HILLSDALE, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Agriculture hosted the May 24 meeting of the Eastern Produce Council, here, at Demarest Farms, and as is in previous years, Jersey Fresh held a starring role.

Each year, the NJDA uses the event to feature its popular Jersey Fresh marketing program, now in its 38th year, making it the oldest state-sponsored program of its kind.

Berry lovers have a new reason to hit the produce aisle this summer. Driscoll’s newest flavor innovation, Tropical Bliss, expands its premium, high-flavor strawberry collection, which also includes Sweetest Batch and Rosé Berries.

Wada Farms got into the watermelon business five years ago, and a year ago it took a major step forward to expand the category by adding a longtime industry veteran to oversee the program.

It's time to generate those berry sales as summer approaches.

The weather has greatly improved with ideal growing temperatures that are rapidly bringing on berry growth. As usual, the quality of the California strawberries is outstanding and taste is superb.

Leslie Harden has been promoted to eastern region sales director for Monterey Mushrooms. She will manage fresh retail and foodservice mushroom sales, including the company's locations in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Florida.

Watermelon shippers enjoyed some strong markets earlier this spring, as the f.o.b. pricing for fruit from Mexico was in the mid-$300s in March and most of April. Then the bottom fell out.

“It was a really tight market in March and April, and then April 25 came and it’s been a bumper crop for just about everyone in Sonora,” said John Gee, vice president of sales for Eagle Eye Produce. “All the fields looked great, and we were, shall I say, ‘blessed’ with a ton of watermelon.”