MONTEREY, CA -- Mariani Packing Co., a longtime industry-leading dried fruit processor, has entered the fresh strawberry market with Albion-variety strawberries that carry the "Mariani" label.

Mariani Packing, based in Vacaville, CA, has partnered with U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc., based here. U.S. Fruit & Veg Inc. handles the growing and sales. Having the growing and sales operations in-house is a big plus, said Ash Shoukry, president of U.S. Fruit & Veg.

WASHINGTON -- With specialty crop producers still reeling from the disappointing collapse of immigration reform, now comes news that a draft farm bill slated for markup this month appears not to deliver on promised money or priorities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service recently withdrew a proposal to revise the table grape shatter standard at destination, a move that greatly perplexed and disappointed California growers who had petitioned for the change.

"I'm very disappointed," said Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, based in Fresno.

Valerie Sill is a Gemini, and that may explain a few things -- if you believe in astrological explanations.

Ms. Sill recently relocated to Watsonville, CA, from Annapolis, MD, to take up her new responsibilities as business manager for Driscoll Strawberry Associates. Like the namesake zodiac twins, Ms. Sill wrestles with things head-on. She's versatile, changeable and willing to move across the country in a heartbeat.

And the 30-year-old Ms. Sill is also capable of quiet reflection as she looks at where she's been and where's she's going.

NEW YORK -- The one-and-a-half pound Summer Fancy Food Official Show Directory was the first indication visitors got of the size of the annual National Association for the Specialty Food Trade event, held July 8-10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, here. Separated by countries, regions and categories, exhibitors consumed the entire 675,000 square feet of facility exhibit space.

One sure sign of summer is the onset of the sweet corn season in the Rocky Mountain states, and the noted yellow and bi-colored corn produced by Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm & Ranch Enterprise in the Four Corners area of Colorado is within days of shipping, according to General Manager Paul Evans.

Mr. Evans said that harvest is expected to start July 21-25, with good volume throughout the eight to nine weeks of picking.