UNITED STATES - As the FDA continues to seek a connection between the cases of the most recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and a singular source, it looks as though the investigation remains in effect, as well as the advisory for consumers not to eat romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas, California, region.
“CDC advises that consumers not eat and retailers not sell any romaine lettuce grown in the Salinas, California, growing region. This includes all use-by dates and brands of romaine lettuce from this region,” a CDC release dated December 4 states.
The PMA alerted industry members of the latest details in the investigation, noting that the latest onset date has been extended to include November 18, 2019. Previously the onset date was November 14. Illness onset dates reported are all prior to the warning issued by the FDA on November 22, according to the report.
As of December 4, the CDC and the FDA report that:
- Reported Cases: 102
- States: 23
- Hospitalizations: 58
- Deaths: 0
- Recall: Yes
To see the full reports from the two parties, please click through: CDC and FDA. The most recent timeline of reported cases since can be found here.
We continue to remain on the lookout for the latest updates while hoping for a swift end to the outbreak and closure for all those affected.
HOUSTON, TX & SANTA PAULA, CA - One of the houses I lived in growing up had this big lemon tree in our backyard. I’ve always seen shows depicting little kids running lemonade stands, but that never came to mind for me. Limoneira, on the other hand, wants to change that—for other kids, of course. Limoneira has partnered up with Lemonade Day National and has established a two-year charitable licensing agreement designed to support Lemonade Day in advancing its mission to equip kids with business and character building skills that will prepare them later on in life.
“The Lemonade Day program teaches the value of hard work, owning a business, and giving back to the community—ideals that could have come out of the mouths of our founders more than 125 years ago,” said John Chamberlain, Vice President of Marketing for Limoneira. “All of us at Limoneira couldn’t be more excited to transform the lives of young people by helping to elevate Lemonade Day’s profile within the organization’s 75+ licensed markets as well as help secure even more Lemonade Day communities.”
According to the press release, the agreement was completed in September and coincided with the launch of the Lemonade Day 2020 season. Lemonade Day is a national youth entrepreneurship program that teaches kids how to launch their own lemonade business. Limoneira will serve as presenting sponsor and fund the prizes for Lemonade Day’s National Youth Entrepreneur of the Year, announced every September during the National City Directors Conference. Limoneira will also provide additional benefits that include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Delivery of in-kind product to Lemonade Day cities
- Development and co-branding of Limoneira lemonade recipe
- Working with Lemonade Day executives to encourage legislators to loosen permitting requirements and reduce or eliminate fees for temporary food businesses operated by children under 18 years old
- Encouraging its retailers to allow Lemonade Day participants to set up their stands inside or outside their stores
- Coordinating and maximizing collaborative advertising and promotional opportunities
- Sponsorship of the LemonMobile
“What is the LemonMobile?” I hear you ask. Limoneira plans to convert a school bus that will be driven to key promotional markets from coast to coast. The LemonMobile will be available to help kids and their mentors learn about the Lemonade Day program, the health benefits of lemons, and how to make their own “healthy stand” lemonade when it is not delivering lemons to food deserts and other underserved communities.
In order for the kids to learn how to make easy, tasty, and nutritious recipes, Limoneira has teamed up with Megan Roosevelt, a registered dietician and founder of Healthy Grocery Girl, who is also a spokesperson for Limoneira’s Take a Healthy Stand™ platform. Take a Healthy Stand showcases the many ways that citrus and produce can play a role in helping to alleviate serious health issues as well as enhancing personal appearance and well-being. Roosevelt will develop recipes for Lemonade Day participants to offer to customers at their lemonade stands that coincides with that platform.
“As a global citrus supplier, Limoneira is a perfect partner for us. Our Lemonade Day National Board of Directors share my enthusiasm about collaborating with this global company, its employees, and its customers,” said Steven Gordon, Lemonade Day National President. “The company’s founders, Nathan W. Blanchard and Wallace L. Hardison, were pioneers with the spirit and vision that helped to lay the foundations of a thriving California citrus industry. Their guiding principles align with the leadership, confidence-building, and entrepreneurship lessons that Lemonade Day teaches young business dreamers.”
For more inspiring news out of the produce world, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - GrubMarket initially hit our radar back in May when it acquired the San Diego-based produce supplier, VIP Wholesale. The e-commerce behemoth then caught our attention again when it scooped up the two West Coast companies, Golden Greek Fresh and Happy Farm Produce in October. Then, as if it were moving at warp speed, GrubMarket completed yet another acquisition, this time bringing in the Michigan-based farm-to-table delivery service Doorganics. Needless to say, the up-and-comer piqued our interest once more, and we are eager to learn the secrets of its success.
"Doorganics is one of the premier farm-to-table grocery delivery services in the Midwest, consisting of a well-respected and highly-regarded team. This acquisition is another key step in GrubMarket's nationwide expansion plans, and we are incredibly excited to welcome Mike Hughes and his team into the GrubMarket family," said GrubMarket CEO, Mike Xu.
According to a press release, Doorganics will now be able to leverage GrubMarket's established e-commerce network and supply chain capabilities, which will assist the company in expanding its offerings to more cities across the Midwest. Furthermore, GrubMarket will provide technological, e-commerce, and operational expertise. Doorganics' headquarters will remain in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the company will continue to be led by its current leadership team, including Founder Mike Hughes.
"GrubMarket believes in the importance of supporting local farmers and producers, while recognizing the essential role that technology can play in food e-commerce. We look forward to working with the GrubMarket team to further enhance and expand our service across the Midwest," said Hughes.
Doorganics' mission is to support local Michigan farmers, food makers, and artisans, by hand-delivering products to customers' front doors. In particular, the company sources as many items as possible from within the State of Michigan, including a variety of delicious foods from small local farmers and foodmakers who might not have the scale to obtain shelf space at larger grocery stores. From a business perspective, Doorganics caters to residential customers, by offering them hundreds of items that they can enjoy on their own or with their families.
Although we can’t predict what the innovative e-commerce company will do next, there’s no doubt in our minds that GrubMarket will soon be snapping up more companies and incorporating them into the fold. To see how it all plays out, keep a tab open for AndNowUKnow.
TEXAS - A major expansion is headed to South Austin and it’s shrouded in red and white. Sound intriguing? It should, because H-E-B is planning a massive $200 million expansion in the region and the addition of more than 1,000 new jobs as it aims to drive growth.
“This level of investment has been years in the making,” said Jeff Thomas, Vice President and General Manager, Central Texas Region. “With the growth the city is experiencing and the opportunities for us to be part of that growth, we made the decision to invest aggressively.”
Part of this expansion plan is to both remodel old stores—like its South Congress unit—and open new ones. Its South Congress store, as we reported earlier this year, will set the bar for innovation and pave the way for the grocer’s upped interest in both grocery delivery and curbside pickup.
According to a report from The Austin American Statesmen, H-E-B’s South Congress store will essentially display the company’s new tech.
“It will be a showplace for the company that will have all the newest edges and advances,” Thomas said. “When it’s done, people from all over the country—and the world—will want to come see this store.”
That store is expected to open in 2022. The news source also reported several other stores in the South Austin area are expected to open in the first quarter of 2020.
“With so much growth happening to the north and west and east as well as to the south, obviously we’re looking at all parts of Austin,” Thomas noted. “Probably at an appropriate time in the future, there will be news that we can share about other parts of Austin.”
How will this expansion plan continue to play in H-E-B’s favor? AndNowUKnow will report the latest.
GLENNVILLE, GA - G&R Farms, one of the oldest growers of Vidalia® Sweet Onions in Georgia, has made a new addition to its operations team. The grower announced the appointment of Michael Sutton, an industry vet of more than 40 years, to the role of Operations Manager.
“Michael is certified by the USDA to inspect any vegetable or fruit that is grown anywhere in the world,” said Walt Dasher, Co-Owner. “He has an incredible amount of experience in the produce field and, just as important, he has managed hundreds of employees while providing training and oversight."
During his impressive career with Georgia’s Federal State Inspection Service, Sutton achieved certification as a produce inspector and auditor by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sutton served as a district supervisor and managed a broad range of responsibilities, including personnel recruitment, training, performance, and scheduling. He also conducted numerous audits on growing and packing facilities throughout Georgia.
“As a member of our management team, Michael will provide invaluable experience that will help us maximize efficiency and balance objectives to ensure quality control and food safety are job one in every aspect of operations,” Dasher said in a press release. “We are a year-round supplier of sweet onions so when Vidalias are not in season, we are shipping Peruvian and Mexican onions. Michael’s background as an unrestricted and licensed USDA inspector will ensure that our onions meet the highest standards in the onion industry.”
After spending nearly four decades working for Georgia’s Federal State Inspection Service, Sutton joined G&R Farms as a temporary Operations Manager earlier this year.
Congratulations to Michael and G&R Farms for the wonderful new addition to the team!
ANAHEIM, CA - When attempting to tackle the problems we face in our industry, it is often helpful to look outside the industry—after all, a pair of fresh eyes can do wonders for innovation. Are Traasdahl, Founder and CEO of Crisp, has just about the freshest eyes there are in terms of the wide-ranging expertise he brings to the industry. With more than 20 years of experience in mobile and digital technology, Traasdahl has seen his fair share of successes as the Founder and CEO of Tapad, Inc., and the mobile entertainment service, Thumbplay (which was later bought and renamed iheartradio). With both companies in his rear view, Traasdahl set his sights on the food industry, providing insight that he gained from his experience and extensive travels.
“I took a year off and traveled around the world. In India I saw a lot of food insecurity, and even in New Zealand, I saw apples rotting on the ground. I started thinking about this problem from a technology perspective, ‘how can we use modern technology to help solve some of these challenges?’” he said.
Traasdahl sees our world as the incredibly complex industry it is, and with that in mind, he set out to funnel his tech know-how into practical technological solutions for companies at every stage of the supply chain.
“I think about, how can we extract data and how can we use this data to produce incredibly accurate forecasts that help everybody?” he commented.
And so Crisp came to be. To refresh your memory on what the company offers, see our previous interview here.
For more exclusive show content, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the USDA has filed an administrative complaint against Hood River Juice Company Inc.
Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
The company, operating from Oregon, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to 12 produce sellers in the amount of $3,607,420 from November of 2014 through February of 2019.
Hood River Juice Company Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
The PACA Division, which is a part of AMS’ Fair Trade Practices Program, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to the PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,800 callers with issues valued at approximately $148 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
To read the USDA's press release in its entirety, click here.
IRVINE, CA - Good morning, AndNowUKnow readers!
Today, I am bringing you some of the category and weather news from around the industry. Check back twice weekly to see the latest around all growing regions.
ONE MORE SHOT OF RAIN TODAY IN CALIFORNIA
Last week, the major coastal strawberry growing regions of California received up to 2” of rain along with cold temperatures. Maximum temperatures were in the 50°s and minimum temperatures in the upper 30°s and low 40°s for the majority of the week. We should definitely have seen a reduction in the volume of strawberries coming from these regions.
Today, another storm is coming through Southern California bringing another .5” of rain to Oxnard and
Santa Maria with an additional chance of more rain on Saturday. This storm will not be accompanied by
such cold temperatures like last week.
Look for fields to finally dry out next week.
FLORIDA STRAWBERRIES TO SEE WARMING TREND THIS WEEKEND
Florida strawberry growing regions around Plant City have been unseasonably cool this week with maximum temperatures in the low 60°s and minimum temperatures in the mid 40°s. This will change starting Friday as this region of Florida will finally see maximum temperatures rise into the 70°s and minimum temperatures into the 50°s. By Sunday, look for high temperatures to break into the 80°s and low temperatures to hover around 60°, which is normal for this time of year.
Look for production of strawberries to finally pickup starting next week.
MEXICO PRODUCTION STRONG DUE TO GOOD WEATHER
The principle berry production regions of central Mexico have been experiencing perfect weather the
last several weeks leading to strong production numbers. So far this season, production numbers are up 40 percent over last year.
Look for the perfect weather conditions to continue with maximum temperatures in the low 80°s and minimum temperatures in the upper 40°s and low 50°s depending on the location. There is no chance of rain in the 10-day forecast. Quality should be good.
MEXICO WINTER VEG—SEVERAL REGIONS HIT BY A DELUGE OF RAIN LAST WEEK
Wednesday and Thursday of last week saw a very late-season tropical storm bring heavy rains to the
major western Mexico veg growing regions. Current production regions such as La Paz, Baja California Sur, received serious amounts of rain, which caused damage to crops and will lead to many days of quality issues on items from this area such as tomatoes.
Regions on mainland Mexico such as La Cruz and Culiacán, Sinaloa, also received heavy rains that will
definitely cause quality issues to items currently in production and most likely will push back the start
date for the harvest of tomatoes.
Weather going forward for all regions looks good.
Thank you as always for your support. We will be back later this week with another report.
WOODLAND, CA - Our industry is once again facing the challenges of an E. coli outbreak, and though things are difficult right now, there are industry members who work tirelessly to ensure that these outbreaks are few and far between.
The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) recently released an interview with Chuck Gerba, Ph.D and microbiology professor at the University of Arizona. For the past 25 years, Gerba and fellow researchers have studied E. coli and Salmonella found in strong sediment throughout the Southwestern U.S. river systems, and the team has developed a fairly good picture of the related food safety risks. However, the researchers have yet to determine whether E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and two enteric viruses behave similarly in canal sediment and pose similar risks for resuspension in canal surface water.
“Artificial channels are a lot different, we believe because operators control the flow of water,” said Gerba. “How are these canals different from riverine systems, and could they be managed differently? Do we find more organisms in the sediment than in the surface waters? Are they a risk and do they create problems? We're still sorting that out.”
Gerba and his team of researchers are seeking to gain a better understanding of the relationship among canal sediments, pathogens, and water flow properties through the research project, titled, “Development of a model to predict the impact of sediments on microbial irrigation water quality.”
Even if sampling were to find pathogens in canal sediment, the question still remains, how do environmental events, such as canal flows, affect population dynamics and pathogen resuspension in surface water?
“It's a big puzzle, and we're trying to find one aspect that plays a role in this or to rule it out,” Gerba commented in a press release.
The goal of the project is to establish a baseline data and ultimately, an integrated model to help growers determine potential risks tied to canal irrigation water.
Jennifer Duan, Ph.D, a professor at the University of Arizona Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department and holds a joint appointment in the Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Department, is joining Gerba as a co-principal investigator.
According to Gerba, irrigated agriculture in the Southwest generates unique ecological challenges because canals or ditches service nearly all fields. Decades ago, the desert Southwest was home to cotton or other field crop cultivation that was not directly consumed by humans, so the pathogens potentially found in irrigation water or sediment were not of the greatest importance. However, as the Southwest has grown into a center of winter produce production, potential risks posed by microorganisms have become a crucial topic.
Not much research has been conducted on canal sediments, and the research that does exist is generally limited to two sediment types, one enteric bacterium, and one virus, according to Gerba. His project will take a broader, more comprehensive approach and involves several sediment types, including sand, silt, and clay; two bacterial pathogens; and two enteric viruses. The project will also examine how nutrient loads, and particularly nitrogen levels, may affect pathogen populations and/or resuspension.
Part of the project involves laboratory experiments using a hydraulic flume that compare the effects of flow rate, velocity, and sediment type on the resuspension of sediment-bound pathogens in overlaying water. It is here that Duan’s expertise in hydraulics and sediment transport will play a major role. The results will be incorporated into a model, which may be able to predict the risk of potential pathogen reservoirs developing under specific conditions.
In the Southwest desert, planting of produce commences in late summer, with harvest starting before Thanksgiving. The season typically runs through May, depending on the weather. Although the researchers collect field measurements from canals and ditches throughout the year, they increase sampling during the production season. Among the measurements taken are flow velocity, flow depth, water temperature, suspended sediment concentration, bacterial counts in water, and bacterial counts in the bed sediment. The results from both experiments and canal sampling will be incorporated into a predictive tool. Gerba envisions growers entering a range of environmental variables, including weather, water sampling results, and canal flow, and the model would provide a type of risk assessment. However, identifying a pathogen risk, if there is one, is just one part of the project.
“It makes no sense to me to find a problem without finding a solution,” he said. “If it's an issue, then we'll figure out how to manage it.”
Gerba hopes the research results could potentially be incorporated into guidelines that producers could use to minimize the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses in irrigation water.
AndNowUKnow will continue to update you on the developments in food safety that arise in our industry.
LAKEWOOD, CO - Natural Grocers, well-known for its organic-forward format, has taken further steps to dominate the market on its home turf. The Colorado-based retailer will soon open its fortieth store in the state in Pagosa Springs on December 18, securing even more of the Colorado market.
The grocer represents a growing movement towards healthier eating, and offers its shoppers 100-percent organic produce; GMO-free pre-packaged bulk products; and groceries with no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. Natural Grocers is dedicated to providing consumers with affordable, high-quality foods and nutrition knowledge to support their own health, a press release states.
The opening of the new store will feature several activities, sweepstakes, and more to welcome the local community to its new retail option. Throughout the opening celebrations, the retailer will host a Grocery Giveaway Sweepstakes to select nine lucky winners who will win free groceries in the form of Natural Grocers gift cards ranging in value from $10 to $100 dollars each week for six months. Even those who don’t win the top prize have a chance to walk away with some serious swag, including a free gift bag containing a breakfast recipe with all the necessary ingredients and a Natural Grocers kitchen set with an oven mitt and utensils—but only the first 100 customers are eligible.
Other opening day activities include:
- Rise and Shine, It’s Muffin Time! - a gluten-free muffin sampling
- Ice Cream Social - includes dairy-free ice cream options
- Vendor demonstrations - will take place all day throughout the new store
- {N}Power®, Natural Grocers' rewards program - customers who register for the rewards program will receive a $2-off coupon to use when shopping
With Natural Grocers establishing such a strong presence in Colorado, will it now focus its attention on other regions? AndNowUKnow will keep you updated.