SEATTLE -- With the Food & Drug Administration reluctant to set national safety standards, big buyers and their risk-averse lawyers are driving food- safety standards and demanding more microbiological testing and audits, according to produce consultant Devon Zagory of NSF Davis Fresh.

No official estimate was available at this writing, but industry sources suggest that the total California cherry crop for 2008 could be similar in volume to last year's record 7.5 million boxes.

Bings, which accounted for nearly two-thirds of the state's total cherry volume last year, will be a little lighter this year. However, the early cherry varieties such as Brooks, Tulare and Sequoia are expected to be up in volume, due largely to new plantings coming into production or young plantings coming into fuller production.

Fresh fruit is the specialty of Sunny Valley International Inc. in Glassboro, NJ. This summer, however, vegetables are going to play a larger part in the firm's marketing mix, according to Phil Neary, Sunny Valley's director of operations and grower relations.

"We have dabbled in vegetables from time to time over the years," Mr. Neary told The Produce News April 14. But recently, "we were approached by a vegetable grower to take his whole deal. It's a relatively small deal overall," but it will be a strong program for regional retail markets, Mr. Neary said.

LA MIRADA, CA -- A panel of Southern California retail produce executives discussed vendor relationships during the regular bimonthly membership meeting of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council, held here April 9, which drew an overflow crowd of 250 industry participants.

WASHINGTON -- United Fresh Produce Association announced that it will expand its annual trade show and convention to focus on produce innovations, fresh meals and technology solutions for the retail and foodservice marketing channels, and the total fresh produce and fresh meals supply chains.

SALINAS, CA -- Local news sources reported that FBI and IRS agents executed a search warrant under a sealed affidavit on the offices of SK Foods on Wednesday morning, April 16, in Monterey, CA.

Salinas, CA-based KSBW-TV reported that SK offices in the California towns of Williams and Lemoore were searched Wednesday morning in addition to the firm's Monterey headquarters, and that FBI agents confirmed a private residence also was searched.