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.,

“Mushroom Council data shows that mushroom sales are very strong,” Bill Litvin, regional sales and national account manager for Giorgio Fresh Co., told The Produce News. Headquartered in Temple, PA, the company is a leading producer of fresh, value added and processed mushrooms.

Fletcher Street, director of marketing and sales for Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Olympia, WA, told The Produce News that the company has introduced a new paper till package.