ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA -- Guatemala's position as "America's Garden" was highlighted March 19-20 at the Agritrade Expo & Conference 2009. The 14th edition of the show was held for the first time in Antigua at the five-star Casa Santo Domingo Hotel & Convention Center. Previously, the show was held in Guatemala City, which is about 30 minutes from Antigua.

On Feb. 19, representatives from Bland Farms LLC in Glennville, GA, were the only bidders for the farming operations of Zappala Farms LLC in Cato, NY, including its "Empire Sweets" trademark, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of New York, in Syracuse, NY.

INDIANAPOLIS -- In anticipation of the upcoming summer season, Imagination Farms is adding two new suppliers, SGS and Dayka & Hackett LLC, providing stone fruit and grapes to the "Disney Garden" offerings.

In addition, the suppliers will also roll out new promotions and branded packaging to keep the Disney Garden product line exciting for consumers.

In mid-March, Mexico levied tariffs on dozens of U.S. products as a retaliatory measure to the ending of a cross-border trucking program that allowed a specific number of Mexican trucks to deliver their loads past the 20-25-mile commercial zone and to the point of destination within the United States.

The Obama administration announced the week of March 23 that it was engaged in efforts to end the dispute and hoped to do so by the time President Obama travels to Mexico in April.

BI-LO LLC, a South Carolina-based supermarket chain of more than 200 stores owned by Lone Star Funds, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection March 23, apparently in relation to a $260 million debt obligation that was maturing three days later.

In a press release announcing the action, the company said that it "intends to use the court-supervised process to address an upcoming debt maturity," and it "expects to reach mutually acceptable resolutions with all of its constituencies and to exit bankruptcy as expeditiously as possible."

Ocean Mist Farms is working with nationally known food expert Art Ginsburg, also known as Mr. Food, to show Americans just how easy it is to cook artichokes.

Ocean Mist partnered with Mr. Food to produce two 90-second segments that will air on television stations in more than 200 markets across the country March 30-31.