Despite a spring season marked by cooler temperatures and delayed crop development across New Jersey, The Freshwave Fruit & Produce and Consalo Family Farms remain optimistic about the outlook for their blueberry program in 2026.

New Jersey had a very interesting winter and spring. We had 90 degree days early and then again in April followed by two nights of below freezing temperatures. A few fruit crops were lost entirely to this freeze while others were impacted to a lesser degree. The great news is, New Jersey blueberry producers expect a robust crop of top-quality berries for this year. And we are happy to report that Jersey Fresh blueberries will be ready for your shelves starting mid-June into August. 

We are pleased to announce that Matt Capelli has been appointed chief, bureau of inspection and grading for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. In this role, Capelli manages and coordinates programs, grants and staff across several commodity inspection programs. These programs included food safety initiatives such as the USDA Third Party Audit Program and FDA Food Safety Modernization Act inspection programs for Produce Safety and Animal Feed.

The Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction is off to a strong start in 2026, beginning its 95th season with steady demand, expanded product offerings and growers continuing to adapt to changing market conditions.

“This year’s auction began two weeks earlier,” said Carol DeFoor, office manager for the entity. “The start date is always largely dependent on the weather.”

The season opened with a broad assortment of spring vegetables and greens.

Marolda Farms produces a wide range of conventional and organic leafy greens and herbs across approximately 380 acres, including 250 acres dedicated to conventional production and 130 acres devoted to organic crops.

 Macadu Fresh has announced that it will be moving into its new facility on June 1. Owner Mike Madden said the new facility will help meet the company’s growing customer demand and support its continued expansion.