Josh Yonce at J.W. Yonce & Sons Inc. in Johnston, SC, predicted his farms will produce more than their usual 1 million boxes of peaches this season. “We survived a spring freeze with less than 10 percent damage to the crop,” he said in an April 24 phone interview. “In fact, we were still pruning the orchards when the freeze hit. Now all we have to worry about are wind damage and hail. We’re on track and on schedule for a good year.”

Well, for starters there’s the Darlington 500 parade and race, with an audience of 75,000, the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC, with almost 35,000 runners and the Marine Corps Marathon in the Washington, DC, with 30,000 runners. “Living out of suitcase for a year,” as her predecessor described it, is one fringe benefit to being the 2015 South Carolina Watermelon Queen. Sydney Ford of Gaffney, SC, a junior at the University of South Carolina, already has her dance card almost full, and the bookings are still coming in.

South Carolina Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture Martin Eubanks credits South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh E. Weathers with starting the Certified SC Grown program, which makes it easy for consumers to identify, locate and buy South Carolina produce. Growers use the “SC Grown” logo only with the department’s approval, on first-quality products grown in South Carolina that meet U.S. No. 1 Quality Grade Standard or higher U.S. Grade Standards, whichever is the accepted U.S. Department of Agriculture standard for that commodity.

WEST COLUMBIA, SC — You won’t catch Martin Eubanks making blanket predictions, not until the day he controls the weather. But with a nod to Mother Nature and her ability to wreak havoc on predictions, the 29-year veteran with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture foresees a banner year in produce for the state. Eubanks, the South Carolina Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture, was interviewed April 28 at the South Carolina Farmers Market here, between a hurricane seminar and a meeting with federal and state food inspectors.

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black has launched an investigation into allegations of improprieties at Stanley Farms, the Vidalia, GA, onion facility acquired last year by interests connected to billionaire Bill Gates.

Rice Fruit Co. is one of the eastern fruit shippers that works steadily with a wholesale distributor in the Hunts Point Market.

John Rice, who heads sales, said he finds the New York City market an excellent outlet for its fruit.

“We ship about two-million boxes of apples, and 200,000 boxes of peaches to the city,” said Rice. “And we ship there 12 months a year. The New York market is one of our best, and has been for more than 40 years.”

Rice Fruit deals exclusively with D’Arrigo Bros., one of the largest houses on the NY market.