While some industry news sources reported the first week of May that Red Zoo Marketing, a producer and shipper of greenhouse vegetables, had already -- or had plans -- to file for bankruptcy, Jay Colasanti, president and co-owner of the Kingsville, ON-based firm, told The Produce News that filing for bankruptcy protection is not currently in the company's plans.

The California Department of Food & Agriculture's deputy secretary of legislation and policy, Rayne Pegg, has been appointed administrator of the U.S. Department of Agricultures Agricultural Marketing Service. "Rayne has served the people of California admirably through her legislative work here at CDFA, including areas such as invasive pests, organic farming and food safety," CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura said in a press release.

ABC's "Good Morning America" show is currently conducting what it calls the "GMA $15 Dinner Dare" series. The segment highlights celebrity chefs, such as Mario Batali, who prepare meals with ingredients that cost under $15.

Affiliated Foods Southwest Inc. and its subsidiary Produce Pre-Pak, both headquartered in Little Rock, AR, filed separate voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions.

Ballantine Produce Co. Inc., headquartered in Sanger, CA, has closed its packing and marketing operations but will continue its farming operations, according to industry sources. It is not yet clear who will now be packing and marketing the fruit from Ballantine's company orchards or where the outside growers Ballantine represented will be taking their fruit.

The Western desert melon deal starts in California's Imperial Valley, then moves to Yuma, AZ, before moving to Blythe, CA, and on to Phoenix.

After the Phoenix harvest  which starts in mid-June  the deal continues to Californias Bakersfield area in late June and the Mendota, CA, area around July 1 for what is referred to as the West Side melon deal. The majority of growers in the desert wrap up harvests there by July 1.