San Juan Bautista, CA-based Earthbound Farm, a leading U.S. grower and shipper of organic produce and specialty salads, is expanding its specialty greens line with fresh-cut salad choices and sizes.

Baby spinach blend is a mix of baby spinach, baby arugula and red radicchio. Baby arugula blend features mild baby arugula, savory fris?e and spicy radicchio. M?che blend combines nutty m?che with fris?e and radicchio.

The Produce Marketing Association has established an Australia-New Zealand Country Council with member representatives from both countries.

Speaking at the first council meeting May 21 in Sydney, Australia, Alicia Calhoun, director of industry technology and standards for PMA, said that the association aimed to ensure its products, services and events are relevant to current and potential members in both countries.

SALINAS, CA -- A committee of his peers has selected Joe Pezzini, vice president of operations of Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, as the Salinas Valley Chamber's 2007 Agricultural Leadership Award winner.

The Agricultural Leadership Award is part of the tradition established in 1990 by the Salinas Valley Chamber to acknowledge the individual, company, group, association or agency that has made the most significant contribution to the agricultural community in the Salinas area. The award winners are chosen by a committee made up exclusively of past award recipients.

FRESNO, CA -- Researchers are continuing to discover new ways in which a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is beneficial to health and helps ward off diseases. One new study, which appeared in the May 2007 issue of Journal of Nutrition, shows that "grapes may slow the progression of Type I Autoimmune Diabetes in lab mice," according to a press release from the California Table Grape Commission.

WASHINGTON -- The wrestling match between Congress and President Bush on Iraq war funding ended when the president signed the bill May 25 to pay for military operations and the long-awaited $3 billion in emergency disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers.