Last year was an unusual one for West Side melons, and particularly for cantaloupe. The harvest got a later-than-normal start, and when a Listeria outbreak associated with cantaloupe from Colorado hit the news in the fall, demand dropped off, leaving some cantaloupe fields unharvested.

Melon growers on the famed West Side of the San Joaquin Valley are hopeful for a better situation this year in several respects.

In February, Santa Cruz Berry Farming Co. in Watsonville, CA, entered its second year of business. But Fritz Koontz, owner and founder of the company, is a veteran berry grower. He has been involved in various aspects of agriculture since college. His experiences have developed in him a deep appreciation of the land and the people that make growing strawberries successful. His passion can be seen in the dedication of the people that work with Mr. Koontz to grow great tasting, high-quality organic and conventional strawberries.

“We continue to increase our organic production,” Kevin Donovan, national sales manager for Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square, PA, said. “Sales have increased and we’ve needed more organic product to fill the demand.”

He said there is a strong and conscious effort for people to look to organic product.

“There is a lot of work being done and study results published by the Mushroom Council that put forth the health benefits and high flavor of organic mushroom. People are responding by increasing their organic purchases.”

In answer to continuing demand for certified organic onions, both sweet and pungent, Sweet Clover Produce of Walla Walla, WA, is increasing its volume again this season.

Dave Nelson, vice president of sales for Bard Valley Medjool Date Growers, headquartered in Bard, CA, told The Produce News it is a fully integrated cooperative with about nine growers that produce the Medjool variety date.

“The growers own their land, packing house and facilities,” said Mr. Nelson. “We ship under the well-known ‘Natural Delights’ label. We’ve been in business for 20 years, and we have produced organic dates during that entire time.”

Addie Pobst, import coordinator and food safety officer for CF Fresh, said the company’s success is built upon solid ground. “One hundred percent of what we do is organic fresh fruits and vegetables,” she told The Produce News on May 22. “We can certainly say organics is not a fad.”