WASHINGTON - The Center for Produce Safety just increased its budget to $3.5 million to spend on research proposals due July 1 that might solve the most vexing food-safety dilemmas for commodities recently linked to outbreaks.

In May, the center said it had $2 million to spend on research projects. But on June 11, the center announced it was upping the ante to $3.5 million after California officials kicked in more funding.

McDaniel Fruit Co. in Fallbrook, CA, has announced the official retirement of Katherine M. McDaniel, the company's chief executive officer and co-founder.

Rankin H. McDaniel, president of McDaniel Fruit, told The Produce News June 16 that his father and mother founded McDaniel Fruit Co. in 1957 and that his mother "has been working here with the company since that time."

Throughout this summer, Safeway stores coast to coast and in Canada will sport a new look in the produce department with a locally grown section.

Almost all the retail giant's more than 1,700 stores will feature in-store signage and merchandising touting locally grown product. For this program, the company divided its stores into regions, and each will carry and advertise products that are from the same geographic region.

With a lighter-than-anticipated combined volume of table grapes being shipped out of Mexico and California's Coachella Valley during May and the first half of June -- and with that situation expected to continue up to the start of the San Joaquin Valley grape harvest the final days of June and beginning of July -- market prices were expected to be strong for the early grapes out of the San Joaquin Valley.

The Really Cool Food Co. LLC, a leading natural and organic prepared foods company, and Renaissance Food Group LLC, a leader in the distribution and production of fresh value-added fruits and vegetables, have announced a merger that will offer retailers and consumers a broad selection of the freshest prepared and value-added fresh foods available.

CHICAGO -- The United States and Canada signed a historic equivalency agreement that will allow the smooth flow of certified-organic products between the two countries and support the continued growth of the rapidly expanding organic market in North America.

The agreement -- the first of its kind for the organic industry -- was signed June 17 during the Organic Trade Association's All Things Organic conference and trade show, held here June 16-18.