WASHINGTON — The House Republican leadership has decided not to include the 2012 farm bill on next week's calendar for floor debate, leaving only four days for the House to take up the bill before its August recess.

Frustration is growing among lawmakers and farm-friendly lobbyists who are trying to pressure the fiscally conservative House leadership to take up the five-year farm policy legislation before the program expires Sept. 30, 2012. The Senate approved the bill last month, followed by the House Agriculture Committee vote July 12.

Mann Packing Co. will debut a new leaf lettuce — Mann's Better Burger Leaf — at the PMA Foodservice Expo July 22 in Monterey, CA.

The lettuce, a Nunhems exclusive seed variety, is a green leaf-Iceberg hybrid developed as part of Nunhems "Sandwich Concepts" launched officially at Fruit Logistica in February.

“We will be promoting our full line of foodservice packs of processed mushrooms, which were designed specifically for the foodservice industry, at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, California, July 20-22,” Paul Frederic, senior vice president of sales and marketing for To-Jo Food Products Inc., in Avondale, PA, told The Produce News. “And we’ll be featuring our new ‘Simply Sautee’ item, which is entered in the PMA’s New Product Showcase.”

Helping promote retail sales in the new economy is a primary focus of the Peruvian Asparagus Importer's Association as importers begin the 2012-13 season.  

Peru enables U.S. retailers and consumers' access to asparagus at times when domestic supply does not exist since 90 percent of Peru's production is focused when domestic producers are not in season.

Following a light but good overall cherry season, United Marketing Exchange in Delta, CO, was looking ahead to early peaches and, if weather holds, good pears and apples as well.

United Sales Manager Mike Gibson said on June 26 the cherries would be finished by June 29.

“We started shipping on June 12, two weeks early,” Mr. Gibson said.

General Manager Harold Broughton added that the crop “was fantastic until the freeze hit on Easter Sunday.” As a result, the crop was thinned, but Mr. Gibson said size and pricing were good.

Wayne E. Baily Produce Co. will highlight consistency in sweet potato sizes at the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference & Exposition in Monterey, CA, July 20-22.