Fresh & Easy is opening nine new stores in September in its current markets and has announced plans to extend its reach into Northern California with the opening of seven stores in the San Francisco Bay area in early in 2011.

Company spokesman Brendan Wonnacott said that on average, Fresh & Easy continues to open stores at the pace of one a week, but it tends to bunch the openings together.

The Lipman Family Companies, owner of tomato and vegetable grower- shipper Six L's Packing Co. and repacker Custom Pak, announced that Kent Shoemaker will join the company Sept. 20 as chief executive officer.

Larry Lipman, chairman of the Lipman Family Companies, said in an Aug. 26 press release, "Kent’s track record of innovative leadership in the fresh produce industry complements our strategy and vision for growth. We are excited to have him join our family of companies".

An partnership between the Produce Marketing Association, Sysco Corp. and PrimusLabs.com is providing much-needed produce food safety training to small growers across America to help them increase their produce sales. Local growers, including PMA members and those interested in doing business with Sysco, can receive training via a series of workshops held around the country. The workshops are designed to help growers understand current food safety demands, how to meet them and how to navigate food safety requirements.

WASHINGTON -- Starting next fall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to launch a new pilot program that offers incentives for low-income Americans to purchase more fruits and vegetables under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Massachusetts will operate the Healthy Incentives Pilot and enroll 7,500 randomly selected SNAP households, which will receive financial incentives to purchase fruits and vegetables.

A&A Organic Marketing Inc., a grower-shipper of organic produce, has changed its company name and logo to A&A Organic Farms Corp.

"We felt that changing our name better represents who we are and what we do," Andy Martin, president of the Watsonville, CA-based firm, said in an Aug. 24 press release. With nearly two decades of experience serving as a sales agent for organic farmers, A&A Organic Farms has expanded its role as a grower and shipper of organic fruits and vegetables.

Peri & Sons Farms, based in Yerington, NV, launched its newly redesigned and expanded web site, which was developed to showcase the firm's enduring farming history-spanning over a hundred years and three generations-as well as communicate the company's progressive philosophy in the areas of food safety and traceability.