Pegi Adam, director of communications for the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council in Clayton, NJ, said in late June that 2010 marks the fifth year the organization has promoted its "Peach Parties" events. Celebrated during August, which is New Jersey Peach Month, the parties are gaining in popularity each year with retailers, farmers markets and foodservice operators. Although the council is a non-profit, non- governmental agency, it works closely with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to promote the Jersey Fresh locally grown initiative. "We try to be flexible with our promotional

LOS ANGELES -- John Corsaro, executive vice president of the Giumarra Cos., announced July 12 that Giumarra will be opening a new division, Giumarra Southeast, to focus on marketing vegetables and melons from the southeastern region of the United States. This new division will also be responsible for imports from South America for shipment to the eastern United States. Giumarra Southeast will be based in Boca Raton, FL, and will be headed by Gary Sargent. Mr. Sargent noted that he was returning to a company that he both knows and respects. He previously worked for Giumarra with the West Coast

The Union of Growers of Brazilian Papaya, whose primary focus is the production and distribution of papaya from South America's largest country, also handles ginger and is now promoting the availability of that commodity to the U.S. market. According to Frederico H. Vieira Tavares, manager of international markets at UGBP, the organization is dedicated to high-quality and healthy papaya production and has been certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service and EurepGAP. It brings the same dedication and care in producing ginger, which is grown on 18

Numerous factors have created a nationwide truck shortage and higher freight rates, with the impact being especially acute in California because of new state regulations on reefer emissions. Irvine, CA-based Western Growers Association sent out an advisory to its members in late June stating that rates were already climbing. The advisory said that a combination of factors — including the credit crisis, new federal motor carrier safety rules, stricter California motor carrier emission standards, an improving economy that has increased transportation demand for dry goods and the typical summer

A second round of testing for a "green" Michigan celery-shipping carton will begin July 15. Gary Wruble, general manager of the Michigan Celery Cooperative Inc., headquartered in Hudsonville, MI, told The Produce News June 25, “We have spent a fair bit of time looking at packaging for the fresh product” to boost that industry by developing a recyclable carton. A first round of testing has been completed. With the July 2010 testing, “we will walk with this to make sure it works.” If so, “we will really launch it in 2011.” Mr. Wruble wasn't specific about the nature of the package because “it is

A new face on the sales team, two new growers in the "family," new packaging and a doubling of organic onion volume make up a portion of news out of Sweet Clover Produce's Walla Walla, WA, office. In a June 28 interview, Sales Manager Bill (Sweet Willie) Brownfield told The Produce News that Walla Walla Sweet onions were shipping, and new-crop yellows, reds, whites and Sweet Clover Sweets would begin shipping around the week of July 19. Two new growers, Fernando Enriquez in the Walla Walla Sweet deal and Mercer Farms in organics, will add volume to the 2010 season. Working with Mr. Brownfield