The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded 55 specialty crop block grants that will fund 740 initiatives across the United States and its territories, Kathleen Merrigan, deputy agriculture secretary, announced in an Oct. 5 conference call.

The total dollar amount of these grants is about $55 million, with California receiving the largest share at $18.6 million. Funds will be used by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Danaco Solutions has partnered with Chipolte and the Produce Marketing Association to offer special food-safety training for small growers.

WASHINGTON -- The Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program may be successful in supplying more than 4 million children healthy snacks each day, but it's no time to sit back and relax in times of budget cuts, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) warned attendees of the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference.

Fred Recchiuti, general manager of Basciani Foods in Avondale, PA, told The Produce News that the company’s new mushroom farm and packinghouse in Independence, LA, is now in full operation.

“The facility opened in August, and it’s going very well,” said Mr. Recchiuti. “With the heat and humidity contributing to perishability in that area of the country, we wanted to be able to service customers there with the freshest and most local product.”

Kevin Donovan, national sales manager for Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square, PA, told The Produce News that the company is now strongly promoting the near completion of the expansion of its Warwick, MD, mushroom growing facility.

“The expansion will be completed by the beginning of November,” said Mr. Donovan. “It will enable us to double our production there to 200,000 pounds per week. The facility was completed only two years ago, so this expansion really speaks to the growing demand for mushrooms.”

Monterey Mushrooms’ newly launched kraft tray packaging and labels.

Joe Caldwell, vice president of Monterey Mushrooms Inc.,