For more than 60 years, The Lagorio Family of Companies has been growing, packing, and shipping the finest quality products for its customers. The family farming operation has several different farming ventures including Ace Tomato Co. Inc. in Manteca, CA.

With the approach of the summer season, Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce in San Diego will be continuing “the roll-out and development of our heirloom tomato program,” according to Mark Munger, vice president of marketing.

From June through December, Oxnard, CA-based Eclipse Berry Farm LLC is one of the larger grape tomato shippers in the country.

Stuart Gilfenbain, who handles sales for the firm along with longtime business partner Rick Hearst, said they have about 360 acres of grape tomatoes this year. He doesn’t know for sure what the second-largest acreage is in the country but he has heard of no grower that has more than a couple of dozen acres.

“We are grape tomato specialists and that has worked very well for us,” said Mr. Gilfenbain.

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.