MONTREAL -- Three major North American lettuce growers are seeing green in their respective futures.

HydroSerre Mirabel, Tanimura & Antle and Next Vegetable, a Mexican grower that was formerly known as Vegetlan, announced strategic alliances and partnerships, here, at a reception May 9 at the W Hotel.

A delicacy in Europe, white asparagus is gaining in popularity in the United States, and at least two companies are particularly reaping the benefits.

Pompano Beach, FL-based Southern Specialties Inc. is enjoying strong growth in its year-round white asparagus program, said Charlie Eagle, the company's vice president of business development.

Mr. Eagle said that Easter typically is a good promotional holiday for white asparagus. Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day also serve as good holidays for the item.

CHICAGO -- Representatives from Peri & Sons Farms Inc., based in Yerington, NV, took advantage of floor space at the 2007 United Fresh Produce Association's Fresh Marketplace trade show, here, to tell visitors about exciting new developments at the company.

Peri & Sons began its operations in 1979, and today the family-owned company grows premium white, yellow, red and sweet onions at its 1,800- acre operation.

WASHINGTON -- Daily headlines on the widening pet food recall pushed the U.S. Senate to pass a prescription drug safety bill May 9 that would give the Food & Drug Administration new, far-reaching authority over food safety.

By a vote of 94-0, the Senate approved an amendment that would establish an early warning and notification system for human and pet foods, establish fines for companies that don't promptly report contaminated products, improve inspections and monitoring of imports, and set pet food safety standards.

Is your customer focus faltering? Has it lost steam lately? Then you had better pay attention.

Have you ever had a day when suddenly the company apple cart tilts and totally collapses? That is called a crisis, and that is when we all run over to the cart, stare at it, then have a meeting to discuss how to fix it.

There is only one problem: After the meeting, everyone begins concentrating on apple carts and only apple carts.

PHILADELPHIA -- The story begs a pun related to the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.

But the saga of the future of a new fresh fruit and vegetable market for Philadelphia is so incongruous and unpredictable that it is time to move beyond puns.

"The eagle has returned to the property," a dead-serious Jimmy Storey told The Produce News May 9 shortly after he met with the board of the Philadelphia Fresh Food Terminal Corp. Mr. Storey, who is president of the board, owns Quaker City Produce on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Center.