Dole Food Company, Inc. Named to ``World's Most Ethical Companies'' List by Ethisphere Magazine



    Dole Food Company, Inc. was named one of the World's Most Ethical
    Companies by Ethisphere Magazine, a national publication dedicated to
    illuminating the important correlation between ethics and profit. The
    elite list of companies was recognized for their strong leadership in
    ethics and compliance, advancement of industry discourse on social and
    ethical issues, and positive engagement in the communities in which
    they operate.

    "We are honored to receive this designation from Ethisphere
    Magazine," said David Murdock, chairman and chief executive officer of
    Dole Food Company. "Dole takes great pride in our corporate ethics and
    social responsibility. We treat all employees and business associates
    with dignity and respect. Special attention is given to safeguarding
    Dole employees' health, providing competitive wages and benefits,
    honoring collective representation, enhancing and empowering our
    communities, and protecting the environment in which we work and
    live."

    Ethisphere Magazine has a circulation of 65,000 global Board
    members, CEOs, General Counsel, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officers
    and institutional investors; and offers insight on gaining market
    share and creating sustainable competitive advantage through ethical
    business practices and corporate citizenship.

    The editors of the magazine chose fewer than 100 companies from
    several thousand organizations that they analyzed over a six-month
    period. "This was a rigorous process that identified a select group of
    companies that were unequalled in their industries for their
    commitment to ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility.
    These organizations go beyond making statements about doing business
    ethically; they translate those words into action," said Alex Brigham,
    executive editor of Ethisphere Magazine.

    The process included reviewing companies' codes of ethics,
    litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating investment
    in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at
    companies' activities to improve corporate citizenship; studying
    nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and
    customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback and
    rating.

    About Dole Food Company, Inc.

    Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2006 revenues of $6.2 billion, is
    the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit,
    fresh vegetables and fresh-cut flowers. Dole markets a growing line of
    packaged foods and frozen fruit and is a produce industry leader in
    nutrition education and research. For more information on the
    company's CSR efforts go to dole.com.

    About the Ethisphere Council

    The Ethisphere Council was created in 2006 by Corpedia, a leader
    in risk assessment and eLearning for ethics and compliance; the
    Practising Law Institute, a non-profit organization committed to
    enhancing the professionalism of attorneys and others; and LexisNexis,
    a leading provider of comprehensive information and business
    solutions. Formed with support from such leading corporations as
    Deutsche Telekom, Time Warner, Dresser Industries, Avaya and Kraft,
    the council is dedicated to the research, creation and sharing of best
    practices in ethics, compliance and corporate governance among its
    membership companies. It also focuses on the development and
    advancement of its members through increased efficiency, innovation,
    tools, mentoring, advice and unique career opportunities. More
    information on membership can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.