It's official. Mushroom prices are down and so are mushroom supplies.

The National Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Statistics Board released its annual study Aug. 16 on U.S. mushroom production and prices.

SPRECKELS, CA -- Some eight years or so after the idea first gathered steam to build a facility that would house cooling, shipping, business and administrative operations all under one roof, D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of California has realized its dream.

FRESNO, CA -- Ed Beckman, president of the California Tomato Commission, and a delegation of several growers and shippers of California tomatoes recently went on a trade mission to Japan, the second one this year. The mission proved to be productive in expanding opportunities for California tomatoes in the Japanese marketplace, according to Mr. Beckman.

California tomato packer-shipper Gonzales Packing Co. in Gonzales, CA, has filed a lawsuit against the California Tomato Commission and its president claiming that the commission is unconstitutional and that Chief Executive Officer Ed Beckman has misappropriated funds. A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food & Agriculture, is also named in the lawsuit for failing to carry out his oversight duties.

Seattle-based Amerifresh -- a leader in providing fresh fruits and vegetables to the retail grocery and foodservice industries -- recently held its 12th annual event for sales associates at the Culinary Center of Monterey, the fourth year in a row the event has been held there.

Mark Krauter, manager of Amerifresh's Fresno, CA, branch, said that the event is a reward for the company's top produce sales associates. Each year the company invites different vendors to make product presentations.

Shelley Broader, president and chief executive officer of Tampa, FL-based Sweetbay Supermarket, is continuing to leverage her leadership team by announcing several changes.