WASHINGTON -- Washington insiders affiliated with the produce industry say that the first test for a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House may be whether immigration reform ranks high on next year's agenda.

Quick, you have 10 minutes to make your pitch and then move on to the next potential candidate, with someone else following you to the seat you are currently occupying.

Speed-dating has become a common way for single people to meet a mate. But the aforementioned scenario is not about dating, but rather buying produce in one New England state.

ORLANDO, FL -- Del Monte Foods, based in San Francisco, is offering several new and convenient value-added fruit products. At the Del Monte Foods booth at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit, here, Xander Shapiro, produce business director of innovation, described these products.

In July, Del Monte introduced red grapefruit slices, sold in a 20.5-ounce bowl. Rolling out in January will be two new refrigerated bowls of citrus: grapefruit duo (with red and white grapefruit slices) and citrus salad (with red and white grapefruit, and orange slices).

J.P. Veggies Inc., doing business as VeggieLand, a leading natural and vegetarian foods manufacturer in Parsippany, NJ, has announced the acquisition of the "Franklin Farms" brand of vegetarian products.

Don Burke, who was vice president of marketing and sales at Franklin Farms prior to the sale, will serve as national retail sales manager for the Franklin Farms division of VeggieLand under the new acquisition.

Ayco Farms, headquartered in Deerfield Beach, FL, said that it has received strong response to its new "Super Mini Me" watermelon, which it debuted at the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit exposition in Orlando, FL.

The "Super Mini Me" is currently at a semi-commercial level, as production has only recently begun and volumes are not yet large enough to market the item full scale. The orange- to grapefruit-sized watermelon is geared toward single-serving uses.

ORLANDO, FL -- Sister companies Horton Fruit Co. and Grow Farms, based in Louisville, KY, are working together to help promote Kentucky-grown produce and preserve family farms.

Grow Farms, which was founded earlier this year and is a grower and distributor of high-quality regional foods, was the brainchild of Brian Knott, who oversees operations.

According to Mr. Knott, farming inputs are rising across the board, and without some assistance with marketing and distribution, growers are at risk of going out of business.