Dole Food Co. signed a 15-year lease Dec. 10 that will keep it at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware.

The move secures hundreds of jobs and a critical revenue stream for Delaware's economy, according to a press release issued by the Port of Delaware.

Dole is the port's largest customer, importing bananas, pineapples and other fruit and exporting forest products and general cargo, and the company's presence there makes it the biggest fresh fruit import port in North America, according to the press release.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced Nov. 19 that it was extending the comment period on two related rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act: the foreign supplier verification rule and the accreditation of third-party auditors rule.

"Comments on these two proposed rules, as well as comments on the information collection provisions associated with these rules, may be submitted in until Jan. 27, 2014," the FDA said. Comments were originally due Nov. 26.

NIXA, MO — Potato and onion branding was “one of the first things I thought that we would use to hit the ground running” Steve Phipps said of when he launched Market Fresh Produce LLC in 2005.

Phipps, who is CEO of the firm located near Springfield in southwest Missouri, had several reasons for this expectation.

His rationale was that potatoes and onions are extremely competitive and they are products that are available in large enough volumes that one supplier can provide adequate volumes of branded product to singlehandedly suit retailer promotions.

California Giant Berry Farms is starting its Chilean blueberry deal.

Cindy Jewell, director of marketing for the firm, headquartered in Watsonville, CA, said that the Chilean blueberry season began a little late this year due to some weather issues.

“It is just now getting under way,” she said on Nov. 15. “The season should run into April 2014.”

Cal Giant offers several pack sizes, she said. “The standard pack is a pint clamshell, and we offer larger styles for club stores and higher volume customers — primarily two-pound clamshells.”

Early-season disease pressures meant many Florida strawberry farmers had to replant much of their crop, but unseasonably warm weather — even by Sunshine State standards — has helped the deal catch up and approach full volume in its traditional mid-December window.

Sanfillipo Produce Co. Inc., a Columbus, OH-based produce distributor, has purchased Macaluso Fruit Co., also located in Columbus. The deal closed Dec. 6 and Sanfillipo will take possession Jan. 1. Additionally, the Sanfillipo family purchased the Columbus Produce Terminal Market.

The Sanfillipo family started in the produce business in Columbus in 1899. Macaluso Fruit was founded more than a century ago.