WASHINGTON -- A group known for tirelessly advocating immigration reform, the New York Apple Association received the 2007 Produce Advocate of the Year Award at the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference.

With the shareholders of Seattle-based grocery wholesaler Associated Grocers Inc. approving the sale of the company to Unified Western Grocers in Los Angeles, Unified has now moved into being one of the top-five retailer wholesalers in the country. And the close to 3,000 retailers it serves, in aggregate, create buying power that could be among the top 10 retail operations in the country.

A random sampling of a "Dole" brand "Hearts Delight" lettuce salad bag tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 in mid-September, causing the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to issue a health warning and for Dole to recall about 850 cases of the product.

WASHINGTON -- With the fight for the farm bill in full swing and the presidential election heating up, attendees of the United Fresh Produce Association's Washington Public Policy Conference heard an insider perspective during the Sept. 12-14 conference.

Bakersfield, CA-based Grimmway Farms has refreshed the look of its packaging while at the same time bringing uniformity to its conventional line of carrots.

The packages are starting to hit store shelves now, and Grimmway will feature the entire line at the Produce Marketing Association's International Convention & Exposition to be held Oct. 12-15 in Houston.

The complete redesign of the "Grimmway" brand of carrots marks the first time the company has undertaken such a step in a long time, said Phil Gruszka, the company's vice president of marketing.

SYSCO Corp. has unveiled an innovative program to extend real-time food safety data to the non-"SYSCO" branded produce the company offers. SYSCO's self-imposed requirement, which has always been in place for "SYSCO" and "FreshPoint" branded products, should reassure customers that they are purchasing products only from growers and shippers that have implemented stringent food-safety and traceability processes.