Mastronardi Produce's home farm Mastron has been honored with the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. This prestigious award is presented by Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture & Food for innovators in the agri-food sector.

WASHINGTON — Federal and state inspectors did not turn up Listeria monocytogenes at the Crunch Pak processing facility, nor did it find deficiencies in the plant's operations, according to Amy Philpott, spokesperson for Crunch Pak, which voluntarily recalled apple slice products earlier this month.

Cashmere, WA-based Crunch Pak launched a Nov. 14 recall of 5,471 cases of apple slice products after Minnesota Department of Agriculture investigators found Listeria monocytogenes in a single sample of a 14-ounce apple slice package taken at retail.

Santa Sweets Inc., a Plant City, FL-based tomato grower, announced a new marketing campaign themed "Taste Like Summer" to support its UglyRipe heirloom tomatoes.

Leamington, ON-based Nature Fresh Farms received the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Ontario Produce Marketing Association's Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 8 at the Liberty Grand-Exhibition Place. The award is given out annually to honor those who have significantly contributed to improving the industry.

Great West Produce Co., based in Los Angeles, named Ken Ewalt vice president of new business development.

Ewalt has worked in the food industry for more than 30 years. He started his career as a bag boy for Jewel food stores in Chicago, and over the next 13 years took on other responsibilities and gained experiences by working in every department of the store.

Lone Star Citrus Growers in Mission, TX, is well-prepared for growing in the Lone Star State. Record drought is a threat to many producers, but Lone Star has its water rights secured at least through next season. And the discovery of a backyard citrus tree infected with citrus greening disease — the second outbreak in the Rio Grande Valley in two years — is cause for concern but not for alarm with the Valley’s growers coordinating spraying for the psyllid that spreads the disease.