Stephanie Zarati, a saleswoman with Santa Maria, CA-based Fresh Kist Produce LLC, received an award from Birds Eye Fresh for outstanding sales in the first quarter of 2005 in a June 6 ceremony at Fresh Kist.

Fresh Kist is a supplier to Birds Eye Fresh, the fresh division of Birds Eye Foods. A representative of Birds Eye Fresh was on hand to present to Ms. Zarati a glass plate denoting her accomplishment as the top salesperson of Birds Eye Fresh products for the quarter, said Josh Wong, marketing director for Fresh Kist.

Former produce industry veteran Lorne Johnston died May 20 of a heart attack, leaving behind produce industry friends who trace back several decades.

Mr. Johnston's fatal heart attack followed a stroke he suffered a few days earlier. It was a major heart attack in 1993 that forced Mr. Johnston into retirement. At the time, he was sales manager for United Fruit Marketing in Yakima, WA. He worked there from 1992 to 1994.

John Corsaro, vice president of business development for the Giumarra Cos., announced June 1 that the Salazar family in Hermosillo, Mexico, and the Giumarra Cos. had successfully completed the first-ever USDA inspection of grapes in Mexico. Every lot passed inspection.

"This result is a testament to the Salazar family's commitment to grow the highest quality fruit and to give the customer the best service possible," said Mr. Corsaro. "The cold chain will not be broken at the border, thereby ensuring that the customer will receive fruit in excellent condition.

WASHINGTON -- Fruit and vegetable businesses will likely keep a close eye on a USDA spending bill as it moves to the House floor in early June since it contains funds for the popular specialty crops program and delays country-of-origin labeling for meat products.

In the daily grind of commerce, it's easy to lose sight of the larger picture of how public policy can affect the ebb and flow of the produce business.

Long days of harvesting, packing and shipping, or working out the logistics of deliveries, don't often leave time for contemplating how larger issues affect the business.

Those of us involved in public policy must be mindful that the way in which we approach nutrition policy has a direct effect on the health of not only our residents but on our produce business as well.

With the beginning of summer just weeks away, mushroom marketers are primed for the spike in sales that results with the start of the grilling season.

Joe Caldwell, vice president at Watsonville, CA-based Monterey Mushrooms, said that the summer month s used to be slow for Monterey Mushrooms, but about 10 years ago, the company started promotions in the summer. The promotions were buoyed by the lack of competition that mushrooms enjoy. "People eat mushrooms with other things, but they don't buy s omething instead of mushrooms," he said.