As 2012 reaches the halfway mark and the second quarter comes to a close, the National Mango Board is seeing strong results in key programs geared toward national media.

The board works closely with writers and editors to increase fresh mango coverage and knowledge of the versatile and wholesome fruit in magazines, newspapers and on websites throughout the year.

Continuing the Virtual Test Kitchen program created in 2010, the board keeps mangos top-of-mind by sending two seasonally focused fresh mangos shipments to media. The objective of this year's program is to work with long-lead women's and parenting magazines as well as influential mom and food bloggers to reach consumers and their families.

Shipments include fresh mangos, recipes, mango key messages, nutritional information and ideas on using the fruit. The board sent several editors a shipment earlier in 2012 with a summer theme that encouraged the use of mangos in recipes for summer celebrations.

As a result of this outreach effort, the board gained mango coverage in prominent publications such as Better Homes & Gardens, FoodNetwork.com and Family Circle.

During the third quarter, the board will send fall-themed fresh mango shipments to media outlets. This theme promotes mangos as a versatile ingredient for returning to healthy routines after summer vacation. The featured recipes are also available at mango.org/recipes.

The National News Bureau program has also earned significant coverage through several initiatives to reach national media outlets, especially major food and lifestyle magazines.

The board attended and featured fresh mango recipes at Food Fête, an intimate press and networking event with magazine, food and lifestyle editors in New York.

While in New York, the board also hosted an editor dinner and conducted individual desk side meetings with additional media contacts. At the editor dinner, the board served a three-course meal where fresh mangos were featured in every dish, providing a great opportunity for editors to taste and experience the versatility of the tropical fruit.

Desk side meetings were conducted to share mango key messages, including information on nutrition, varieties and availability. In addition, editors also received mango information cards.

At the close of the second quarter, this program has earned more than 171 million impressions to date, which is quickly approaching the board's program goals for the entire year.