NEWARK, DE -- Fruits and vegetables are the centerpiece of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new food guidance system that will be used to help the public understand and use the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and make more healthful choices among the foods they eat, including greater consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Ivey Pope wears many hats as a young, up-and-coming produce professional.

The 25-year-old plays multiple roles representing multiple related companies, all under the auspices of DL&B Enterprises in Clinton, NC.

DL&B is a grower, packer, shipper and a lot more, according to Ms. Pope.

"Doug and Linda Wilson are the owners; DL&B stands for Doug and Linda and the boys," Ms. Pope said of the family-owned business.

WASHINGTON " A new report by federal disease investigators on last year?s Salmonella outbreak at Sheetz convenience stores raised more questions than it offered answers about how tomatoes may have sickened 561 people in 18 states.

Year-to-date, the Florida tomato industry is behind by about 6 million boxes from previous years. Approximately 5 million of that figure is directly attributable to crop damage and losses that resulted from the four hurricanes that hit the state in August and September of last year. But the remaining 1 million-box decline is being blamed on spring shortages due to unusually bad weather in the state during the current growing season as well as some sporadic disease problems.

Dick Keim, director of sales for Prime Produce International LLC in Lake Forest, CA, has left Prime Produce and will be opening a Southern California office for an existing produce company whose name is yet to be announced.

The latest version of the Sonora Spring Grape industry's exclusive GrapeTRAX category trend study was discussed at a meeting of about 70 growers and shippers in Hermosillo, Mexico, the first week in April. Hosted by the Sonora Grape Growers Association (AALPUM) in partnership with its Nogales, AZ-based distributor members of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, this was the second year the industry has reunited prior to the season.