VIDALIA, GA — There is debate on how dramatically seed stem will affect this year's Vidalia onion crop, but already fields here show marked presence of the bolting flowers that indicate the condition — and more pop up every day.

The Nunes Co. Inc., marketers of "Foxy" brand produce, has partnered with Skinny Mom, a multi-platform lifestyle brand and blogging network made up of over 100 mom bloggers, for two marketing campaigns during May.

As part of the month-long promotion, Foxy produce is the premier sponsor for the Skinny Mom May Meal Plan, which is distributed to over 37,000 dedicated emails subscribers. In addition, Foxy is also a partner for the Skinny Mom 14-Day Slim Down Challenge and will be the featured sponsor in one of the daily emails to participants.

Publix's sales for the first quarter of 2013 were $7.5 billion, a 6.1 percent increase from last year's $7.1 billion.

Part of the increase is attributable to the Easter holiday having occurred in the first quarter of 2013, which increased sales by approximately 1.3 percent. Easter was in the second quarter last year.

The fresh produce industry is mourning the loss of Jan Fleming, chief executive officer of Strube Celery & Vegetable Co. in Chicago, who died May 1 at the age of 67.

Big Chuy Distributors & Sons Inc. in Nogales, AZ, which specializes in watermelons and hard shell squash from Mexico, has Mexican watermelons available every month of the year except August, according to Jesus (Chuy) Lopez Jr., president of the company.

The Sonora spring watermelon crops have been “a little delayed due to the effect of the cold weather we had,” Mr. Lopez said. "I think that is the same for everybody in Mexico.”

Sweet Clover Produce of Walla Walla, WA, is expecting to start shipping Washington’s State Vegetable, the Walla Walla Sweet onion, in mid-June, with irrigation in place and stands looking healthy and strong.

Sales Manager Bill (Sweet Willie) Brownfield told The Produce News that the company’s primary Walla Walla Sweet growers are the father/son team of Fernando Enriquez Sr. and Jr. again in 2013.