Growers in the Pacific Northwest are moving into the 2013 stone fruit season on solid ground. “We’re a little later producer for stone fruit,” said James Michael, promotions director for the Washington State Fruit Commission. The region boasts longer growing hours, which in turn, creates stone fruit of exceptional quality.

After extreme weather events knocked out most of Michigan’s 2012 apple crop, the state's apple growers are looking forward to a busy harvest season in 2013.

“Our growers are feeling very positive about the 2013 crop,” Michigan Apple Committee Executive Director Diane Smith said in a press release. “We had one frost earlier this month, but most of the orchards came through that with little or no damage. There were a lot of blossoms on the trees, and we are hoping Mother Nature smiles on us this summer.”

Bakersfield, CA-based Sun World International LLC announced the promotions of several employees and other staff adjustments.

If any company has a secret weapon in its cherry promotion arsenal, it is probably Stemilt Growers LLC in Wenatchee, WA.

Director of Marketing Roger Pepperl said Kyle Mathison, vice president of research and development, has dedicated himself to applying the science needed to produce the region’s finest cherries. “Kyle is my hero,” Pepperl said.

An unusual spring weather pattern has led to a challenging season so far for R&R Flaim Next Generation Produce, based in Vineland, NJ. But things are starting to even out and the firm expects to have a strong season the rest of the way.

Ryan Flaim, a fourth-generation member of the family that grows and markets a full line of vegetables produced in the Garden State, said the spring season was delayed by about 20 days across the board.

There has long been research — both anecdotal and data-based — suggesting a positive link between the eating of fruits and vegetables and healthy outcomes, including disease prevention.