California's garlic harvest is now underway in the Coachella Valley, and preparations were being made for the harvest in the San Joaquin Valley when The Produce News talked with some garlic growers and packers on Monday, June 18.

"The California crop looks good this year," with "nice size" and "about average" yields, said Kelly Marione, division manager for Orlando-based Spice World at the company's Coalinga, CA, plant.

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ -- The season's first break-bulk refrigerated ship carrying South African citrus lifted pallets onto the dock of Gloucester Terminal LLC, here, June 19.

The ship carried fruit for seven importers, according to Tom Mastromarco, director of fruit marketing and customer service at the Gloucester Terminal. Among the brands represented in the terminal's warehouse were "Unifrutti," "Darling Clementine" and "Seald Sweet."

A very public fight has erupted in the usually polite regulatory world as the president of Whole Foods Market has taken on the Federal Trade Commission because it opposes the acquisition of Wild Oats Markets by the country's largest natural foods retail chain.

Whole Foods, which has a policy against talking to the trade press and is typically quiet about its operations, has launched an all-out attack on the FTC through a blog written by President John Mackey and available on the company's web site (www.wholefoods.com).

Canada imposed import requirements on the eight California counties where the light brown apple moth has been spotted and identified in the United States. The requirements went into effect June 25.

Chef Emeril Lagasse, Pride of San Juan and The Produce Exchange have restructured the "Emeril's Gourmet Produce" line so that The Produce Exchange is the exclusive sales, marketing and distributing agent for the brand.

The Produce Exchange, based in Livermore, CA, will lead new product development of the brand. Pride of San Juan will continue to manage the primary farming operations, and Mr. Lagasse will oversee the brand, new products and recipe development.

Enabling retailers to capitalize on the growing popularity of certified kosher food products, Kingsburg Orchards has introduced a new line of kosher fruit that includes peaches, plums, nectarines, Asian apple pears, Pluots, apriums, apricots, apples, persimmons, kiwifruit and avocados.

The new certified kosher product line is the latest innovation from the Kingsburg, CA-based farming and marketing organization, which was among the early firms to introduce white flesh tree fruit, Asian apple pears and Pluots, including the unique "Dinosaur Egg" Pluot.