Nature’s Bakery of Reno, NV, joined Stewart-Haas Racing to sponsor driver Danica Patrick and the No. 10 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2016 season.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 418 people across 31 states were infected with Salmonella from exposure to tainted cucumbers supplied by Andrew and Williamson Fresh Produce and those grown in Baja, Mexico. Two deaths were reported.

Niman Ranch, headquartered in Alameda, CA, was acquired by Perdue Farms, based in Salisbury, MD, for an undisclosed amount. Niman Ranch started as a small ranch in the 1970s and now includes more than 700 independent farms and ranchers. This firm believes in high welfare standards for the animals. “This represents the next chapter in our growth through premium proteins and trusted brands,” said Perdue Farms Chairman Jim Perdue in an official press statement. “The Niman Ranch brand continues our commitment to raising animals without antibiotics or artificial growth stimulants, and to responsible food and agriculture.”

A new Packaged Facts report, Food Formulation Trends: Ancient Grains and Sprouted Ingredients, says about 19% of American adults have purchased menu or grocery items featuring ancient grains and sprouted grains/ingredients in the past month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published its first non-GE/GMO weekly report on Sept. 30. The goal of the report is to provide prices for non-GE/GMO corn and soybeans to help those considering making the transition to organic production. Also of note, the department is allocating $2.5 million toward projects that will help educate new and underserved farmers about financial, disaster or technical assistance programs for the agricultural community.

Condiment specialist Tessemae’s All Natural of Annapolis, MD, announced a $5-million investment led by Sagamore Ventures, LLC, which will enable the company to further scale up its national footprint and “open additional channels of business.”

Boulder, CO-based NextFoods (maker of GoodBelly probiotic drinks and supplements) won first place in Community Food Share’s 20th annual Compete to Beat Hunger Corporate Challenge. NextFoods earned the most points per employee on behalf of Community Food Share. The entire event raised over $400,000 and collected 60,000 pounds of food, which will create 1.2 million meals for those in need.