During April, California Giant Berry Farms — headquartered in Watsonville, CA — was in its peak season for California coastal blueberry production. “Quality has been superb, and we expect to see this quality persist throughout the month of April,” Director of Marketing Cindy Jewell told The Produce News.

As California’s blueberry crop increases in volume, growers continue to develop offshore markets. “The California Blueberry Commission is heavily focused on exports,” said Executive Director Alexander Ott. At the current time, roughly 20 percent of the Golden State’s blues are moved to export destinations.

The commission was created by an act of the California State Legislature and approved by a grower-shipper referendum. The commission is funded through grower assessment and reauthorized every five years. The next referendum will take place in 2015.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — This spring, Martori Farms, headquartered here, is fully activating a new type of food-safety program for packing cantaloupes.

Grower Direct Marketing, a Stockton, CA-based grower-shipper, is off to an early start with its MonsterCot crop.

Legend Produce, a leading U.S. melon supplier, has begun harvesting the popular Origami cantaloupes, which will be available through October.

The characteristics and advantages of the Origami, including high Brix, thin rind, small cavity and great flavor, have made it one of the more popular melon varieties.

The Military Produce Group is showing its commitment to the environment by using reusable plastic containers from IFCO Systems for the shipment of fresh produce to dozens of commissaries.

The Military Produce Group, which supplies fruits and vegetables to commissaries in the southern United States, is moving to RPCs from corrugated boxes for several commodities. This move furthers the Defense Commissary Agency's sustainability program.