HILLSDALE, NJ — The Eastern Produce Council's May 19 meeting, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, drew a big crowd, as always. This was the 28th consecutive year that New Jersey has sponsored an EPC meeting, and as in the last few years, this meeting was held outdoors under a tent here at Demarest Farms — and thus is known as the Jersey Fresh Cookout. This was also the last EPC meeting before its traditional summer break; the council's meetings will resume this fall.EPC President Vic Savanello of Allegiance Retail Services, EPC First Vice President Marianne Santo of Wakefern Food Corp., Douglas H. Fisher, New Jersey's secretary of agriculture, and Al Murray, New Jersey's assistant secretary of agriculture. (Click here for more photos)

EPC President Vic Savanello of Allegiance Retail Services welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked Arthur R. Brown Jr., a former New Jersey secretary of agriculture who served from 1982 to 2002, to stand. Savanello noted that the Jersey Fresh Promotional Program was founded under Brown's tenure and that Brown was the first recipient of the council's Lifetime Achievement Award.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher began his remarks by acknowledging all of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture staff present at the EPC meeting. "We have an incredibly dedicated staff," he stated. "We're all excited to be here tonight."

Fisher mentioned the state's locally grown proposal that is currently being discussed. "We're getting a lot of calls, both for and against," he said. "Clearly in the industry, not everyone is of the same mind." He said that it was "very important" for industry members to give their views and to comment on the proposed rule.

Joe Maugeri, president of the Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey, gave the vegetable report. "It was a very cold winter that turned into a very cold, wet early spring" but which has now led to warmer weather. Many early items such as asparagus, which is always a popular item with consumers, have started, and as such, "We look forward to a very successful season," he said.

Robert Von Rohr of Sunny Valley International gave the peach report. He estimated that the Jersey peach harvest would begin around the first week in July, with volume ramping up a couple of weeks after that. "We're looking forward to an outstanding year," he said.

Bonnie Lundblad, also of Sunny Valley International, gave the blueberry report. She estimated that the state would produce about 60 million pounds of blueberries over a six-week period, with the harvest beginning around June 15-18. "The fruit looks very good, and we are ready to go," she said.