WASHINGTON — The Food & Drug Administration Friday released two proposed regulations Jan. 4 that, for the first time, will require federal produce safety standards and new preventive controls for all food processors under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

WASHINGTON — Federal inspectors found the outbreak strains of Salmonella in cantaloupe and in the packinghouse of Owensville, IN-based Chamberlain Farms, the firm tied to an outbreak that sickened 261 people and led to three deaths last year, the Food & Drug Administration said in a Dec. 14 warning letter.

The FDA warning letter came after FDA inspected the produce packinghouse and growing fields from Aug. 14-31 and returned for another field inspection Sept. 19-21.

Indianapolis Fruit's The Produce Mom has partnered with Sage Fruit to construct a national marketing campaign for Biggest Loser Fresh produce and encourage consumers to make 2013 a "New Year, New You."

The Produce Mom is the official blog and consumer brand of Indianapolis Fruit Co. The blog is authored by marketing manager, Lori Taylor, a wife and mother of two children, who has seven years of experience with Indy Fruit as a sales representative, buyer and marketing manager for the company.

Dave’s Specialty Imports, one of the larger importers of fresh blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries in North America, added grapes to its Chilean import program.

The family-run company imports from Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Mexico, and has primarily focused on the berry category during the last 20 years of business.

The winter program for Grower Alliance LLC in Nogales, AZ, will be much the same this year as it has been in past seasons, according to Jorge Quintero Jr., managing partner. However, the company does have increases in several items, particularly colored bell peppers, honeydew melons, squash and Roma tomatoes.

“Euro cucumbers we just started a couple of weeks ago,” Mr. Quintero said. That is “a steady program. It goes all the way through May.” Regular cucumbers as well are “steady as it goes.” Those started in early October and will go “all the way through the Nogales season.”

The America Trades Produce Conference promises to be as relevant as the two prior events, and the third-annual conference, scheduled for March 6-8 at the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, TX, will add a trade expo and food-safety discussions to the agenda.

As has been the trademark of the event, educational sessions will encourage direct dialogue between the industry and U.S. and Mexican government officials.