Conditions during the 2012 cherry production season are sounding a note of optimism among cherry growers in the Pacific Northwest. “[Weather has] been absolutely ideal so far,” said Suzanne Wolter, director of marketing for Rainier Fruit Co. in Yakima, WA. “We couldn’t hope for any better. Our mild to warm spring produced a practically perfect bloom and pollination environment.”

Tropical storm Beryl blew into the Southeast United States over Memorial Day like a lion but quickly lost its bluster. The storm system made landfall in northeast Florida Monday with winds approaching 70 mph. Those soon dwindled to maximums of 30 mph and Beryl drenched the parched region with a much-needed drink as it moved northward along the Eastern Seaboard Tuesday and Wednesday.

Growers across the region reported mucky fields that would slow ongoing harvests for a day or two as things dried out but no further damage.

This season, C.M. Holtzinger Fruit Co., headquartered in Yakima, WA, will add its corporate logo to bags of certified-organic cherries it will market for Adolfo Alvarez Farm. The operation is owned by Adolfo Alvarez, a grower who began his career as a field worker. Driven by an intense desire to create a positive environment for his children and those of farm workers, Mr. Alvarez is the owner of the certified-organic farm in Prosser, WA, where organic cherries and apples are grown.

High-elevation orchards and fruit picked at the peak of perfection are hallmarks at Hood River Cherry Co. Mount Hood and the surrounding valley provide the dramatic backdrop for the tree-ripened fruit picked sold to the company’s customers. The company is located in Hood River, OR.

Working with Wenatchee, WA, cherry grower Phillippi Fruit Co., Grant J. Hunt Co. is looking forward to a clean crop of consistently sized fruit, according to Hunt Marketing Director Eric Patrick in Yakima, WA.

Mr. Patrick told The Produce News on May 18 that predictions are for a crop of 21 million 20-pound equivalents out of the Northwest, possibly beating the 2009 record of 20.5 million boxes.

“Right now we’re seeing a lot of cherries, evenly distributed,” he said. A mild spring and the even spread on the trees could lead to bigger fruit, he added.

Sales of mushrooms have continued to grow over the past decade, according to Bart Minor, president of the Mushroom Council headquartered in San Jose, CA.

"In 2011, supermarket sales in pounds were over 204 million as reported by Symphony/IRI Group," he said. "Mushrooms continue to outperform total produce dollars and volume."

He added that in the past, white button mushrooms were always the standard, and while still immensely popular, other varieties are finding favor with consumers such as the increased usage in brown mushrooms indicates.