Before discussing the 2022 New Jersey spring produce deal, Rich Marolda Jr. of Marolda Farms spoke a bit about the weather over the previous winter and so far this spring.

“Winter for us was pretty uneventful,” he told The Produce News. “The beginning of the winter was mild, then it came on heavier at the end into the spring. There was some late cold weather into the spring which held us back. Spring has been cold, but the crops come on, and things are starting to level off now.”

The USDA Farm Service Agency announced appointees Al Murray, Erick Doyle, Rajesh Sinha and Anna Trapani, who will serve on the New Jersey USDA Farm Service Agency state committee. Murray was named the chair of the committee.

Elaine Louise D'Ottavio died Saturday, May 28, surrounded by her family. She was 80 years old and a longtime resident of Vineland.

Born Nov. 19, 1941, to William Consalo Sr. and Louise Consalo in Woodbury, NJ, she lived in Glassboro, NJ, for 22 years. She graduated from Glassboro High School in 1959, and later attended the Business School of Pennsylvania.

The Vineland Cooperative Produce Auction opened for the 2022 season on April 27, a typical and normal time, according to the auction’s Carol DeFoor.

“We had a cold snap last week,” she told The Produce News on Monday, May 2. “So the opening volume was a little less than might have been expected. “But we have plenty of stuff. Asparagus has come in well. We started with lettuces already, as well as cilantro, parsley, Romaine, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce and Boston. Everything’s coming in really good this year.”

At the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, we can all agree there’s not much we love more than our farmers and the Jersey Fresh produce they grow. We are certain that every New Jerseyan agrees that Jersey Fresh is best. We have the very best, locally grown tomatoes, blueberries, asparagus, peaches, corn — the list goes on and on.

As the 2022 New Jersey spring produce season was getting started, Sonny Boy Produce added a familiar name to the company.

“We’ve teamed up with my uncle Bob Consalo,” Thomas Consalo, president of Sonny Boy Produce, told The Produce News at the end of April. “He’s come aboard for this spring. He started in late March, and he’s a vice president, doing sales and marketing for the most part.”

Bob Consalo, 58, “brings at least 40 years experience in the business,” said Thomas Consalo.