The Reinvestment Fund, a national leader in financing neighborhood revitalization, has provided BrightFarms Inc. with $1.26 million in senior debt capital for its Pennsylvania greenhouse farm.

BrightFarms’ 53,000-square-foot greenhouse, under construction in Bucks County, PA, will grow up to 500,000 pounds of fresh produce per year, create up to 10 jobs and increase access to flavorful, healthy vegetables.

WASHINGTON — The top House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders met Dec. 4 in a sign that progress is being made in hammering out a five-year bill, but the farm bill’s future appears tied to the outcome of high-stakes tax and budget negotiations.

Politico reported that Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) met “amid real signs of progress in resolving their differences over the commodity title.”

WASHINGTON — If produce companies were questioning whether the Food & Drug Administration would use a new enforcement tool and shut down a food plant under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, ask nut processor Portales, NM-based Sunland Inc.

Sunland became the first business to have its food facility registration suspended by the FDA, thereby shutting it down, after its testing records showed it shipped Salmonella-positive products, the FDA said in a Nov. 26 letter from Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to Sunland President Jimmie Shearer.

Southern Specialties, headquartered in Pompano Beach, FL, know that its “Southern Selects” French beans are so special and well-suited for holiday meals with family and friends, that they decided to adorn it with a big red holiday bow this year. The new pack was introduced at the PMA Fresh Summit in October, and is available to retailers during the months on November and December.

Malena Produce Inc. in Nogales, AZ, will have increases in several commodities for the coming winter season and will be adding a few new ones, according to Vice President Gonzalo Avila.

Some of the product expansions will extend the company's shipping season as well.

Representing the diversity of the Canadian produce industry and to strengthen the industry's voice with elected officials, the Canadian Horticultural Council and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association hosted industry representatives from across the produce supply chain during the 2012 Fresh Harvest Event.