As Meijer continues to expand across the Midwest, its commitment to purchasing local produce has also grown to represent an annual economic impact of nearly $100 million.

The 2015 Summer Fancy Food Show was held June 28-30 at the Javits Center in New York City. The three-day trade show brought together approximately 22,000 attendees and 2,600 exhibiting companies from all over the world.

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Phil Pisciotta Jr., a longtime produce industry veteran, died at his home surrounded by family June 28. He was 87.

Mr. Pisciotta was born Oct. 16, 1927, in Kansas City, MO, and attended Wentworth Military Academy, after which he and his wife, Mary Louise, were stationed in Japan following World War II.

Del Taco, a leader in the Mexican quick service restaurant category, has announced that it has teamed up with the California Avocado Commission to provide customers with fresh, sliced avocado this summer.

Sysco Corp. has terminated its merger agreement with US Foods. The announcement came days after the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, granted the Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction to block the proposed Sysco-US Foods merger. This action also terminates an agreement with Performance Food Group to purchase US Foods facilities in 11 markets.

Under terms of the merger agreement, the termination of the transaction requires Sysco to pay break-up fees of $300 million to US Foods and $12.5 million to PFG.

The U.S. State Department has rectified a computer problem that was preventing visas from being issued by U.S. embassies and consulates, which is good news for fruit and vegetable growers left with a shortage of workers during the key harvest season.

The problem, described as a flaw of the system’s ability to store biometric data, started June 9 and resulted in a backlog of visa requests. Losses to produce growers in California were estimated at $1 million per day.