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Organic cherries probably lag a bit behind apples and pears in the Pacific Northwest, but cherries are making some gains, suppliers say.

The Eastern Produce Council’s Leadership Program visited Morristown, N.J.-based Wightman Farms — the fourth leg of the program that included a tour and team-building exercises.

The latest estimate for the 2019 Northwest pear crop is up 8% from the early May forecast.

The first Peruvian sweet onions had already reached the U.S. by mid-August, and plenty of supplies are forecast as the deal heats up in September and beyond.

Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark received the Best in New Jersey Farm-to-School Award for the school’s rooftop garden.

If apple-picking in the fall is a rite of passage for a Northeasterner, then more than 100 people earned their badges Saturday.

Pear volumes out of the Pacific Northwest in 2019 will be down, and the crop will late, but growers, shippers and marketers are upbeat about the upcoming season.

At least 125 employees of Green Empire Farms, Oneida, N.Y., have been confirmed with the new coronavirus, COVID-19, prompting government officials to reinforce the need for social distancing and other measures.

The Northwest cherry harvest won’t reach last year’s 23 million 20-pound boxes in 2020, but there will be plenty of fruit for consumers in the U.S. and beyond, suppliers say.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI Orchards has added new tools to its American Dream cherry program, said Danelle Huber, marketing specialist.