SWEDESBORO, NJ — Sun Valley Orchards, a grower-shipper that for many years has been well known for peaches, peppers, cucumbers, green squash, eggplant and pickles, is now becoming well known for one of New Jersey’s signature spring items: asparagus.

The Mushroom Council, headquartered in San Jose, CA, said that mushroom demand increase is widely evident in shipments reaching record highs in 2012, and 2013 has shown an impressive start.

According to Bart Minor, president of the council, shipments have increased approximately 6 percent this year to date.

By all measures, the "Indiana Grown" branding program has established invaluable connections between farmers and consumers in the Hoosier State. "It's very much a pride item here," Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann told The Produce News. "Indiana Grown is a nice way for Hoosiers to know they have local products. Hoosiers want to know where their food is coming from."

The program was officially launched in 2012 and showcases the fresh, high-quality foods the marketplace has to offer. A total of 16 organizations are currently registered under the Indiana Grown program.

Walmart, the nation's largest retailer and seller of produce, announced to its customers, through the consumer press, that it was changing its produce-buying habits and would also institute "a 100 percent money-back guarantee" in its fresh produce department.

California produce marketer DJ Forry is set to kick off the 2013 California stone fruit season with the release of its new Forry's Finest California Summer Fruit Trio.

The new two-pound package configuration contains a combination of kid-sized tree ripened peaches, plums and nectarines.

Mann Packing, based in Salinas, CA, released a new video and ad campaign at the recent United Fresh 2013 convention in San Diego, which looks to reinforce the sustainability features of its lidless vegetable trays.

Last fall the company redesigned its vegetable platter and removed the familiar black plastic portion of the package commonly used as the lid.