Optimism abounds throughout the major blueberry-growing region of New Jersey. Grown on 7,500 acres and situated among the sandy acidic soils of the "pine barrens," which give New Jersey blueberries their unique and robust flavor, the state's blueberry growers are marveling at the quantity and quality of this year's crop. Paul Macrie Sr. of Macrie Brothers Blueberry Farm said that the blueberry plants survived the winter with little or no damage. With the lack of winter stress on the plants and excellent pollination, there appears to be a heavy set on the plants. "The plants have plenty of

As of the start of June, several employees of Salinas, CA-based Growers Express LLC are no longer with the company. Gone are Randolph Breschini, president; Barry Eisenberg, vice president of technical services, and Marty Metcalf, director of logistics. Woody Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for Growers Express, declined to specify the nature of the departures other than to confirm that the three are no longer employed with the company. Mr. Breschini joined Growers Express as its president in August 2004. Upon his hiring, Mr. Breschini's role was to oversee all aspects of Growers

On April 25 of this year, Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman and Indiana Agriculture Director Andy Miller released the Indiana State Department of Agriculture's first annual report -- it was the one- year anniversary of the department's official creation. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the department announced in May that this winter it had successfully piloted the Agricultural Economic Development Initiative. Lt. Governor Skillman, who also serves as the secretary of agriculture and rural development for the state, said that the agency was bringing the program to east- central and

James Margiotta of J. Margiotta Co. in the Bronx, NY, is the newly elected member of the board of directors of the New York Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association Inc. The announcement was made during the organization's June 13 meeting, according to Myra Gordon, deputy assistant director of the market. Re-elected to the board were Chris Armata of E. Armata Inc., Joe Palumbo of Top Banana LLC, Sal Vacca of A.J. Trucco Inc. and Richard Cochran of Robt. T. Cochran & Co. Inc. Mr. Palumbo was not only re-elected to the board, but he was re- elected as the board's treasurer. The market

Greater merchandising flexibility and more efficiency at retail are the two key reasons that retailers will continue to favor random- weight bags as their cherry package of choice, according to marketers with Wenatchee, WA-based Stemilt Growers. Stemilt Marketing Director Roger Pepperl said that bagged cherries continue to dominate the retailing landscape, and new styles of bags are giving retailers choices and making bags even more attractive. Stemilt, a leading sweet cherry shipper, has packed a variety of clamshells and different types of cherry bags for several seasons. For dark-sweet

The National Weather Service is predicting a "mega heat wave" to hit northern California, the central coast, southern California and the southwest deserts starting Thursday, June 22 and last well into next week. The uniqueness of this heat wave is the combination of its intensity and longevity. Many temperature records will be threatened and broken. Forecasted temperatures into mid next week include Salinas at 90 degrees locally to 105 in south county; Bakersfield at 103-106; Blythe at 110-113 and Coachella upwards of 118. Normally such a heat wave would be trouble enough for the produce