Cool spring weather in Central California has delayed the start of the West Side melon season, but it is not expected to adversely affect total production, which, for Pappas & Co. in Mendota, CA, is projected to be similar to last year.

But Rodney Van Bebber, sales manager at Pappas, is hoping that the weather conditions that have been experienced by melon growers in other parts of the country may mean opportunities on the East Coast this year for West Side growers, in spite of high transportation costs due to the high cost of fuel.

Following the success of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's 86th annual Convention & Trade Show, held in April at the Palais des Congrès de Montreal in Montreal, the association announced that with more than nine months to go before the 87th annual edition to be held in Calgary, AB, exhibit space has sold out and the association will add exhibit space to meet the continued demand.

Double D Farms in Coalinga, CA, is a vertically integrated, diversified grower-packer-shipper that produces a wide assortment of produce items both conventionally and organically, but focuses mainly on fresh organic produce for retail and wholesale customers.

FRESNO, CA — With about 3,000 acres planted for its West Side melon deal from Perez Packing Inc. in Firebaugh, CA, Crown Jewels Produce Co., here, expects to ship a full crop of about 3 million cartons of cantaloupe and about 500,000 cartons of honeydew melons this year under the “King Crow” label that has been around since about 1948.

The melons are all being grown on the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley. “We are looking at about 3,000 acres of cantaloupes,” which is “almost identical to last year,” said Atomic Torosian, a managing partner with the company.

CHICAGO — The huge effort by Testa Produce Inc., to build a “green” and ultra-modern produce warehouse brings with it a sophisticated computer software system.

Testa has worked since 2003 with produce management software, and the related service, provided by Produce Pro Inc. Produce Pro software is used throughout the country, but happens to be based in nearby Woodbridge, IL.

CHICAGO — Peter Testa didn’t build the new warehouse and office facility of Testa Produce Inc., here, only because he wanted to demonstrate that the latest green technology could be incorporated into a viable modern facility.

“My motivation for doing this building was that I needed a new building.” In the process, he wanted to hold the company’s operating costs at a steady level over a period of time. “One way to do that is to be green.”