officially signed the deal earlier in the month to buy the company from Rob Bildner and his wife, Elisa Spungen Bildner. Mrs. Bildner was the president of FreshPro, which is RLB's produce processing

Imagination Farms has expanded its premium "Disney Garden" program by adding Vero Beach, FL-based Seald Sweet International. This addition defines the Disney Garden citrus program by coupling Seald Sweet International with SunWest Fruit Co. to offer a year-round program from California, Texas, Florida and all major offshore regions. Glen Reynolds, East Coast sales manager of Imagination Farms, said in a statement, "With our singular focus on increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables among children, a comprehensive citrus program with coast-to-coast domestic product and offshore

Jerry Grindell, a longtime member of the retail produce industry but perhaps best known for his tireless work with the Eastern Produce Council, died Friday, June 1, following a four-year battle with cancer. He was 71 years old and a resident of Brooklyn, NY. Mr. Grindell was born Oct. 5, 1936, in Manhattan, where he graduated from high school and then a local community college. He got his first job in the produce industry when he was 9 years old working at a fruit store in Coney Island, NY, his wife, Arline, told The Produce News. He remained in the produce industry the rest of his life