The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service announced last week the purchase of more than 600,000 pounds of baby peeled carrots for USDA national school feeding program. The purchase totaled 47,611 cases of 100-count 2-ounce bags, totaling 607,040 pounds and valued at $514,384.

The purchase is the first ever of baby carrots by the USDA for the agency's feeding program, and was in response to an invitation to bid extended by AMS in March. Bids for the purchases were awarded to United Fresh members Grimmway Farms of Arvin, CA and HMC Marketing of Kingsburg, CA, as well as Bakersfield, CA-based Western Veg-Produce.

"United Fresh has played a leadership role for the last year and a half in moving this baby carrot pilot forward. Given the popularity of baby carrots among students, serving them at lunch will go a long way toward increasing consumption among children," said Dr. Lorelei DiSogra, United Fresh vice president of nutrition and health. "We are thrilled that thousands of students in the six pilot states will be enjoying baby carrots with their lunch this spring. Our goal is to see baby carrots and fresh cut sliced apples available nationwide as quickly as possible."

Deliveries of baby peeled carrots will be made from April 16 through July 31.