Art Brown, a former New Jersey secretary of agriculture, with Douglas H. Fisher, current New Jersey secretary of agriculture. (Photo by Ryan Beckman)

Country Sweet Produce Inc., which is located southeast of Bakersfield, CA, grows both conventional and organic red, yellow and white onions.

The company also offers flat sweet yellow onions, both conventional and organic, according to Duke Dodder, commodity sales manager.

The location of the company’s farms in one of the earlier growing areas in the San Joaquin Valley enables the company to get an earlier start than most growers on the west side of Fresno County, farther to the north, he said.

Bayer CropScience has entered into an agreement to purchase the watermelon and melon seed business of Abbott & Cobb Inc., a privately held seed company headquartered in Feasterville, PA. Closing is expected within a few weeks, and financial details were not disclosed.

The Harrison Village Commissary, located in Indianapolis, IN, was one of six winners recognized for outstanding in-store displays promoting New York state apples and Marzetti products. The announcement was made in May, and this is the 12th year the New York Apple Association and Marzetti have partnered with the Defense Commissary Agency.

Harrison Village’s produce manager is Thomasina Walker.

Salinas lettuce shippers are seeing falling demand in direct proportion to the rise in production of California melons, grapes and stone fruit. California and New Mexico onion shippers were seeing steady and good demand, and Idaho russet shippers were experiencing continued modest carton demand.

Piazza Produce Inc. continues to penetrate the foodservice sector with a number of innovative products and programs. “We’ve really expanded our specialty line,” President Pete Piazza told The Produce News on May 22. “That’s where our growth is right now.” Specialty items include olive oil and spices, and Mr. Piazza said customer reaction has been favorable.