COACHELLA, CA - With a surge of beautiful product, it looks as though this is the time to push peppers and other key veggies on the snacking tray.
Prime Time Produce’s Mike Aiton took the time to give me some insights into the current market and what we might anticipate in the near future.
“Perfect growing conditions gave us an earlier-than-normal crop, with an abundance of product and peak production hitting the markets well in advance of normal,” Mike shares with me, describing the beautiful quality and promotional volumes as a tsunami of product has not slowed down.
“Even though the quality of the product has been the best in recent memory, pepper shippers have been singing the blues the past six weeks as sales prices have been well below the cost of production,” Mike explains.
While weather and the market have both challenged growers, it seems Mother Nature will likely bring a turnaround to the market.
“All this will change, as the plants will only produce so many peppers before they run out of gas. This would signal an earlier-than-normal end to the Nogales season,” Mike predicts. “The pendulum will then swing back and we would expect limited product and higher prices by about the first of March.”
Mike noted it is a similar story for several key categories coming out of Mexico, with many imported veggies experiencing a dip in market price alongside a spike in volume as we enter into the final surge of Super Bowl campaigns.
Is this the time for retailers to be pushing forward with those veggie-focused promotions?
Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we keep our ear to the ground for all the latest in the produce industry.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Santa Cruz Fresh Produce Inc., Salinas, Calif., for failure to pay for produce.
The company failed to pay $291,679 to nine sellers for 85 lots of produce. This is in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). As a result of these actions, Santa Cruz Fresh Produce Inc. cannot operate in the produce industry until Nov. 4, 2018, at which time it may reapply for a PACA license.
The company’s principal, Jose L. Ordonez Lopez, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until Nov. 4, 2017, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated, and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - From Safeway, to Target, and now a new senior role at SuperValu, Anne Dament has been making quite the stir in the retail industry over the past year or so. Dament, who began her retail career with SuperValu, will be assuming the role of Senior Vice President of Retail, Merchandising, and Marketing for the Minneapolis-based retailer, leading the company's retail banner operations and overseeing retail merchandising and marketing functions.
“Returning to SuperValu provides a great opportunity to collaborate with grocery veterans I’ve respected throughout my career,” shared Dament, who will now report to SuperValu President and CEO, Mark Gross. “Together, I’m looking forward to bringing a renewed energy to our retail banners.”
Dament has spent her 25-year retail career in several food focused roles, most recently as Senior Vice President of Merchandising for Target Corporation where she oversaw food merchandising for its grocery business, including perishables, non-perishables, foodservice, and private label brands. At Target, Dament was tasked with revamping the company’s grocery sector and make it more competitive with other food retailers.
"I’m thrilled that Anne is joining our leadership team,” said Gross. “As we focus on improving our retail store performance, Anne's experience across varied retail and merchandising disciplines should prove extremely beneficial. Anne is a dynamic, collaborative leader with great experience building and leading high performing teams through transformation and change.”
Prior to joining Target, Dament held an array of positions with Safeway in her decade-long stint with the company. These roles included Vice President, Business Unit General Manager, Homecare and General Merchandise; Group Vice President, Safeway.com; and Group Vice President, Perishable Strategy.
Will Dament be able to bring the same grocery-focused improvements to her role at SuperValu? AndNowUKnow will keep updating you with the latest.
ORANGE, CA- The FreshSource LLC Sales & Merchandising team is growing! The company announced the promotion of Natalie Junqueiro Machado to National Director of Marketing at FreshSource, LLC.
"Natalie has been a solid Marketing Manager for the Southern California division and this promotion will elevate Natalie's responsibilities to manage the entire company's marketing direction and social media objectives for all divisions as we continue to grow," said FreshSouce Founder, Robert Thompson, according to a press release.
Natalie is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo who joined the company four years ago and has held positions in both the Business Development and Sales departments for FreshSource. Since joining the FreshSource team she has performed at a high level in managing the many aspects of daily operations and tackling special projects for the company. She has proven to be an exceptional addition to the FreshSource Team.
FreshSource currently manages territories for its principal partners in Southern California, Northern California, and the Pacific Northwest. FreshSource continues to understand the pressure to capture the attention and imagination of niche audiences in today's ever-changing consumer market. The company is committed to building sales, delivering key services, and ensuring customers goals are met. Learn more at www.freshsource.info.
From the team at AndNowUKnow, congratulations to Natalie and best of luck in your future endeavors!
IRWINDALE, CA – Ready Pac Foods is following up its successful Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Bistro Bowl® this holiday season with an enticing new seasonal product—a Roasted Beets & Baby Greens Bistro Bowl.
“We pride ourselves with being first to market with the latest innovations in fresh foods–part of a long history of innovation here at Ready Pac Foods,” said Tristan Simpson, Chief Marketing Officer, Ready Pac Foods, in a company press release. “Consumers look to us for increased variety through seasonal and indulgent flavors and our Limited Edition offerings are able to fulfill that need.”
The company first introduced its limited edition, single-serve salad line in 2016 to provide consumers with fresh, peak-of-season ingredients in on-trend, indulgent-yet-convenient and healthy culinary creations.
The company’s new Limited Edition Roasted Beets & Baby Greens Bistro Bowl was developed after MenuMonitor reported a 53 percent increase in beets as an ingredient on restaurant menus in the last five years. Ready Pac Foods’ Culinary Team combined beets with feta—the number one cheese on restaurant main dish salads—for a winning combination.
According to Ready Pac Foods, the bowl’s original inspiration was Good Housekeeping’s publication of Ina Garten’s most popular Food Network recipe—her Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad. The bowl blends arugula and baby greens, fire roasted beets, feta cheese, candied walnuts, and dates with a red wine shallot vinaigrette in a single, deliciously on-trend offering.
The new bowl is available at major retailers and grocery chains nationwide—and will be featured at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco next week, from January 22 through 24 at booth #5163.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – With Texas retailers shifting around new strategies to stay ahead of the market, H-E-B’s Chairman and CEO is taking up a new method to further stimulate the market; investing in the next generation of leaders and consumers. Charles Butt has invested $100 million into The Holdsworth Center.
“The Holdsworth Center is about helping people be extraordinary in the job they are in today,” stated Charles, according to KSAT12. “In addition, we want them to reinvent the way future leaders are selected, developed, and supported within their districts so that when a position opens up, they have a tremendous bench from which to select the next superstar.”
The non-profit organization will be headquartered in Austin and is aimed at improving the quality of public education in Texas schools. The goal of the center, and Charles, is for the institution to create progress in every classroom by empowering educational leaders to reach their fullest potential, while also preparing the next generation of leaders.
Charles’ donation will further enable the creation of the center, which will be named after his mother, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth, who was a lifelong educator and philanthropist. The Holdsworth Center will be overseen by a 17-member panel, and chaired by the former President of Smith College and Brown University, Dr. Ruth Simmons.
“Mr. Butt's generous gift to the children of Texas demonstrates the level of commitment necessary to ensure a more hopeful future for our schools. I am grateful to work with him in developing and supporting leaders for our public schools,” said Dr. Ruth Simmons, Chair of the Holdsworth Center’s Board of Directors.
Charles’ donation to the training center will come from his personal fortune. The Austin Business Journal stated that this donation to The Holdsworth Center represents a new and innovative way for private citizens to invest in public education.
Classes for the training academy are slated to begin in June, with 16 school districts participating thus far.
For more information on The Holdsworth Center, click here.
IMMOKALEE, FL -In recognition of its in-depth work in conservation, protecting natural resources, and preserving water quality, Lipman has been awarded the 2016 Virginia Clean Water Farm Award in the Grand Basin district.
“This award marks the culmination of many years of hard work and attention to detail on the part of our Virginia farming staff,” shared Gerry Odell, Lipman’s Chief Farming Officer, upon receiving the award. “We go to great lengths to ensure that our farms not only meet all regulatory standards, but continuously strive for a sustainable balance within the ecosystems where we operate. We are honored to be selected for this award that recognizes our core principle of caring for the planet we inhabit.”
According to a press release, one Grand Basin winner is selected from each of Virginia’s 10 river drainage basins. The company’s work in the state’s Accomack and Northampton counties resulted in its win of the Coastal Category.
This isn’t the company’s only forays into providing the produce industry with sustainable farming practices either. According to Lipman’s website, the company has achieved the following:
- Decreased fuel consumption per acre by 23.3% for diesel and 11.2% for gasoline since 2005.
- Repurposing 80-120 million pounds/year of produce as livestock feed.
- Cut energy consumption by 56% (1.9 million kWh/year) and reduced CO2 emissions by 1,232 tons annually by replacing outdated lighting fixtures.
- Recycles 100% of cardboard waste (300,000 pounds/week).
- Reduced water consumption by 70% and saved 66 million gallons per year from Florida’s aquifer using drip irrigation.
To learn more about Lipman and the company’s wide array of sustainability efforts, visit LipmanFamilyFarms.com.
WASHINGTON, DC - The USDA is moving forward on an organic-specific check-off program referred to as GRO Organic (Generic Research and Promotion Order for Organic) that could serve as a milestone for the growing sector.
The department is looking for feedback from the public on nationwide research and promotion of the system, which the Organic Trade Commission (OTA) said in a recent press release could have important and long-lasting benefits for organic farmers, businesses, and consumers alike.
“We applaud USDA moving forward on this proposal that was authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill with strong bipartisan support,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA. “OTA led the drive for this check-off because the organic industry is at a critical point. This organic check-off will provide research and key tools to encourage more farmers to go organic and help all organic farmers be more successful. It will educate consumers in a positive way about what that organic seal really means. For the benefit of all of us, this proactive program will further the success of organic agriculture for the long term.”
Organic industry veteran Todd Linsky of Todd Linsky Consulting also reacted to the announcement in his account “The organic journey: We’ve come a long way but we’re just getting started.”
“Thirty years ago when I started in the organic produce industry it was called a trade. It was a cottage industry whose participants had no inkling of what it would become today. Back in the day there was no formal way to cool and ship product, no salad mix, and a handful of apple varieties,” Todd begins. He continues to describe the “uphill battle to establish credibility in a market that asked for quick and easy and didn't want to know where their food came from,” and says that a check-off program designed “specifically for the organic sector and supported purely by funds raised from organic stakeholders would target resources into vital organic research, consumer education, and more.”
To read Todd’s complete story on the organic journey and what the check-off program would mean, click here.
The application, originally submitted by the OTA officially to the USDA in May of 2015 and then updated last year, the proposed organic check-off would be progressive and reform-based:
- The Check-off Board would be made up of 50 percent producers and 50 percent handlers.
- Producers will select their regional representatives through direct balloting.
- Every single certificate holder subject to an assessment will have a direct vote–there is no bloc voting.
- Assessments would be made throughout the value chain: producers, handlers, processors, retailers.
- Farmers and handlers with gross organic revenue below $250,000 will choose whether or not to pay into the program.
- At least 50 to 75 percent of the funds would be earmarked specifically for research, or for activities that work hand-in-hand with research, like technical assistance and widespread dissemination of research findings.
- Twenty-five percent of the assessment from producers would be required to be used for local and regional research. A Board sub-committee of regional seat holders would recommend how those funds would be used.
- All of the research, inventions, and innovations resulting from organic check-off programing would remain in the public domain.
- A referendum is required every seven years to decide whether or not to continue the program.
The organic industry proposal estimates the organic check-off could raise over $30 million a year to spend on research to help support organic transitions and education.
Organic stakeholders say now is the time, with U.S. organic product sales up to $43.3 billion in 2015. Keep checking in with AndNowUKnow as we continue to track this and other key moves in the industry.
MONTEREY, CA - This month marks the occasion of the 37th Annual Agricultural Personnel Management Association Forum.
The professional, non-profit organization, committed to the advancement of Human Resources and Safety Management through education, information, and interaction, is slated to hold this year’s event at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa in Monterey, California.
From January 25th through 27th, the three-day conference will feature a number of informational sessions, starting Wednesday with a comprehensive session on the H-2A process, participant-driven HR and safety roundtables, and a President’s reception.
On Thursday, the conference will feature a networking lunch followed by four workshop tracks on topics including:
- Labor and Employment Law
- Management
- Health and Safety
- Human Resources
And Friday’s itinerary includes a keynote session on technology in agriculture and concludes with the association’s 2017 Labor and Employment Law Update, a 37th Annual APMA dinner, and 7th HRPA Graduation Ceremony.
Keynote speakers at the event include:
- Roby Roy: President and General Counsel of Ventura County Ag Association
- Bob Gray: Past President and CEO of CA Ag Leadership Foundation
- Rob Trice: Founder of The Mixing Bowl
The forum also offers opportunities to learn about new products and services at vendor stations. For more information, check out the 37th Annual APMA Forum brochure and register at the APMA’s website, here.
WASHINGTON, DC– The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative action under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) against Fresh & Easy LLC.
According to a USDA press release, the company, operating from California, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to 23 produce sellers in the amount of $201,486 from March 2015 through December 2015.
Fresh & Easy LLC 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 for two years. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,500 PACA claims involving more than $58 million. Its experts also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $140 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.