WASHINGTON—Produce companies will get more time to comment on new Food Safety Modernization Act rules as the Food & Drug Administration announced Wednesday it plans to extend the deadlines for its high-risk foods document and food defense proposal.

FDA plans a 90-day extension, bringing the deadline to June 30, for the proposal that would set new responsibilities for facilities to protect against intentional adulteration or terrorism.

While many Vidalia onion growers were in favor of a recent decision by Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black to set April 21 as the first date Vidalia onions can be packed and shipped each season, Judge Cynthia D. Wright of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit of the Superior Court of Fulton County March 19 ruled in favor of a challenge to that decision from Bland Farms of Glennville, GA.

Meanwhile, Bo Herndon of Herndon Farms in Lyons, GA, a supporter or the mandatory ship date, said he was “shocked” by the judge’s ruling.

Judge Cynthia D. Wright of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit of the Superior Court of Fulton County ruled in favor of Bland Farms' challenge of the legality of the Georgia Department of Agriculture's mandatory uniform start date for the shipping of Vidalia sweet onions.

As a result of the ruling, Bland Farms and other licensed Vidalia sweet onion growers will be able to continue shipping Vidalia sweet onions on their traditional timetable.

According to some sources, the lime market hit $80 for a 40-pound carton during mid-March, and the demand-exceeds-supply situation should remain in force for at least several weeks and could last as long as several months.

“We had an $80 market this week,” Ronnie Cohen, vice president of sales for Vision Import Group LLC in River Edge, NJ, told The Produce News March 18. “I don’t think I have ever seen it go over $55 before. It got to $50 and it just kept rising, going up $5 at a time.”

Lorri Koster, the current chief executive officer and co-chairman of the board of Mann Packing Co., believes the Salinas, CA-based company’s 75 years as a successful shipper can be attributed to its ability to adapt to change. But perhaps even more important, the firm has found a niche by going left when everyone else goes right.

An industry friend called me not long ago and told me about his recent store visits. He explained that his trip took him to seven supermarkets and every one of the produce departments looked the same. They all had the usual displays of bananas, lettuce and apples. He claimed that he did not see anything new or different.