Cherry companies warned by FDA against making health claims
WASHINGTON -- Twenty-nine cherry companies received warning letters from the Food & Drug Administration in October telling them to stop making unsupported claims about the powers of cherries to prevent and cure diseases on product labels and on their web sites.
The 29 companies that received the warnings were marketing dried fruit, fruit juice and juice concentrate as a means for treating or preventing of a variety of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and arthritis.
Cape Ann Food Co-op closes doors
The Cape Ann Food Cooperative in Gloucester, MA, shut its doors after 31 years in business.
The retail end of the co-op's operations served 860 households in the Cape Ann area, offering natural and organic foods to its arts community clientele.
"The bottom line is we had been losing money - $154,000 - over the last 10 years," said Judy Parisella, interim general manager of the co-op. The membership voted to keep the co-op going despite the losses, but "that did not translate into green," she said.
Defense Commissary Agency schedules roundtable for its Fresh Fruit & Vegetable program
The Defense Commissary Agency has scheduled an industry roundtable Nov. 16 at the Airport Marriott in Atlanta to discuss the implementation of its Fresh Fruit & Vegetable program.
The roundtable is the result of the success of a recent test to see if a produce business model, based upon commercial practices, could reduce costs to DeCA -- resulting in lower prices and better quality for customers.
News of Wilma damage worsens as communications return to industry
As days passed following Hurricane Wilma's sweep through south Florida on Oct. 24, it became increasingly apparent that the damage was much worse than initially thought. For some growers, it caused a total loss of crops, and many are still assessing the damage a week later.
California grape industry makes big late-season push
FRESNO, CA -- As of Oct. 26, it had been five weeks since the official start of autumn. The frost is already on the pumpkins, so to speak, across much of the United States.
But in California, one of the favorite produce items of summer -- California fresh grapes -- is still being picked, packed and shipped in abundance and variety.
California grapes will, in fact, continue to be available throughout the remainder of the fall season and into early winter.
Navel crop: similar volume to last year but with smaller fruit size
The 2005-06 California Navel orange crop is estimated at 84 million cartons, just 2 percent below last year's 86- million carton crop, according to the California Agricultural Statistics Service. The Central Valley crop is estimated at 82 million cartons, with Southern California, mostly Riverside County, accounting for the remaining 2 million cartons of the total.
California call for Chilean season change highlights meeting
PHILADELPHIA -- The annual Chilean Fruit Importers meeting, presented by the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, was held here Oct. 21 and included a variety of relevant discussions surrounding the upcoming Chilean season. But standing out in urgency and long-term implications for the Chilean import deal was a presentation by Washington, DC-based attorney David Holzworth of Lepon Holzworth & Kato PLLC.
Nashville-based Produce Alliance adds new Tennessee member
Charlie Sciara & Son Produce Co. Inc., which operates in the greater Memphis, TN, market, has become the newest member of Produce Alliance.
For 64 years, Charlie Sciara & Son Produce Co. Inc. has held the philosophy that superior quality and total commitment to customer satisfaction have only been achieved by maintaining absolute control over all aspects of the business and by paying attention to detail.
T&A's Mike Antle takes on harvest responsibilities
SALINAS, CA -- Tanimura & Antle Inc., based in Spreckles, CA, has announced that Mike Antle has become vice president of harvest in addition to continuing to serve as an executive vice president of the company.
Mr. Antle will assume responsibility for all harvest operations of T&A and will report to President and COO Ken Silveira.
Working closely with Steve Bassi, senior vice president of agriculture operations, Mr. Antle will provide leadership in a role he has held previously.
Coastline adds to sales team
Grant Oswalt, a produce industry veteran with over 20 years experience, has joined the sales staff at Coastline Produce in Salinas, CA. He will focus on the company's broccoli and cauliflower accounts.
Mr. Oswalt comes to Coastline from produce broker Fresh Network in Salinas. After a career mostly in the shipping side of the business, including a stint as sales manager for Duda's California operations, Mr. Oswalt said that he has "dipped his toe in the brokerage waters, but now I'm back to my roots.