On Tuesday, May 13, Walmart announced through notices to the courts that it had reached settlement agreements on 23 cases involved in the 2011 Listeria outbreak tied to cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Colorado.

In that food borne illness outbreak, 33 people died and 157 were sickened after eating cantaloupes that were subsequently traced to Jensen's Colorado farm and packingshed. Jensen subsequently filed bankruptcy and went out of business.

Dewey Oliver Gargiulo, a legend in the fresh tomato business, died May 9, after a long illness. He was 84.

Before moving to Immokalee, FL, to farm tomatoes in 1952, Mr. Gargiulo began his career in the produce industry working for his uncle in a produce market in the Bronx, NY.

Upon his arrival in Florida, Mr. Gargiulo recognized the opportunity to create a high-quality brand and he worked to grow and pack a premium tomato. He branded the tomato “Beefstake,” which quickly became the standard in the industry.

Over 200 people attended the Eastern Produce Council's May 13 meeting, which took place at the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. This was only the second time that the council has held a meeting outside its traditional metropolitan New York and New Jersey zone. The council met in Philadelphia in 2012.

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In an effort to raise visibility for its expertise in fresh produce, C.H. Robinson has created a new global business brand named Robinson Fresh that speaks to the company's focus on fresh products and offers a clear identity within the produce industry.

Ayco has entered into a pineapple venture with one of the leading pineapple growers in Costa Rica. While the grower has previously only provided product of the highest standard to Europe, these pineapples are now available in the United States under the "Ayco" brand.

The names of 10 schools across Georgia, which applied to participate in the launch of the Georgia Grown Test Kitchen program will be announced at the end of May. “My email lit up,” Misty Friedman, who is coordinating the program, said. As of April 25, applications had been received from 18 schools. “This is the first time we’ve ever done something like this,” she added.