NAPLES, FL -- The Florida tomato industry has seen the value of its crop drop nearly $260 million over the past three seasons.

The grim statistic was given by Reggie Brown, executive director of the Florida Tomato Committee, during his state of the industry speech Sept. 5 at the Florida Tomato Institute, part of the 32nd Joint Tomato Conference, held here Sept. 5-8.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has pledged to introduce food- safety legislation that will focus solely on fresh produce after the latest spinach recall, this time from Metz Fresh LLC, hit the newspapers last month.

WASHINGTON -- The produce industry welcomed news that a federal judge had temporarily delayed enforcing the so-called no-match rule. But farm businesses watched a longtime AgJOBS supporter exit from Congress before legislation giving relief from the growing farmworker crisis is finalized.

As of Wednesday, Sept. 5, King City, CA-based Metz Fresh LLC didn't yet know the cause of a salmonella contamination finding that led to the voluntary recall of 8,118 cases of its bagged spinach.

Routine testing determined a presumptive positive for salmonella found in a single sample from one of three packinglines of bagged spinach. The presumptive positive test for salmonella on Aug. 24 came after the lot was processed and bagged.

WASHINGTON -- This year's Washington Public Policy Conference could not come at a better time for members of the United Fresh Produce Association, as Congress is knee-deep in critical issues that are slated for decisive votes in the coming weeks.

"Conference attendees will be talking to members of Congress and staffers at a critical time," Tom Stenzel, president of the United Fresh Produce Association, said in referring to the Sept. 11-14 meeting.

Peter R. Macrie Sr., a lifelong resident of Hammonton, NJ, which calls itself the blueberry capital of the world, died Aug. 28 at his home in Hammonton at the age of 76. He had suffered from heart problems and Alzheimer's disease for the past few years, according to his son, Peter R. Macrie Jr.

Peter Robert Macrie Sr. was born May 7, 1931 in Hammonton, where he graduated from high school in 1949. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he spent four years, including service in Geneva, NY, during the Korean War.