Bejo Seeds Inc. Tasti Lee tomatoes are now certified as part of the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Food Certification.

The Heart-Check Mark helps consumers to easily identify foods in retail stores that meet the nutritional standards of the American Heart Association to promote healthy eating habits.

Tasti Lee is a new hybrid variety of round beefsteak-style tomato developed at the University of Florida by Dr. Jay Scott.

Scott worked to develop this variety for more than 10 years, resulting in significant improvements to health, flavor and freshness.

“I am highly optimistic about this season’s New Jersey peach and nectarine programs,” Jeff Danner, general manager of Eastern Propak LLC in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News.

“I work with four New Jersey growers: Summit City Farms in Glassboro, which is our largest supplier; Heilig Orchards in Richwood; F&R Grasso Farms in Mullica Hill; and Gala Orchards in Elmer. I met with all of them in the past week, and they are all reporting a very full crop,” he said June 28.

Jay Iverson, vice president of sales and marketing for GreenGate Fresh LLLP in Salinas, CA, told The Produce News that the company will be exhibiting at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, CA, July 26-28, and it is looking forward to telling everyone there about its new facility.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its final forecast Thursday, pegging the 2012-13 Florida orange crop at 133.4 million boxes, down 9 percent from last season.

There are 66.3 million boxes of Valencias, down 700,000 boxes; early-mid varieties climbed 100,000 boxes to 67.1 million.

Harvest of the 2013 California garlic crop both in the San Joaquin Valley and in the Gilroy area were just getting under way in early July, but strong demand was paving the way for an optimistic outlook for the season.

"So far, the crop looks very good," said Bill Christopher, president of Christopher Ranch LLC in Gilroy. "Last year, yields were down a little bit. This year, yields are going to be average to good," and the size of the garlic is also good, "so there will be plenty of fresh California garlic for the market this coming year."

Longtime Colorado potato grower and industry icon Thomas R. Ford died June 25 in East Wenatchee, WA, from an apparent heart attack while traveling to the National Potato Council Summer Meeting in Walla Walla. He was 81.

Born July 18, 1931, in Carmel, CO, Mr. Ford married the former Donna Dee Belt in 1951, and the couple made their home in the San Luis Valley where he farmed potatoes and barley for more than five decades.