WASHINGTON — The Food & Drug Administration announced Aug. 28 that cantaloupe collected at Owensville, IN-based Chamberlain Farms Produce Inc. tested positive for the outbreak strain of Salmonella that has sickened 178 people in 21 states.

Although weather has presented its own set of challenges for growers of Peruvian sweet onions, Oso Sweet Onions is cautiously optimistic that the 2012 season will be a good one. “God willing, our volume will increase,” said President Brian Kastick. “We can control 80 percent. But 20 percent is in God’s hands.” The company, headquartered in Charleston, WV, is in its fourth season as a year-round marketer of sweet onions.

A new table grape variety that is being offered this year for the first time by Jasmine Vineyards in Delano, CA, is Sweet Celebration. It is a red seedless variety with large berry size, great color and excellent eating quality, according to Brian Crettol, a salesman for the company.

“This is going to be our first year’s production in Sweet Celebration,” Mr. Crettol said Aug. 7. “It is starting to color. The sizing looks great. Bunch formation is good. There is a good crop hanging out there, so we are pretty excited about it.”

"We just hit the 300 mark in attendance for the Southeast Produce Council Fall Conference," Terry Vorhees, executive director of the SPC, told The Produce News Aug. 22. "We have a full and exciting venue planned and are looking forward to an outstanding event."

The conference, scheduled for Sept. 20-22, will be held at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, which is where the organization's very first fall event was held in 2000.

The Eastern Produce Council plans to honor two produce industry veterans at its annual dinner-dance this fall.

The council will honor Arthur R. Brown Jr., best known for his long service as secretary of agriculture for the state of New Jersey, with a Lifetime Achievement Award, a first for the organization, according to EPC Executive Director John McAleavey.

Southern Specialties Inc. announced that Brad Bailey has joined the company as director of sales.