FRESNO, CA - Last week, the California Supreme Court rejected a bid by the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) and the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) to overturn a court order directing the ALRB to count the ballots in the decertification election held by Gerawan Farming workers in 2013—a monumental moment for Gerawan and what could be the end of one of the largest decertification elections in California agricultural labor history.
This week, the votes were counted, with the company reporting 1,098 votes for "No Union" and 197 for the UFW—results that conclude the employees have rejected the UFW as their bargaining representative.
"Our employees have been waiting since November 2013 for their votes to be counted. After a historic struggle, they achieved that right today, in spite of the efforts by the UFW and the millions of taxpayer dollars spent by the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to deny them that right," Gerawan said in a statement following the tally. "Today’s vote tally leaves no doubt what our employees want. It is a ringing endorsement of their right to choose, and a repudiation of concerted, unlawful, and anti-democratic efforts to deny them that right."
Gerawan concluded its statement by calling on the UFW and the ALRB to respect the choices of farmworkers, as well as calling on the Legislature and the Governor to take immediate steps to ensure a case like this does not occur again.
In response to the results, Western Growers’ President and CEO, Tom Nassif, issued a statement, asserting, "It took a decision of California’s highest court to force, once and for all, the ALRB to do the right thing and count the votes of Gerawan Farming’s workers. With a resounding vote against the union, we now know the reason behind the ALRB’s delay tactics, which lasted nearly five years. The ALRB knew or believed the outcome of the vote was No Union and was attempting to shield the UFW from the humiliation of its irrelevance. It is clear that the UFW does not represent the voice of California’s farm workers, and the results of this election must compel the State of California to stop acting as a surrogate of the UFW and move instead to guarantee justice for all agricultural workers."
George Radanovich, President of the California Fresh Fruit Association, also applauded today’s outcome and stated, "The determination of the employees, and their employer, in defending the rights of the employees, as well as the company, resulted in the protection of the right to choose. I call upon the ALRB to certify the results of the election, and to decertify the UFW. We also impress upon the Legislature and Governor Brown to take immediate steps to ensure that the ALRB will never again have the power and ability to usurp farmworker freedom of choice and the due process rights of affected parties."
AndNowUKnow will continue to provide updates on this case and more as it pertains to our industry.
QUEENS, NY - With $42 million worth of debt, New York-based Seasons, a kosher grocery store chain, has filed for bankruptcy.
According to the Commercial Observer, the retailer has $5 million in assets, but it owes millions of dollars to its vendors, landlords, and banks. These findings, the news source relays, were communicated in a Chapter 11 filing obtained by the Nationwide Research Company.
The retailer has locations at 661 Amsterdam Avenue, which lies between West 92nd and West 93rd Streets, and 68-18 Main Street in Flushing, Queens. Another six locations are strewn throughout New York State, New Jersey, and Maryland.
The news source shares that the CEO Mayer Gold couldn’t be reached for comment, and Co-Owner Zvi Bloom directed calls to business management consultant Joel Getzler, who didn’t respond to inquiries.
The Flushing, Queens, location—the chain’s flagship—was opened in 2010 by Gold, and as of September 17th, the phone line was disconnected. Over the years, the retailer introduced supermarkets in Scarsdale, NY; Lakewood, NJ; Clifton, NJ; and two in Lawrence, NY.
The Baltimore, Maryland, location opened just last year, and the company was working on a Cleveland store when news broke of its bankruptcy.
Whether Seasons is looking for a buyer or is in the process of closing its stores has yet to be determined, but speculation is swirling after reports have surfaced that its outposts’ shelves are empty and order deliveries are not being made, the news source explains.
“Seasons has revolutionized the kosher shopping experience, and we look forward to serving the neighborhood and the kosher consumer for many years to come,” Gold said last month in a statement to Nassau Herald.
Is the retailer’s struggle to survive amidst an increasingly competitive market a sign that there is more trouble ahead for small grocers across the map? AndNowUknow will keep you updated with the latest industry happenings.
NASHVILLE, TN - On the heels of having just appeared at Southern Innovations, Under Secretary of the USDA’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach announced yesterday that the department is investing $102.7 million to increase opportunities for farmers and growers across the country through five grant programs, according to a press release.
While in Nashville, Undersecretary Ibach shared with me not only moves to help support local food promotion and specialty crops, but also to counteract negative impacts on growers due to Chinese tariffs, local and international organic requirements, and an overall effort to ensure that “free trade is fair.”
Q: Speaking to organic integrity in the supply chain, are farmers reaffirming the USDA organic label? Are you seeing people call produce organic when it’s not, and how is that being addressed?
Greg Ibach: The organic industry has grown very rapidly. With that growth and the fact that we demand more products than we have producers growing here in the United States, there becomes this concern: Is everybody playing by the same rules?
I think the free versus fair trade concerns surface. So, something we are focusing on is making sure our domestic certifiers understand the rules and expectations and are applying that standard fairly across all producers. Whether they’re small or large, we expect them to meet that same standard. Then, internationally, we want to make sure the products coming in are meeting the USDA standards. That includes a lot of products that are coming in south of our border, Mexico and South America, where certifiers are applying the same standards, as well as in eastern markets in Europe that we want to make sure are meeting those standards.
So we’re working with those international certifiers, as well as partnering with APHIS (the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service) and customs and border protections to make sure they understand our rules, so they can helps us match up paperwork and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Q: There has been much focus on whether or not we will have a trilateral agreement and you mentioned we might need to diversify our portfolio as far as what countries we want to work with. Where might the U.S. be looking, or where should we be?
GI: We’ve focused a lot in almost every sector of agriculture on Korea, Japan, and China. They’re important markets, and we want to be able to continue to export to them. Korea came right to the table and updated their agreement right away, and we’re having great growth in that marketplace, especially in the meat sector. Japan has shown a willingness to want to sit down and talk to us even though we’re not moving forward with TPP.
China’s been a little bit more of a rocky road, and I think that’s probably one of the countries, as I talk to farmers and ranchers, that they’re most concerned about whether or not trade is fair. They appreciate access to that market and the opportunity that it provides for them not only now but in the future, but we need to be able to have trade be fair.
Beyond that, there’s a lot of places in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, where the middle class is growing rapidly and presents some great opportunities for growth: Vietnam, Indonesia, and across that Southeast Asian region.
Q: Could you discuss the newly introduced purchase program and some processes that will take understanding and adjustment in terms of supplementing losses in this search of fair as well as free trade?
GI: The Food Purchase and Distribution Program, which is the one that is largely directed at trying to address some of the trade impacts on the specialty crop market has suffered, in many cases many of those categories have been the apples, the oranges, cherries...they’re very premium markets. So, if we are going to alleviate the price and trade pressure within those products that were actually going overseas, we need to reach out to buy those to create that relief and make sure we’re matching the specifications of what China was buying.
We know by not going into the export marketplace we’re forcing it into the domestic market, which will put price pressures on categories within those different commodities that had their domestic market and were fine that will be impacted adversely. So we’re working very hard to identify those specifications to make our orders match. That’s the product we want to distribute through the feeding programs.
We’re also working hard to try to make sure we’re going to programs that won’t displace purchases that were already being made. Families that come to these food banks are probably not going to the grocery store and buying what we are going to be supplying the food bank, so hopefully we’re going to be creating a new demand. That’s why the school lunch program isn’t our major target because we’re already buying product. We’re trying to work hard to make sure the good thing we’re doing is actually a good thing without an unintended consequence.
While tariff announcements continue between both the U.S. and China’s administrations, as well as continuous trade discussions with our North American neighbors and beyond, AndNowUKnow will continue to endeavor to bring the latest news to the fresh produce industry.
DUBLIN, IRELAND - What began as a recuperation trip to the Canary Islands in the late 1800s is now a flourishing banana empire ringing in its 130th year in business this September. Known today as one of the world’s largest banana importers and marketers of organic and Fairtrade bananas, Fyffes ships 70 million boxes of bananas, melons, pineapples, mushrooms, and more each year and continues to maintain its commitment to sustainability and innovation to this day. To celebrate its milestone anniversary, the company is launching a commemorative sticker campaign, to be featured on all of Fyffes’ bananas from September through November.
“By marking 130 years in the banana business, we are shining the spotlight on the generations of wonderful people and partners who have contributed to our success over those years—and on those who will do so as we move forward,” said Chairman David McCann.
The company first came to fruition in 1888, when Edward Wathen Fyffe took his wife, Ida, to the Canary Islands to recover from Tuberculosis. It was there that he first laid eyes on the exotic yellow fruits that today are a household staple. Instantly intrigued, Edward began to seek ways to transport bananas back to the people of London, eventually succeeding and establishing the company known today as a leading Fairtrade banana supplier.
The company notes, in a press release, that it wouldn’t be where it is today without its partners, including its newest business partner Sumitomo, who have all helped Fyffes establish its expansive ripening and distribution infrastructure.
“Our trading relationships with grower groups go back five decades in some cases and work with the community has been to mutual benefit,” Fyffes writes in a press release. “From large scale housing solutions and educational programs in Colombia, a reforestation project in Costa Rica, to a plastic recycling initiative with a school in Belize, the focus is on supporting local communities, protecting the environment, and enriching people’s lives.”
Intent on capturing and sharing its story, Fyffes is taking to local markets and honing in on brand storytelling with its commemorative anniversary stickers—a hot new take on the original Fyffes logo—which will be featured across the company’s social media channels in addition to its bananas.
To learn more about Fyffes, its history, and its mission to provide responsibly sourced, high-quality fruit for generations to come, visit PMA Fresh Summit Booth 3733, its website, or Facebook.
MONTEREY, CA - I love a mid-week treat, and details on the latest events to help our industry progress fall into that category. It’s time we find out the first of three keynote presentations for the 2018 Organic Grower Summit, which will dive into an international overview of opportunities, challenges, and issues facing the organic growing community and its fresh fruit and vegetable marketplace. Known as the Grower Roundtable, the first presentation will include three organic growers from North America to offer attendees insight into a variety of topics—including labor, regulations, and supply chain issues.
Featured panelists of the Grower Roundtable include:
- Esteban Macias, Crop Protection Manager/Independent Grower, Grupo U
- Robin Graham, Assistant General Manager, Stemilt Ag Services
- John France, Founder, Homegrown Organic Farms
- Moderated by: Scott LaRue, Managing Director, Global Head of Investment Banking and Capital Markets, Piper Jaffrey
“Growing organics requires a full view from beneath the soil all the way to the consumer who buys and eats your product. Information to does that properly is still limited compared to growing conventionally. As it was in the late 80’s when I started, so it is now; knowledge from those that have gone before will always be the foundation of a good organic program,” said France. “Gathering that knowledge usually comes from the source which is the growers themselves, and that is why the Organic Grower Summit is one great source of that needed information.
To this, Graham added his own excitement at the opportunity to share his point of view.
“It’s an honor to be part of the Grower Roundtable and exciting to share my thoughts about the many challenges and opportunities that surround organic farming today,” he said.
Organic growers, producers, and processors will gather together at the second annual event—a collaboration between the California Certified Organic Farms (CCOF) and Organic Produce Network (OPN)—for two days of education, information, and networking opportunities with production supply chain and service providers in organics. Further, even more educational components of OGS are available to provide inspiring and engaging sessions with leading industry experts tapped into the production side of organic fresh produce. At these educational opportunities, attendees will learn about an array of subjects—from organic integrity to soil optimization.
Among the scheduled educational sessions are:
- Scaling Up Healthy Soil Practices
- Sustainable Investing in Your Organic Farming Future
- Technology is Not Just for Big Ag
- Candid Conversation with NOSB Board Members
- Managing Organic Production Systems to Promote Plant Health
- Giving Organic Beverages a Shot
- Safeguarding the Organic Brand
The entire event will run from December 12-13 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California. Those wanting to gather insight from the educational opportunities and gain access to the networking opportunities the event offers can register for $499—discounts are available for CCOF members and government and educational members. Registration includes admittance to the opening reception, educational sessions, keynote presentations, breakfast, lunch, and the trade show floor. Even more, attendees can get their hands on a ticket for the 2018 CannaBus Tour—which takes place from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12th—and the CCOF Foundation Dinner on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.
Costco buyers will also be meeting with participating grower attendees looking to utilize the special “Meet the Grower” opportunity the event uniquely offers. In this session, certified organic farms and grower representatives will meet with Costco’s organic produce, dairy, meat, and wine buyers to discuss their operations and products.
The trade show floor is almost sold out—only a few spots remain available, as of today. Booths that will be attending so far include soil amendment, bio-pesticide, seed, packaging, food safety, ag technology, and equipment manufacturers—all ready and eager to network throughout the show with organic field production staff, supply chain managers, pest management advisors, and food safety experts.
So, what’s your booth number? Give me your digits, baby!
Organic Grower Summit Organic Produce Network California Certified Organic Farmers
BAKERSFIELD, CA - California table grapes are continuing to thrive as the state powers through this landmark season for quality, sizing, and volume. I recently had the chance to speak with Randy Giumarra, Vice President of Sales, Giumarra Vineyards, to learn a bit more about the state of the season.
“Based on estimated numbers, we’ve only just passed the halfway mark on the harvest at Giumarra Vineyards, so we have a significant number of boxes left to harvest,” Randy tells me, before detailing the varieties being harvested. “We have quite the selection right now. We’re picking some ARRA 15 Sweeties, ARRA 32 Mystic Dream, Muscato Amoré Sweet Scarlets, Honeybunch Diamond Scarlet Royals, Autumn Royals, and some huge Red Globes.”
Suffice it to say, Giumarra Vineyards has a variety to fill every need for the mid- and late-season programs.
As we talk about varieties, I ask Randy to fill me in on how the season is in terms of quality, and he’s more than happy to oblige.
“In all honesty, this is a banner year for California table grapes. We have everything you’re looking for in the fruit—a huge crop, big size bunches and berries, and high brix, which leads to great eating quality. Retailers should have them in the front of the produce department all the way through December—they should jump off the shelves into shopping carts!” Randy says.
With 20 percent higher volume anticipated over last year, Randy goes on to explain the state of the market to me, and how retailers can take advantage of this uptick in volume.
“There is no doubt that movement has started picking up here recently, but the table grape industry as whole has some ground to make up,” he says. “Prices are definitely in the promotable range! The talk in recent years has been about new varieties that are better eating, have better yield, and are easier to grow. I feel like we’ve received strong support because of our new variety product mix but also because of the way we harvest our fruit with a heavy emphasis on flavor-profile. It’s pretty straight forward—if you give the consumer a great eating experience, chances are they’re going to come back to the same store and buy another bag and another bag, until it becomes a habit to pick up grapes every time they go shopping.”
In addition to sharing the current state of the grape market, Randy also wished to speak about tariffs and trade.
“I know I speak for most farmers of all commodities when I say we would like to see a resolution to the trade disputes. Between the tariffs levied on our products and the animosity it has created with some government officials in specific countries, there is no doubt that prices and—to a lesser degree, volume—has been affected in certain regions. The sooner there is a fair agreement for all countries involved, the better,” he concludes.
For more updates on fresh produce, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
TAMPA, FL - Polymer Logistics is adding a vet with experience from several sides of the industry; the company announced this week that it has hired Eric Biddiscombe as the company’s Country Manager, Canada.
“I’m excited to join the world-class team at Polymer Logistics,” said Biddiscombe, in a press release. “The Polymer Logistics culture of customer-first innovation, agility, value, and service is embedded and embraced throughout the organization. I’m looking forward to building partnerships with Canadian businesses, introducing them to our reusable transport and merchandising systems, and working together to delight shoppers and deliver sustainable profitable growth.”
In his new role, Biddiscombe will oversee all aspects of Polymer Logistics’ Canadian business, including retailer and grower development, service, operations, and asset management, for the full range of Polymer Logistics reusable packaging and merchandising systems.
According to the company’s press release, Biddiscombe will report to Fred Heptinstall, CEO, Polymer Logistics North America.
“We are thrilled to have a professional with Eric’s depth and breadth of experience join our leadership team,” said Heptinstall. “He is highly regarded by all sectors of the industry and well-suited to build sustainable partnerships with our customers in Canada as we position ourselves for growth in this important region.”
Biddiscombe joins Polymer Logistics from a stint as Chill Fresh Produce’s Vice President of Canadian Operations. In that capacity, Biddiscombe oversaw the company’s refrigerated produce distribution facility as well as sales across Eastern Canada.
Priorly, Biddiscombe spent 33 years with Loblaw Companies, Limited, serving in leadership roles in supply chain, produce procurement, quality assurance, merchandising, process improvement, and corporate social responsibility.
Additionally, Biddiscombe is an experienced advocate for our industry, having served on the Board of Directors of the CPMA for 9 years. In 2011, Biddiscome was named the Ontario Produce Marketing Association Person of the Year. He was tapped to participate in the Loblaw High Potential Program at the York University Schulich School of Business and completed process improvement methodology training with leaders from Virginia Tech University.
Congratulations, Eric, on your new role from all of us at AndNowUKnow.
BELDING, MI - In response to the growing popularity of the premium branded apple, Smitten® North America is moving into new territory; the brand announced the first-ever Midwestern harvest of Smitten apples this week.
“The growing popularity of this apple at retail has been impressive,” said Don Zornes, North America Marketing Director, in a press release. “Expanding production is a necessary and exciting response to meet that popularity.”
Developed in New Zealand by the Prevar Breeding program, Smitten is a blend of Gala, Braeburn, Fiesta, and Falstaff.
“We fell in love with this apple many years ago and are thrilled to join New Zealand and Washington in producing this extraordinary apple,” said Chris Sandwick, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BelleHarvest—the Midwest licensee for Smitten apples, who will begin marketing the first Michigan-grown Smitten apples in the coming weeks. “We believe it has the eating quality to please even the most cynical snacker.”
According to the company’s press release, the apple variety boasts outstanding flavor and exceptional crunch.
“We’ve only had enough so far to feed friends and family,” added Tony Blattner, President of BelleHarvest and grower of Smitten apples. “Now we have the chance to share this exceptional apple with our retail partners, as well.”
For more on exciting developments and new offerings in our industry, keep reading AndNowUKnow.
GOODLETTSVILLE, TN - Dollar General is trying to keep up with the ever-evolving retail chain by recruiting 7,000 new employees—from store managers and assistant store managers to lead sales associates and part- and full-time sales associates, the company is seeking to fill roles to support its retail store operations. In addition to the positions already mentioned, Dollar General is looking for district managers and regional directors.
“Dollar General is proud of its strong track record of supporting the growth and development of our approximately 134,000 employees across our organization,” said Bob Ravener, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. “We continue to make significant investments in employee programs focused on development and benefits. As a rapidly-growing company that has built more than 6,000 new stores and created approximately 50,000 net new jobs in the past decade alone, we believe we provide our employees with a wide range of exciting opportunities to advance within the Company. We look forward to welcoming new candidates to the Dollar General team and helping them achieve their career ambitions.”
According to a press release, now through Sunday, September 23, the company’s stores, spread out throughout 44 states, will interview candidates applying for a position at the energetic, innovative, diverse, and teamwork-driven locations. Hiring information can be found online.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY - LGS Specialty Sales is gearing up for fall festivities by announcing the debut of its new food and lifestyle blog Darling Dish, which offers recipe inspiration and information for items like Darling® Citrus, Suavo Avocado®, and Tiny Tim’s®.
“The blog is an opportunity for us to share our unique story and relationship with farmers around the world,” said President and Founder Luke Sears. “We want to extend the invitation for people to see a behind-the-scenes view of our company's culture and growing operations to cultivate a greater relationship and connect readers to stories from our groves abroad.”
Darling Dish will post recipes and lifestyle content once a week that not only take readers through the groves that grow the flavorful fruits of LGS, but also provide readers sneak peeks at upcoming promotions, new products, and more.
In addition, LGS is also kicking off its first sweepstakes, Squeeze the Day, which will run September through October and will encourage shopper brand advocacy, provide resources to local non-profits, and increase citrus sales. Those who enter will have a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card plus the opportunity to gift $500 to one of four pre-selected charities: Brighter Bites, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Hope Community Service, and Susan G. Komen.
In a press release, LGS notes that it is looking forward to giving back to its loyal shoppers in addition to organizations that align with its core value of fighting hunger and food waste and providing aid to those in need.
Now through December, LGS will also be sending shipments of fresh clementines to classrooms across the U.S. as a means to continue its commitment to support healthy communities. Each month, shoppers can go online and fill out a form for a chance to enter the Clementines For Your Classroom promotion to win two 5 lbs boxes of Darling Clementines®.
For additional information, please visit www.lgssales.com, or follow Darling Clementines’ Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional recipe inspiration. For more of the latest fresh fruit and veg news, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.