The leadership of Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual endorsed federal legislation July 12 that is intended to help the Florida citrus industry battle serious invasive pests and diseases.

The bill would divert a portion of the federal tariff on imported citrus products, including frozen concentrate orange juice, to finance the Citrus Disease Research & Development Trust Fund. A nine-member board comprised of representatives from citrus-producing states Florida, California, Arizona and Texas will distribute the money.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture held the fifth in a series of listening sessions Monday, July 19, designed to help the Obama administration understand how different sectors of the economy can be assisted in helping to adapt to changes in the climate.

Titled Helping Agriculture Adapt to a Changing Climate, the event was held in Denver. It was organized by the Council on Environmental Quality and the American Farmland Trust.

SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA -- Earthbound Farm has announced that Tonya Antle is retiring from the company at the end of 2010.

An organic trailblazer with nearly 30 years dedicated to selling organic produce, Ms. Ante has devoted the last 13 years of her career to helping build the "Earthbound Farm" brand through marketing and sales.

A collaboration between the Food Channel, the popular television and on-line network, and U.S. Foodservice, a leading national food distributor headquartered in Perth Amboy, NJ, has resulted in two new web sites that share a common goal. They strive to help foodservice operators grow their businesses and to provide information to help foodies hone their passion for food.

The web sites -- www.usfoodsight.com and www.beyondtheplate.com -- were launched in April.

Until the second week of July, it had been a tough year for grapes. Chilean exports came in much later than ever before, causing problems for grape markets as the spring grape deals got underway in Sonora, Mexico, and the Coachella Valley in the Southern California desert. Both of those production regions had large crops, contributing to a continued excess of fruit in the market and poor prices.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Apple Association board member Mark Nicholson urged a House of Representatives subcommittee to continue its full support of specialty crop programs in the next farm bill.

Sharing specific examples of the positive impact of the 2008 farm bill, Mr. Nicholson -- co-owner of Red Jacket Orchards in Geneva, NY -- emphasized the importance of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, the Fruit & Vegetable Program, the Market Access Program and other priority initiatives.