“One of the new things we have this year is a small amount of organic clementines,” said Scott Mabs, director of marketing for Homegrown Organic Farms in Porterville, CA. “This is a new block that is coming into its first year of production.” There will not be a lot of fruit to be harvested this year, “but it is a sizeable block and it will be a great program looking into the future,” he said.

SHERMAN OAKS, CA — Sunkist Growers has become a National Strategic Partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Communications Network to help build awareness about the new dietary guidelines for Americans and encourage consumers to embrace better health and nutrition.

As a National Strategic Partner, Sunkist will launch a series of communications efforts in support of the dietary guidelines, starting with the message to “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”

The Chuck Olsen Co. in Visalia, CA, has a new citrus marketing deal for this fall and the coming winter and spring, according to said Jeff Olsen, vice president. The company is now selling citrus from The DiMare Co., Indio, which is headquartered in Indio, CA, located in the Coachella Valley.

There are fewer issues on the priority list of California Citrus Mutual this year than there have generally been in the past, but “they are much greater in their potential impact,” said Joel Nelsen, president of the Exeter, CA-based trade association that represents some 12,000 citrus growers.

Kevin Bartolotta, president and owner of Bartolotta Inc. in Torrington, CT, understands how the downswing in the economy has affected many Americans. He is a strong supporter of Friendly Hands Food Bank Inc., also in Torrington, and served on the organization’s board in the late 1990s and in 2000. Now he is reaching out to the produce industry to lend the food bank a “helping hand” through a fundraiser.