WASHINGTON -- The federal government promotes a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but is silent when it comes to defending its science-based pesticide safety limits in news stories attacking the produce industry.

This was the message delivered by United Fresh Produce Association Chairman Steffanie Smith and other industry representatives who met June 15 with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Fresh & Easy, the U.S. division of England's retail giant Tesco, has agreed to purchase the U.S. operations of both its major produce and meat suppliers. The chain's communications director, Brendan Wonnacott, told The Produce News June 23 that the deal would be completed this summer.

PESCADERO, CA -- Jacobs Farm is expanding its operations to include a new facility in Boston in early June.

This new HAACP-approved packing and warehouse facility, the first on the East Coast for the organic grower and distributor, will allow more timely distribution of organic culinary herbs and edible flowers throughout the region. Currently, the company operates two California warehouse, packing and distribution facilities: in Vernon, near Los Angeles; and in South San Francisco.

SANDPOINT, ID -- Litehouse Inc. announced June 21 the acquisition of Green Garden Foods, a leading Seattle-based provider of dressings, sauces and dips to the U.S. and Canadian retail grocery, foodservice and restaurant industries.

With the addition of Green Garden, Litehouse said that it will be able to facilitate expanded growth and innovation through new production capabilities and product knowledge. Litehouse will make use of the expanded production capabilities through consolidation into its Sandpoint, ID, and Lowell, MI, facilities.

As a result of a highly targeted regional promotion, Tanimura & Antle, based in Salinas, CA, is seeing an increase in sales and retailer interest in the company's innovative "Living Lettuce" product.

Leveraging a creative Live from Tennessee theme, Tanimura & Antle's promotion included a direct-mail program, promotional web site, advertising campaign and sales team support to communicate directly with produce buyers. The results-oriented effort has gained 13 new accounts and an impressive increase in individual customer sales.

The committee developing voluntary national standards for sustainable agriculture approved a set of principles that outline its work for the next two years at a meeting June 14-15 at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Also, the committee was told that legal opinions held that the copyright of any standards developed would be owned by the committee.