As I travel the country representing the New Jersey Farm Bureau and New Jersey's farmers, I'm proud to tell people I'm from the great Garden State of New Jersey. And I too often get jokes about the turnpike and questions about what we grow here amidst our cities and shopping malls. While it's true that New Jersey is smack-dab between New York and Philadelphia, peppered with suburbs, we also have assets nothing short of remarkable: amazing garden oases, the very reason we are called the Garden State. As urbanized as we are, New Jersey still has about 1 million acres of land actively devoted to

An estimated 1,000 people descended April 1 on the state capitol in Trenton, NJ, to show their support for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has proposed eliminating the department, along with the state's Department of Commerce and Department of Personnel, to help close a $2.7 billion budget deficit. The rally held on a drizzly, overcast day, saw farmers, wholesalers, nursery owners and other agricultural supporters, some riding tractors and others waving signs, in support of the respected state ag department. While the governor's proposal is far from

ROSEVILLE, CA -- With a massive display of locally grown California strawberries as a backdrop, the California Department of Food & Agriculture joined Wal-Mart and Watsonville, CA-based California Giant Inc. at a special event promoting locally grown California strawberries at the Wal-Mart Supercenter, here, March 26. The event also focused on the health benefits of strawberries and played up Wal-Mart's partnership with local producers to bring fresh, locally grown strawberries to California customers. "Wal-Mart's ongoing effort to build partnerships" with CDFA's California Grown program and

WASHINGTON -- United Fresh Produce Association announced that Claudia Wenzing, a member of the senior staff of the Produce for Better Health Foundation for the past 12 years, will join United Fresh April 28 as vice president of business development. "Claudia is known throughout the produce industry for her passion, motivation and commitment," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in an April 7 statement. "We are thrilled that Claudia has chosen as her next career step to pursue a mutual vision to develop new programs, services and tools to help our member-companies and the industry overall

Jim Hazen, executive director of the Washington State Horticultural Association, said he will be leaving the organization at the end of April. Mr. Hazen tendered his resignation after accepting a position as business manager for Broetje Orchards in Prescott, WA. Mr. Hazen, who served at the association's helm for the past 10 years, said that industry reaction to the news came quickly. "Most people were kind of surprised [to learn of my resignation]," Mr. Hazen told The Produce News. Before becoming involved with the Washington State Horticultural Association, Mr. Hazen worked at the Washington

ELTOPIA, WA -- While asparagus acreage in Washington state has dropped significantly in recent years, down from 22,000 in 2000 to 8,500 this season, new plantings are starting to come into production, and prices are looking good for 2008. According to Alan Schreiber, executive director of the Washington Asparagus Commission, fresh-market grass from Washington could bring 65 cents per pound "or better" this year. Moreover, he said that in 2007, "more asparagus nurseries were planted in the Columbia Basin and Yakima Valley than in the three previous years combined." Figures show that in 1990, 30