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President Bush approves specialty crops bill

WASHINGTON - Right before the holidays, the produce industry got some good news from Washington. President Bush signed the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act Dec. 21, funneling precious new money into programs that promote fruits and vegetables. Three years in the making, the new law authorizes $54 million annually for five years in grants that are designed to enhance the competitiveness of each state?s fresh produce crops. 'As a model for federal agricultural funding, none of the millions of dollars earmarked for the produce industry will come in the form of direct subsidies," said Western

Frank Basile, long-time employee at Monterey Mushrooms, was 55

Frank Basile, a well-known and well-respected produce industry veteran, died of liver cancer on Dec. 15 at his home in Gilroy, CA. He was 55. Mr. Basile was senior sales manager for the Western region at Monterey Mushrooms in Watsonville, CA, for more than 22 years. As a sales manager in the produce industry, customer relationships are paramount, and Mr. Basile enjoyed the utmost respect of his many customers, according to Monterey Mushrooms. He made a significant contribution at Monterey; he played a major role in building Monterey?s Western region sales portfolio as well as performing a key

L&M taps experienced veteran for position in Northeast

L&M Cos., headquartered in Raleigh, NC, announced that it has hired Arthur O?Leary as marketing manager for its Northeast operations. Mr. O'Leary will use his 25 years of experience with various industry associations to help build and enhance all the company?s produce segments in the New England and New York regions. In addition, he will be involved in advertisement planning, business programs and product development. For nearly 20 years, Mr. O'Leary served as regional manager for the Northwest Pear Bureau. Covering Canada, metro New York, New Jersey and New England, he worked with retailers

United and restaurant industry to hold supply chain meeting

WASHINGTON -- For the first time, top executives with produce companies and restaurants are planning to meet in early October to open a dialogue about supply-chain issues as part of a new partnership between the National Restaurant Association and the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. United said that the partnership, which was announced Jan. 5, is part of a new focus on supply-chain issues, and the group is exploring a similar initiative to formalize the lines of communication with the retail segment. Reaching out to the restaurant industry first was an easy fit since Jennifer Tong

Food-safety certification helps to build interest in sales for New Limeco LLC

By Tad Thompson A new PrimusLabs Global Certification is proving very beneficial for sales at New Limeco LLC, according to Eddie Caram, the general manager of the Princeton, FL, firm. "This has opened doors to what consumers and the chainstore buyers want," Mr. Caram told The Produce News Jan. 11. In December, the firm's distribution facility and Florida avocado fields were certified with a 97 percent approval rating He added, “People we are partnering with in Guatemala and Belize are also into food safety traceability since it became a big concern for us.” Mr. Caram indicated that New Limeco

USApple's Allison Parker to lead NAM

VIENNA, VA -- The U.S. Apple Association announced Jan. 14 that the National Apple Month program is now being overseen by Allison Parker, USApple's director of consumer health and education. Currently the NAM Retail & Commissary Display contest is sponsored by J.M. Smuckers and Marzetti. The program appreciates its sponsors for their commitment to partnering with the U.S. apple industry on this promotion in an effort to encourage consumption of healthy and delicious apples and apple products along with products that combine well with them like peanut butter and caramel dips. Ms. Parker, a
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Ocean Mist Farms is headed to the Big Apple for the 2025 New York Produce Show where the company will showcase — and sample — its latest innovations in value-added fresh vegetables. 

“We’ll be featuring our newly rebranded ‘No Shame in a Shortcut’ Roastables line in our booth at the show,” said President and CEO Chris Drew. “The feedback we’ve received on these convenient and delicious items has been phenomenal — and we’re thrilled to see how strongly they’re resonating with consumers.”

Launched last year, Roastables ready-to-cook kits quickly gained recognition as one of the most innovative products in the fresh-produce industry. Just months after their debut, the line was honored with the Joe Nucci Award for Product Innovation at the New York Produce Show, celebrating it as “the best product innovation in service of expanding fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.”

In addition to the refreshed Roastables line, Ocean Mist Farms will also be soft-launching and sampling their latest innovation — a first-of-its-kind line inspired by Roastables. But you’ll need to swing by their booth (No. 356) to check it out and try a sample! Designed for busy households, this new concept makes preparing fresh vegetable dishes easier — and more enjoyable — than ever. Virtually no prep, mess, or cleanup required — just wholesome, flavorful meals in minutes.

Each of the seven Roastables SKUs — including halved Brussels sprouts, broccoli florets and cauliflower florets — feature unique, chef-crafted flavor profiles to suit every palate. “We know consumers across all age groups are juggling busy schedules and need help making fresh, healthy meals quickly,” Drew said. “Our goal is to create convenient, time-saving meal solutions that don’t sacrifice flavor or quality — because that’s what brings people back for the second purchase.”

With its rebranded Roastables line debuting in stores next month, Ocean Mist continues to strengthen its position as a category innovator and trusted partner in fresh, value-added vegetables. “We’ve invested significant energy and resources into understanding evolving consumer needs,” Drew said. “That insight fuels our product development process and ensures we’re delivering on-trend, solution-driven innovations that delight consumers, while expanding the category and driving sales growth for our retail partners.”

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