By all measures, the "Indiana Grown" branding program has established invaluable connections between farmers and consumers in the Hoosier State. "It's very much a pride item here," Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann told The Produce News. "Indiana Grown is a nice way for Hoosiers to know they have local products. Hoosiers want to know where their food is coming from."

The program was officially launched in 2012 and showcases the fresh, high-quality foods the marketplace has to offer. A total of 16 organizations are currently registered under the Indiana Grown program.

Walmart, the nation's largest retailer and seller of produce, announced to its customers, through the consumer press, that it was changing its produce-buying habits and would also institute "a 100 percent money-back guarantee" in its fresh produce department.

California produce marketer DJ Forry is set to kick off the 2013 California stone fruit season with the release of its new Forry's Finest California Summer Fruit Trio.

The new two-pound package configuration contains a combination of kid-sized tree ripened peaches, plums and nectarines.

Mann Packing, based in Salinas, CA, released a new video and ad campaign at the recent United Fresh 2013 convention in San Diego, which looks to reinforce the sustainability features of its lidless vegetable trays.

Last fall the company redesigned its vegetable platter and removed the familiar black plastic portion of the package commonly used as the lid.

Growers in the Pacific Northwest are moving into the 2013 stone fruit season on solid ground. “We’re a little later producer for stone fruit,” said James Michael, promotions director for the Washington State Fruit Commission. The region boasts longer growing hours, which in turn, creates stone fruit of exceptional quality.

After extreme weather events knocked out most of Michigan’s 2012 apple crop, the state's apple growers are looking forward to a busy harvest season in 2013.

“Our growers are feeling very positive about the 2013 crop,” Michigan Apple Committee Executive Director Diane Smith said in a press release. “We had one frost earlier this month, but most of the orchards came through that with little or no damage. There were a lot of blossoms on the trees, and we are hoping Mother Nature smiles on us this summer.”