Months of hard work and negotiations by the National Watermelon Association have proven fruitful, as both houses of Congress passed resolutions naming July National Watermelon Month.

"It is my pleasure to share with you the great news that National Watermelon Month is now officially complete through the vote taken by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this week," Bob Morrissey, the association's executive director, said in a statement. "This has been a nine-month effort working with over 56 House representatives, and is very worthwhile for our watermelon industry."

PHILADELPHIA -- In recent weeks, three businesses have closed on the Philadelphia market, here. This follows the debt-ridden closing of Ellis Fleisher Produce Co. in April 2007.

The remaining merchants on the market are now left pondering the reasons for the closings.

One of the closings is simply the result of a shocking tragedy. Mark Stout, who owned Eckert's Produce Inc. on the Philadelphia market, was doing what he loved most -- skiing in Steamboat Springs, CO -- when he fell into a tree well as he descended a Colorado slope Jan. 15 and died of suffocation.

WILMINGTON, DE -- The ports of the Delaware River trade supporting the imports of Chilean fruit gathered in force April 30 at the third annual Taste of Chile dinner, here.

According to Sheryl Rothberg, executive director of the Chilean & American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, all 156 seats available for the posh event were sold. The menu featured a variety of Chilean products, including avocados, grass-fed beef, wines and white honey.

Price has long been the main driver that suppliers have used to entice retailers to promote their products, but it's not the only factor -- and maybe not even the best one.

There are at least a half-dozen different reasons that drive a consumer's decision to buy fresh produce, according to Stacey Larson, president of Consumer Effects, a Rocklin, CA-based company that designs and implements retail promotion programs for fresh produce.

Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. N.A. Inc. in Coral Gables, FL, is looking to fire- up this summer season's produce sales by partnering with Char-Broil for the "Fresh Grill Thrill" Sweepstakes.

Earthbound Farm and parent company San Juan Bautista, CA-based Natural Selection Foods have settled out of court with a woman who claimed that an Earthbound manager trespassed on her property, took clippings from her rare, heirloom apple tree and propagated a 150-tree apple orchard for Natural Selection's own benefit.