Month: August 2011

The four recipients of the 2011 Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarships are: Barbara Daly, Testa Produce, Inc., Chicago, Ill.; Micah Desmond, Northeast Packaging Company, Presque Isle, Maine; Tami Martin, Black Gold, Grand Forks, N.D.; and John J. Pandol, Pandol Bros. Inc., Delano, Calif. The scholarship program, presented by the United Fresh Foundation Center for Leadership Excellence, provides the opportunity for employees of family-owned businesses to attend the annual United Fresh Washington Public Policy Conference. …

Health regulators said they will block all Mexican papayas at the border unless importers can prove they are not contaminated with salmonella, following an outbreak of the foodborne illness that sickened 100 people. …

Del Monte Fresh Produce, N.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., filed suit on Monday, August 22, 2011 against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to seek an injunction that would lift an FDA rule restricting the importation of wholesome fresh cantaloupes into the United States. …

Chiquita Brands announced it has become a National Strategic Partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Communicator’s Network. As a partner, Chiquita will work to promote MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines messaging efforts to help consumers think differently about their food choices, starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.” Chiquita is among the first national produce companies to join the network. …

Last week, the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) and the California Tomato Farmers (CTF) cooperative held field and packinghouse food safety tours in Santa Maria and Ventura for 14 representatives from major foodservice, distributor and retail chains. Both the LGMA and CTF were founded on the belief that mandatory government inspections are an essential component to improve food safety, build consumer confidence and protect public health so it was natural for us to partner on this tour, says Scott Horsfall, CEO of the LGMA. …