Looking at movement for the 2015 cherry crop from the Pacific Northwest, Howard Nager, vice president of marketing for Domex Superfresh Growers, said the message is clear.

Hood River Cherry Co. is committed to producing the finest cherries possible. “Growing cherries at high elevation is difficult,” said President and Owner Brad Fowler. “There’s a lot more to it than just planting trees and waiting for them to grow. But, if you can do it, these are the best-tasting cherries of all.”

The company’s overall cherry production will continue on a growth track for the next seven years as young trees grow and come into bearing. “However, due to an early freeze last November, our 2015 crop will be about the same as our 2014 crop,” Fowler said.

Though not as early as had been predicted, Oregon cherries grown by Orchard View Farms in The Dalles and marketed by The Oppenheimer Group were on shelves May 28 or 29, according to Jon Bailey, grandson of company founders Walter and Mabel Bailey and deal manager for Oppy.

Bailey said that start date is seven to nine days ahead of last year, but he added, “We had been thinking we were 14 days ahead, but with cooler weather we have backed up a few days.”

HAMMONTON, NJ — Despite very cold weather during the winter and early spring, the 2015 New Jersey spring produce deal seems to be off to a good start, according to Bob Donio, vice president of Frank Donio Inc., here.

“I think things are starting out well,” Donio told The Produce News Thursday morning, May 14. “The produce is looking good, the pricing on this early product — the lettuces, the greens — has been good. And quality has been excellent.”

Jimmy Nardelli graduated from the University of Delaware this spring and immediately joined the family business, Nardelli Bros. Inc., in Cedarville, NJ.

The youngest son of company President Bill Nardelli, Jimmy joins his older brother, Bill Jr., both of whom have worked for the company since they were very young.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture Division of Marketing and Development is continuing to move forward on the food-safety front.

During the 2014 growing season, the Division performed 78 Third Party Food Safety audits on farms, packinghouses, and shipping facilities throughout New Jersey. That is almost a 25 percent increase from the 2013 season.

The Third Party Audit program is currently voluntary in conjunction with the USDA GAP/GHP, and the Harmonized audits.