Author Archive
Romaine lettuce shipments have been dead in the water since the FDA and CDC began investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses. However, this is changing since the location of the outbreak has been identified.
The agencies say it’s likely linked to romaine lettuce grown in California this fall. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency are also coordinating with U.S. agencies as they investigate a similar outbreak in Canada.
The majority of California romaine lettuce is shipped out of the Salinas Valley (Monterey County), the Santa Maria District (Santa Barbara County) and Oxnard (Ventura County). These areas would be nearing the end of their shipping season anyway, but have been halted the last couple of weeks as the government sought to identify the source of contamination.
Expect lettuce shipments out of the desert areas of California (Imperial Valley) and Arizona (Yuma), to soar with the news they are not suspected of having any of the contaminated romaine.
Yuma lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower shipments – grossing about $8400 to New York City.
The FDA has been conducting a traceback investigation, reviewing shipping records and invoices to trace the supply of romaine from the place where ill people were exposed to the place where that romaine was grown.
Preliminary traceback information indicates that ill people in several areas across the country were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested in California. Specifically, current evidence indicates this romaine was harvested in the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California, according to a FDA news release.
As of November 28th, the specific California counties FDA is including in this region are:
- Monterey
- San Benito
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- Ventura
Additional counties may be added as the FDA traceback develops.
Romaine harvested from locations outside of the California regions identified by the traceback investigation does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.
There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine lettuce that is certain to have been harvested from areas outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. For example, romaine lettuce harvested from areas that include, but are not limited to the desert growing region near Yuma, the California desert growing region near Imperial County and Riverside County, the state of Florida, and Mexico, does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Additionally, there is no evidence hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine is related to the current outbreak.
During this new stage of the investigation, it is vital that consumers and retailers have an easy way to identify romaine lettuce by both harvest date and harvest location. Labeling with this information on each bag of romaine or signage in stores where labels are not an option would easily differentiate for consumers romaine from unaffected growing regions, the FDA release said.
FDA Recommendation:
Based on discussions with producers and distributors, romaine lettuce entering the market will now be labeled with a harvest location and a harvest date or labeled as being hydroponically- or greenhouse-grown. If it does not have this information, you should not eat or use it.
If romaine lettuce does have this labeling information, we advise avoiding any product from the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. Romaine lettuce from outside those regions need not be avoided.
Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine also does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from these sources.
DeltaTrak® of Pleasanton, CA has introduced two new FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers.
The new FlashLink In-Transit Real-Time Mini Logger is a cost-effective real-time logger providing temperature, humidity and location information utilizing GSM cellular technology. Shipments are tracked worldwide using DeltaTrak’s ColdTrak 24/7 cloud service. Reliable up-to-the-minute information can be accessed securely anywhere with user login and password on a standard web browser using a PC or any internet-ready device.
Using the same cloud-based dashboard, the new FlashLink Reusable Real-Time Mini Data Logger monitors crops in the field and truck cool down. It tracks temperature that crops are exposed to in the field and automated alerts notify personnel so they can take immediate measures to prevent freeze damage. For truck cool down, the logger alarm limits can be set to loading temperature and an alert will be sent so that dock supervisors know which trucks are ready, and improve efficiency by streamlining the loading process.
“The FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers help our customers closely track temperature before it reaches a dangerous level,” according to Frederick Wu, President and CEO of DeltaTrak. “and, are cost-effective real-time data loggers that are easy to integrate into our customers’ existing SOP’s (standard operating procedures).
For the in-transit logger, DeltaTrak offers two models, one for most domestic shipments with a 15-day logging duration and data uploaded every 10 minutes, and a second model for longer trips with a 60-day logging duration and data uploaded every 60 minutes, ideal for export shipments. For the reusable logger, shippers can program their own trip duration and logging intervals.
The ColdTrak web portal provides enhanced features and allows growers and shippers the option to upload documentation and archive data for FSMA, HACCP and regulatory compliance. Customers can customize high/low alarm settings, and alerts are automatically sent when out-of-range conditions occur.
The FlashLink In-Transit Real-Time Mini Logger is mounted on a highly visible shipping card which makes the units easy to locate inside a trailer or container. Each unit comes charged and ready-to-use. Shippers can simply start the logger with the one-button activation and place it in their loads. The FlashLink Reusable Real-Time Mini Data Logger is enclosed in a durable case which protects the logger from external elements either on the field or in a truck.
The FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers are a great solution for anyone that needs up-to-the-minute information on the temperature of their products.
About DeltaTrak®
DeltaTrak® is a leading innovator of cold chain management, environmental monitoring and food safety solutions for the food, produce, life science, and chemical industries.
Imported citrus from Morocco is now arriving by boat on the East Coast, while imported melons are about to take center stage as the domestic season comes to a close.
The season’s first breakbulk shipment of fresh Moroccan citrus to arrive in the United States took place November 7th at the port of Wilmington, DE.
The M.V. Belgie Reefer, a specialized refrigerated vessel delivered the citrus to port of Wilmington customer Fresh Fruit Maroc.
The Belgie Reefer was carrying over 574,800 boxes of fresh clementines. Wilmington is a major port of entry and distribution center for the seasonal importation of fresh Moroccan citrus, including Nour and Nadorcott clementine varieties.
During this season which runs through March, the port expects to receive about 12 shiploads of fruit from the Moroccan Atlantic port of Agadir. The arrival of the Belgie Reefer marks the 19th consecutive year the port has been receiving express, breakbulk shipments for Fresh Fruit Maroc.
Cargo is stored in the port’s 800,000-square-foot on-dock refrigerated warehouse complex, one of North America’s largest facilities, before distribution to markets throughout the United States and Canada. The port of Wilmington will handle over 10.7 million boxes of Moroccan citrus in the 2018-19 season.
Imported Melons
Domestic melon shipments are winding down and now U.S. importers are looking to the offshore season. Much of the winter melon imports come from production areas in Mexico as well as Guatemala. Offshore fruit is expected to arrive on the West Coast in early December, a little behind the first East Coast arrivals.
Vision Produce Company of Los Angeles starts its Central American season from Guatemala in early December on the West Coast and will continue through April. The company is expecting steady supplies.
Both California and northern Mexico have experienced some adverse growing conditions, which reduced shipments and is increasing demand for imported melons as the new season gets underway.
Union Pacific will be acquiring 1,000 new high-tech refrigerated boxcars and may increase that total to 1,600 if needed. The purchase will result in the largest equipment acquisition in company history, costing $250,000 per car. The announcement was made recently at the Idaho Grower Shipper Association’s 90th annual convention in Sun Valley, ID.
It was pointed out the Idaho potato industry has historically relied heavily on rail transportation for shipments destined to major markets such as Chicago or the Northeast. For regions such as these, the additional reefers are greatly needed. Union Pacific has a fleet of aging, antiquated reefers that are woefully unable to meet existing demand. Current equipment is at least 40 years old, and Idaho potato shipments have increased dramatically in the past four decades.
Thrasher was one of seven panelists participating in the workshop that addressed some of the major transportation challenges faced by the Idaho potato industry. The panel was moderated by Derek Peterson of Wilcox Fresh, who is a member of the IGSA board of directors.
During the convention other companies aired concerns for serious problems facing the trucking industry and its inability to hire enough drivers. It was pointed out nationwide trucking industry is 50,000 drivers short. A major factor is drivers approaching retirement age. The average age of long-haul truck drivers is now 65 and the industry is not being successful in either attracting or retaining younger drivers.
Contributing to the decline is the current robust economy is providing more attractive options to younger drivers or to younger workers who might otherwise have considered long-haul trucking. There also are higher paying jobs in construction or in the oil fields, which often offer workers the advantage of going home to their families at night rather than being on the road for a week or more at a stretch.
A panel at the convention rehashed many age old ways to make truck driving a more attractive option for new drivers as well as ways to reduce turnover. It was pointed out shippers could make life easier for drivers hauling fresh produce by treating the drivers with more respect, providing clean, comfortable facilities for them while they are waiting to be loaded or unloaded, reducing wait times, compensating them for long waits and providing adequate truck parking.
It also was suggest that reducing the age for interstate commercial truck drivers to 18 would help.
South Texas vegetables are improving, plus an update on how Argentina lemon imports are shaping up.
Texas vegetable shipments have gotten off to a rocky start due to weather factors, but shippers see volume improving, although it may December before that happens.
Most of the Lower Grande Valley and the Winter Garden/Uvalde growing regions in Central Texas received a lot of rain the past two months, and delayed plantings. Wet field also have hindered harvests. It has resulted in a number of vegetables getting off to a slow start.
Texas cabbage shipments are expected to be good, in part because of reduced volume in Florida and Georgia resulting from hurricane damage.
Frontera Produce Ltd. in Edinburg, TX ships cilantro, chili peppers, calabaza and cabbage and has noted its challenges with the weather, but says crops and loadings have rebounded. Quality is reported good.
Frontera started shipping jalapeño, anaheim and serrano peppers, as well as calabaza squash in mid October. During the past four years the company has gradually increased its chili pepper production, and this year that trend continues. Frontera is now starting its Texas cabbage season.
Grow Farms Texas LLC of Donna reports Mexico’s prime vegetable growing region in Culiacan has been spared damage from a series of storms, but hot pepper production just to the south were not as lucky.
Argentina Lemon Imports
Argentina produce company Latin Lemon has pointed out the country’s return to the U.S., which last year reopened for the South American country after a 17-year hiatus. Latin Lemon reports the first season had gone very well, despite the strict export protocol, while nearly 10,000 metric tons (MT) of lemons were exported to the U.S.
Argentina took advantage of an eight-week window after California’s season, but before the heavy Mexican volumes. The plan was and is to slowly and cautiously build up volumes. Argentina currently exports nearly 20 percent of its lemon production.
By Allen Lund Company
La Cañada Flintridge Calif. – Since 2004, the Allen Lund Company has participated in Navidad en el Barrio. Over 75,000 people are served annually through the efforts of Navidad, which was established in 1972 by Danny Villanueva, former NFL kicker. “It is overwhelming to watch and read about the increasing homelessness in Southern California. The efforts of Navidad en el Barrio makes a small dent in the assistance to the most under-served families,” said Nora Trueblood, Director of Marketing at the Allen Lund Company.
Kenny Lund, Vice President adds, “My mom and dad instilled in us the value and importance of giving back and we as a company completely embrace that concept. Navidad en el Barrio is such an important effort and one that we are able to actually see the impact, by participating in the distribution of the dinners and meeting the grateful families. We plan to continue our commitment to Navidad en el Barrio for years to come.”
Navidad accepts and utilizes donations to assemble food baskets containing chicken, cheese, canned goods and various produce items for a hearty and healthy family holiday meal. ALC provides logistical support as well as produce donated by customers. The process of organizing donations of perishable products or food items from growers/shippers for the annual holiday food baskets has already started.
ALC is reaching out to shippers in the Western U.S. that often ship items which could be used to complete a meal for these families’ Christmas dinner. The logistics and transportation of the donations during the week of December 10-15, 2018 will be provided by the Allen Lund Company with meals being delivered on Saturday, December 15th. Donations are delivered via ALC to a warehouse location in Los Angeles and then delivered to agencies throughout Southern California for distribution to families. All donations must be usable beyond the date of distribution.
About Allen Lund Company:
Specializing as a national third-party transportation broker with nationwide offices and over 500 employees, the Allen Lund Company works with shippers and carriers across the nation to arrange dry, refrigerated (specializing in produce), and flatbed freight; additionally, the Allen Lund Company has a logistics and software division, ALC Logistics, and an International Division licensed by the FMC as an OTI-NVOCC #019872NF. If you are interested in joining the Allen Lund Company team, please click here.
Established in 1976, the Allen Lund Company was recognized by Logistics Tech Outlook for our software division ALC Logistics as a 2018 Top 10 Freight Management Solution Providers, 2018 Food Logistics’ Top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers list, 2017 Supply & Demand Chain Executive Top 100, 2017 Food Logistics 100+ Top Software and Tech Provider, a 2016 Top IT Provider by Inbound Logistics, 2015 Coca-Cola Challenger Carrier of the Year, 2015 Top Private Company in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, 2015 Top 100+ Software and Technology Providers, 2015 Top 100 Logistics IT Provider by Inbound Logistics, a 2014 Great Supply Chain Partner, and was placed in Transport Topics’ “2014 Top 25 Freight Brokerage Firms.” The company manages over 365,000 loads annually, and received the 2013 “Best in Cargo Security Award.” In 2011, the company received the TIA 3PL Samaritan Award, and NASTC (National Association of Small Trucking Companies) named Allen Lund Company the 2010 Best Broker of the Year. More information is available at www.allenlund.com.
Prayers of thanks and special Thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.
In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII and in reaction to the large number of religious holidays on the Catholic calendar. Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. The 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27, but some Purtians wished to completely eliminate all Church holidays, including Christmas and Easter.
The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting or Days of Thanksgiving, in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence. Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving. For example, Days of Fasting were called on account of drought in 1611, floods in 1613, and plagues in 1604 and 1622. Days of Thanksgiving were called following the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1705. An unusual annual Day of Thanksgiving began in 1606 following the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and developed into Guy Fawkes Day on November 5.
Pilgrims and Puritans who emigrated from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England. The modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is traced to a to a well-recorded 1619 event in Virginia and a sparsely documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1619 arrival of 38 English settlers at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County, Virginia, concluded with a religious celebration as dictated by the group’s charter from the London Company, which specifically required “that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned … in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.” The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest.
Wishing all of you a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.
North Dakota’s 2018 potato shipping forecast is set at 23.7 million cwt, and Minnesota’s at 18.1 million; down 3 percent and 2 percent respectively from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Harvested acres are estimated at 73,000 in North Dakota; down 1,000 acres from 2017, while Minnesota acres dropped to 43,000; down 2,500 from last year. Average yield in North Dakota is 325, down 5 cwt. from 2017, while Minnesota’s average yield is forecast at 420, up 15 cwt. per acre from last year.
The Red River Valley of Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota is the nation’s largest red potato growing and shipping region.
The Red River Valley is unlike anywhere else. A beautiful stretch of land between the rolling plains of North Dakota and the lakes and forests of Minnesota. It isn’t your traditional valley, it’s nestled on flat, fertile ground that follows the coils of the mighty Red River as it flows north from South Dakota to Canada.
The Red River Valley is the bottom of what was once Lake Agassiz, a massive glacial lake larger than even the mighty Great Lakes. As the huge glacier plowed over the land, it deposited a layer of silt, clay, sand and rock that slowly transformed into the valley’s rich soil, setting the area up to become one of the world’s most successful farming regions.
The soil is what sets the Red River Valley apart. The rich, dark soil is perfect for growing potatoes. While its black color is distinct, one truly gains an appreciation for the valley’s loam soil when they see it up close and handle it for themselves. This nutrient-rich dirt is the reason why Red River Valley potatoes taste so good.
The continental climate of this area is also a large part of why the Red River Valley produces the world’s best potatoes. Its growing season is short, lasting for only five months, but the growing days are long with as many as 16 hours of sunlight per day. The Red River Valley boasts a consistent dose of precipitation. With most crops watered by prairie rain instead of irrigation, potatoes from the Red River Valley are rich in flavor that only Mother Nature can provide.
With the Red River Valley’s uniquely ideal growing conditions, it’s easy to see why the potato was one of the first crops to be grown here. The first potatoes were planted near Pembina, North Dakota, during the 19th century and served as a valuable food source for fur traders. As settlements were established in the valley throughout the 1800s, the potato remained a mainstay vegetable. At the beginning of the 20th century, potatoes began to be produced commercially, with the first commercial planting done near Hoople, North Dakota. During WWII, the potato industry quickly expanded in the Red River Valley, as it built a reputation for its high-quality seed production and its red-skinned potatoes known as “Red River Valley Reds.”
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $2125 to Chicago.
Emerson has introduced a real-time tracker designed to curb thefts, with an emphasis on security of imported goods.
The GO Real-Time Secure Tracker uses GPS tracking technology and security measures that are compliant with the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program that expedites certain loads through customs. A steel locking bolt guards against theft while shipments are on the road or being shipped on the water, according to a news release.
The GO Real-Time Secure Tracker will alert users if a container door has been opened or if shipments diverge from a programmed course.
“This latest innovation from Emerson was developed to enhance supply chain security, reduce the financial loss from stolen cargo, and assist law enforcement in the recovery of high-value items,” Frank Landwehr, vice president and general manager, said in the release.
Bananas Shelf Life
Big benefits to the banana supply chain are being provided by the RipeLock system, according to company officials at AgroFresh of Philadelphia.
The proprietary system couples 1-MCP technology with unique micro-perforated bag packaging to slow ripening and reduce spoilage. The net result is better shelf appeal and ripeness, providing 4 to 6 days extension in banana yellow life.
The RipeLock system was developed in the past five years and has been commercially deployed for about two years. It is a post-harvest solution slowing the ripening process for bananas and keeps the bananas from turning brown too quickly.
The modified atmosphere bag is packaged at the source and continues through the supply chain.
The bag can easily be used at shipping point, since bananas are typically packed in a liner anyway. The modified atmosphere packaging has to be securely sealed with a knot and a rubber band to make sure the exchange of gas will work as planned.
The bag also keeps the right level of oxygen and carbon dioxide so the bananas are fresh and healthy all the way through the supply chain.
When RipeLock boxes arrive at a distribution center, the active ingredient is applied to the fruit, which acts to extend the yellow shelf life of the bananas up to 6 days.
The systems also reduce fruit weight loss.
The modified atmosphere packaging prevents the bananas from dehydrating during the supply chain.
A Mexican labor dispute that broke out in late October has had U.S. avocado importers anxious, but the issue was resolved November 14th.
What Mexican growers consider low prices for their avocados was at the core of the dispute. As a result growers had installed checkpoints on all major roads in the Michoacan growing region, preventing picking crews and field trucks from entering the groves, according to the Avocado Producers and Exporting Packers Association of Michoacán (APEAM).
In the U.S., importers were becoming concerned as inventories were quickly declining. Calavo Growers Inc. of Santa Paula, CA was airing concerns of running of avocado supplies soon.
APEAM said its executives were working to resolve the issue through meetings and conversations with police agencies, the federal government and growers. The association expressed confidence these actions would soon lead to avocado shipments returning to normal.
Avocado prices began falling last August in anticipation of a bigger crop. In fact, by mid-October f.o.b. prices of a box of avocados were $12 lower than a year earlier.
Calavo estimated that the U.S. imported 1.9 million pounds of Mexican avocados from July 2017 through June 2018, and he that number was expected to be up to 2.1 million pounds for the current crop year.
McDaniel Fruit Co. of Fallbrook, CA was ware of Mexican grower disappointment in prices, but felt the lower prices were only temporary and the avocado market would rebound. Meanwhile, the quality of the Mexican avocado crop was looking very good.
Index Fresh Inc. of Riverside, CA was pointing out Mexico is expecting a slightly larger crop for the first time in five years.
Avocado supplies in the U.S. have been low due to the labor strife, although the average consumer probably didn’t notice it. Importers report it will be weeks before supplies return to normal, plus a lot of avocado supplies will not be ripe in time for Thanksgiving.
Romaine lettuce shipments have been dead in the water since the FDA and CDC began investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses. However, this is changing since the location of the outbreak has been identified.
The agencies say it’s likely linked to romaine lettuce grown in California this fall. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency are also coordinating with U.S. agencies as they investigate a similar outbreak in Canada.
The majority of California romaine lettuce is shipped out of the Salinas Valley (Monterey County), the Santa Maria District (Santa Barbara County) and Oxnard (Ventura County). These areas would be nearing the end of their shipping season anyway, but have been halted the last couple of weeks as the government sought to identify the source of contamination.
Expect lettuce shipments out of the desert areas of California (Imperial Valley) and Arizona (Yuma), to soar with the news they are not suspected of having any of the contaminated romaine.
Yuma lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower shipments – grossing about $8400 to New York City.
The FDA has been conducting a traceback investigation, reviewing shipping records and invoices to trace the supply of romaine from the place where ill people were exposed to the place where that romaine was grown.
Preliminary traceback information indicates that ill people in several areas across the country were exposed to romaine lettuce harvested in California. Specifically, current evidence indicates this romaine was harvested in the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California, according to a FDA news release.
As of November 28th, the specific California counties FDA is including in this region are:
- Monterey
- San Benito
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- Ventura
Additional counties may be added as the FDA traceback develops.
Romaine harvested from locations outside of the California regions identified by the traceback investigation does not appear to be related to the current outbreak.
There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine lettuce that is certain to have been harvested from areas outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. For example, romaine lettuce harvested from areas that include, but are not limited to the desert growing region near Yuma, the California desert growing region near Imperial County and Riverside County, the state of Florida, and Mexico, does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Additionally, there is no evidence hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine is related to the current outbreak.
During this new stage of the investigation, it is vital that consumers and retailers have an easy way to identify romaine lettuce by both harvest date and harvest location. Labeling with this information on each bag of romaine or signage in stores where labels are not an option would easily differentiate for consumers romaine from unaffected growing regions, the FDA release said.
FDA Recommendation:
Based on discussions with producers and distributors, romaine lettuce entering the market will now be labeled with a harvest location and a harvest date or labeled as being hydroponically- or greenhouse-grown. If it does not have this information, you should not eat or use it.
If romaine lettuce does have this labeling information, we advise avoiding any product from the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California. Romaine lettuce from outside those regions need not be avoided.
Romaine lettuce that was harvested outside of the Central Coast growing regions of northern and central California does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. Hydroponically- and greenhouse-grown romaine also does not appear to be related to the current outbreak. There is no recommendation for consumers or retailers to avoid using romaine harvested from these sources.
DeltaTrak® of Pleasanton, CA has introduced two new FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers.
The new FlashLink In-Transit Real-Time Mini Logger is a cost-effective real-time logger providing temperature, humidity and location information utilizing GSM cellular technology. Shipments are tracked worldwide using DeltaTrak’s ColdTrak 24/7 cloud service. Reliable up-to-the-minute information can be accessed securely anywhere with user login and password on a standard web browser using a PC or any internet-ready device.
Using the same cloud-based dashboard, the new FlashLink Reusable Real-Time Mini Data Logger monitors crops in the field and truck cool down. It tracks temperature that crops are exposed to in the field and automated alerts notify personnel so they can take immediate measures to prevent freeze damage. For truck cool down, the logger alarm limits can be set to loading temperature and an alert will be sent so that dock supervisors know which trucks are ready, and improve efficiency by streamlining the loading process.
“The FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers help our customers closely track temperature before it reaches a dangerous level,” according to Frederick Wu, President and CEO of DeltaTrak. “and, are cost-effective real-time data loggers that are easy to integrate into our customers’ existing SOP’s (standard operating procedures).
For the in-transit logger, DeltaTrak offers two models, one for most domestic shipments with a 15-day logging duration and data uploaded every 10 minutes, and a second model for longer trips with a 60-day logging duration and data uploaded every 60 minutes, ideal for export shipments. For the reusable logger, shippers can program their own trip duration and logging intervals.
The ColdTrak web portal provides enhanced features and allows growers and shippers the option to upload documentation and archive data for FSMA, HACCP and regulatory compliance. Customers can customize high/low alarm settings, and alerts are automatically sent when out-of-range conditions occur.
The FlashLink In-Transit Real-Time Mini Logger is mounted on a highly visible shipping card which makes the units easy to locate inside a trailer or container. Each unit comes charged and ready-to-use. Shippers can simply start the logger with the one-button activation and place it in their loads. The FlashLink Reusable Real-Time Mini Data Logger is enclosed in a durable case which protects the logger from external elements either on the field or in a truck.
The FlashLink Real-Time Mini Loggers are a great solution for anyone that needs up-to-the-minute information on the temperature of their products.
About DeltaTrak®
DeltaTrak® is a leading innovator of cold chain management, environmental monitoring and food safety solutions for the food, produce, life science, and chemical industries.
Imported citrus from Morocco is now arriving by boat on the East Coast, while imported melons are about to take center stage as the domestic season comes to a close.
The season’s first breakbulk shipment of fresh Moroccan citrus to arrive in the United States took place November 7th at the port of Wilmington, DE.
The M.V. Belgie Reefer, a specialized refrigerated vessel delivered the citrus to port of Wilmington customer Fresh Fruit Maroc.
The Belgie Reefer was carrying over 574,800 boxes of fresh clementines. Wilmington is a major port of entry and distribution center for the seasonal importation of fresh Moroccan citrus, including Nour and Nadorcott clementine varieties.
During this season which runs through March, the port expects to receive about 12 shiploads of fruit from the Moroccan Atlantic port of Agadir. The arrival of the Belgie Reefer marks the 19th consecutive year the port has been receiving express, breakbulk shipments for Fresh Fruit Maroc.
Cargo is stored in the port’s 800,000-square-foot on-dock refrigerated warehouse complex, one of North America’s largest facilities, before distribution to markets throughout the United States and Canada. The port of Wilmington will handle over 10.7 million boxes of Moroccan citrus in the 2018-19 season.
Imported Melons
Domestic melon shipments are winding down and now U.S. importers are looking to the offshore season. Much of the winter melon imports come from production areas in Mexico as well as Guatemala. Offshore fruit is expected to arrive on the West Coast in early December, a little behind the first East Coast arrivals.
Vision Produce Company of Los Angeles starts its Central American season from Guatemala in early December on the West Coast and will continue through April. The company is expecting steady supplies.
Both California and northern Mexico have experienced some adverse growing conditions, which reduced shipments and is increasing demand for imported melons as the new season gets underway.
Union Pacific will be acquiring 1,000 new high-tech refrigerated boxcars and may increase that total to 1,600 if needed. The purchase will result in the largest equipment acquisition in company history, costing $250,000 per car. The announcement was made recently at the Idaho Grower Shipper Association’s 90th annual convention in Sun Valley, ID.
It was pointed out the Idaho potato industry has historically relied heavily on rail transportation for shipments destined to major markets such as Chicago or the Northeast. For regions such as these, the additional reefers are greatly needed. Union Pacific has a fleet of aging, antiquated reefers that are woefully unable to meet existing demand. Current equipment is at least 40 years old, and Idaho potato shipments have increased dramatically in the past four decades.
Thrasher was one of seven panelists participating in the workshop that addressed some of the major transportation challenges faced by the Idaho potato industry. The panel was moderated by Derek Peterson of Wilcox Fresh, who is a member of the IGSA board of directors.
During the convention other companies aired concerns for serious problems facing the trucking industry and its inability to hire enough drivers. It was pointed out nationwide trucking industry is 50,000 drivers short. A major factor is drivers approaching retirement age. The average age of long-haul truck drivers is now 65 and the industry is not being successful in either attracting or retaining younger drivers.
Contributing to the decline is the current robust economy is providing more attractive options to younger drivers or to younger workers who might otherwise have considered long-haul trucking. There also are higher paying jobs in construction or in the oil fields, which often offer workers the advantage of going home to their families at night rather than being on the road for a week or more at a stretch.
A panel at the convention rehashed many age old ways to make truck driving a more attractive option for new drivers as well as ways to reduce turnover. It was pointed out shippers could make life easier for drivers hauling fresh produce by treating the drivers with more respect, providing clean, comfortable facilities for them while they are waiting to be loaded or unloaded, reducing wait times, compensating them for long waits and providing adequate truck parking.
It also was suggest that reducing the age for interstate commercial truck drivers to 18 would help.
South Texas vegetables are improving, plus an update on how Argentina lemon imports are shaping up.
Texas vegetable shipments have gotten off to a rocky start due to weather factors, but shippers see volume improving, although it may December before that happens.
Most of the Lower Grande Valley and the Winter Garden/Uvalde growing regions in Central Texas received a lot of rain the past two months, and delayed plantings. Wet field also have hindered harvests. It has resulted in a number of vegetables getting off to a slow start.
Texas cabbage shipments are expected to be good, in part because of reduced volume in Florida and Georgia resulting from hurricane damage.
Frontera Produce Ltd. in Edinburg, TX ships cilantro, chili peppers, calabaza and cabbage and has noted its challenges with the weather, but says crops and loadings have rebounded. Quality is reported good.
Frontera started shipping jalapeño, anaheim and serrano peppers, as well as calabaza squash in mid October. During the past four years the company has gradually increased its chili pepper production, and this year that trend continues. Frontera is now starting its Texas cabbage season.
Grow Farms Texas LLC of Donna reports Mexico’s prime vegetable growing region in Culiacan has been spared damage from a series of storms, but hot pepper production just to the south were not as lucky.
Argentina Lemon Imports
Argentina produce company Latin Lemon has pointed out the country’s return to the U.S., which last year reopened for the South American country after a 17-year hiatus. Latin Lemon reports the first season had gone very well, despite the strict export protocol, while nearly 10,000 metric tons (MT) of lemons were exported to the U.S.
Argentina took advantage of an eight-week window after California’s season, but before the heavy Mexican volumes. The plan was and is to slowly and cautiously build up volumes. Argentina currently exports nearly 20 percent of its lemon production.
By Allen Lund Company
La Cañada Flintridge Calif. – Since 2004, the Allen Lund Company has participated in Navidad en el Barrio. Over 75,000 people are served annually through the efforts of Navidad, which was established in 1972 by Danny Villanueva, former NFL kicker. “It is overwhelming to watch and read about the increasing homelessness in Southern California. The efforts of Navidad en el Barrio makes a small dent in the assistance to the most under-served families,” said Nora Trueblood, Director of Marketing at the Allen Lund Company.
Kenny Lund, Vice President adds, “My mom and dad instilled in us the value and importance of giving back and we as a company completely embrace that concept. Navidad en el Barrio is such an important effort and one that we are able to actually see the impact, by participating in the distribution of the dinners and meeting the grateful families. We plan to continue our commitment to Navidad en el Barrio for years to come.”
Navidad accepts and utilizes donations to assemble food baskets containing chicken, cheese, canned goods and various produce items for a hearty and healthy family holiday meal. ALC provides logistical support as well as produce donated by customers. The process of organizing donations of perishable products or food items from growers/shippers for the annual holiday food baskets has already started.
ALC is reaching out to shippers in the Western U.S. that often ship items which could be used to complete a meal for these families’ Christmas dinner. The logistics and transportation of the donations during the week of December 10-15, 2018 will be provided by the Allen Lund Company with meals being delivered on Saturday, December 15th. Donations are delivered via ALC to a warehouse location in Los Angeles and then delivered to agencies throughout Southern California for distribution to families. All donations must be usable beyond the date of distribution.
About Allen Lund Company:
Specializing as a national third-party transportation broker with nationwide offices and over 500 employees, the Allen Lund Company works with shippers and carriers across the nation to arrange dry, refrigerated (specializing in produce), and flatbed freight; additionally, the Allen Lund Company has a logistics and software division, ALC Logistics, and an International Division licensed by the FMC as an OTI-NVOCC #019872NF. If you are interested in joining the Allen Lund Company team, please click here.
Established in 1976, the Allen Lund Company was recognized by Logistics Tech Outlook for our software division ALC Logistics as a 2018 Top 10 Freight Management Solution Providers, 2018 Food Logistics’ Top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers list, 2017 Supply & Demand Chain Executive Top 100, 2017 Food Logistics 100+ Top Software and Tech Provider, a 2016 Top IT Provider by Inbound Logistics, 2015 Coca-Cola Challenger Carrier of the Year, 2015 Top Private Company in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, 2015 Top 100+ Software and Technology Providers, 2015 Top 100 Logistics IT Provider by Inbound Logistics, a 2014 Great Supply Chain Partner, and was placed in Transport Topics’ “2014 Top 25 Freight Brokerage Firms.” The company manages over 365,000 loads annually, and received the 2013 “Best in Cargo Security Award.” In 2011, the company received the TIA 3PL Samaritan Award, and NASTC (National Association of Small Trucking Companies) named Allen Lund Company the 2010 Best Broker of the Year. More information is available at www.allenlund.com.
Prayers of thanks and special Thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday’s history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.
In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII and in reaction to the large number of religious holidays on the Catholic calendar. Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. The 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27, but some Purtians wished to completely eliminate all Church holidays, including Christmas and Easter.
The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting or Days of Thanksgiving, in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence. Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving. For example, Days of Fasting were called on account of drought in 1611, floods in 1613, and plagues in 1604 and 1622. Days of Thanksgiving were called following the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1705. An unusual annual Day of Thanksgiving began in 1606 following the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and developed into Guy Fawkes Day on November 5.
Pilgrims and Puritans who emigrated from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England. The modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is traced to a to a well-recorded 1619 event in Virginia and a sparsely documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1619 arrival of 38 English settlers at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County, Virginia, concluded with a religious celebration as dictated by the group’s charter from the London Company, which specifically required “that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned … in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.” The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest.
Wishing all of you a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.
North Dakota’s 2018 potato shipping forecast is set at 23.7 million cwt, and Minnesota’s at 18.1 million; down 3 percent and 2 percent respectively from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Harvested acres are estimated at 73,000 in North Dakota; down 1,000 acres from 2017, while Minnesota acres dropped to 43,000; down 2,500 from last year. Average yield in North Dakota is 325, down 5 cwt. from 2017, while Minnesota’s average yield is forecast at 420, up 15 cwt. per acre from last year.
The Red River Valley of Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota is the nation’s largest red potato growing and shipping region.
The Red River Valley is unlike anywhere else. A beautiful stretch of land between the rolling plains of North Dakota and the lakes and forests of Minnesota. It isn’t your traditional valley, it’s nestled on flat, fertile ground that follows the coils of the mighty Red River as it flows north from South Dakota to Canada.
The Red River Valley is the bottom of what was once Lake Agassiz, a massive glacial lake larger than even the mighty Great Lakes. As the huge glacier plowed over the land, it deposited a layer of silt, clay, sand and rock that slowly transformed into the valley’s rich soil, setting the area up to become one of the world’s most successful farming regions.
The soil is what sets the Red River Valley apart. The rich, dark soil is perfect for growing potatoes. While its black color is distinct, one truly gains an appreciation for the valley’s loam soil when they see it up close and handle it for themselves. This nutrient-rich dirt is the reason why Red River Valley potatoes taste so good.
The continental climate of this area is also a large part of why the Red River Valley produces the world’s best potatoes. Its growing season is short, lasting for only five months, but the growing days are long with as many as 16 hours of sunlight per day. The Red River Valley boasts a consistent dose of precipitation. With most crops watered by prairie rain instead of irrigation, potatoes from the Red River Valley are rich in flavor that only Mother Nature can provide.
With the Red River Valley’s uniquely ideal growing conditions, it’s easy to see why the potato was one of the first crops to be grown here. The first potatoes were planted near Pembina, North Dakota, during the 19th century and served as a valuable food source for fur traders. As settlements were established in the valley throughout the 1800s, the potato remained a mainstay vegetable. At the beginning of the 20th century, potatoes began to be produced commercially, with the first commercial planting done near Hoople, North Dakota. During WWII, the potato industry quickly expanded in the Red River Valley, as it built a reputation for its high-quality seed production and its red-skinned potatoes known as “Red River Valley Reds.”
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $2125 to Chicago.
Emerson has introduced a real-time tracker designed to curb thefts, with an emphasis on security of imported goods.
The GO Real-Time Secure Tracker uses GPS tracking technology and security measures that are compliant with the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) program that expedites certain loads through customs. A steel locking bolt guards against theft while shipments are on the road or being shipped on the water, according to a news release.
The GO Real-Time Secure Tracker will alert users if a container door has been opened or if shipments diverge from a programmed course.
“This latest innovation from Emerson was developed to enhance supply chain security, reduce the financial loss from stolen cargo, and assist law enforcement in the recovery of high-value items,” Frank Landwehr, vice president and general manager, said in the release.
Bananas Shelf Life
Big benefits to the banana supply chain are being provided by the RipeLock system, according to company officials at AgroFresh of Philadelphia.
The proprietary system couples 1-MCP technology with unique micro-perforated bag packaging to slow ripening and reduce spoilage. The net result is better shelf appeal and ripeness, providing 4 to 6 days extension in banana yellow life.
The RipeLock system was developed in the past five years and has been commercially deployed for about two years. It is a post-harvest solution slowing the ripening process for bananas and keeps the bananas from turning brown too quickly.
The modified atmosphere bag is packaged at the source and continues through the supply chain.
The bag can easily be used at shipping point, since bananas are typically packed in a liner anyway. The modified atmosphere packaging has to be securely sealed with a knot and a rubber band to make sure the exchange of gas will work as planned.
The bag also keeps the right level of oxygen and carbon dioxide so the bananas are fresh and healthy all the way through the supply chain.
When RipeLock boxes arrive at a distribution center, the active ingredient is applied to the fruit, which acts to extend the yellow shelf life of the bananas up to 6 days.
The systems also reduce fruit weight loss.
The modified atmosphere packaging prevents the bananas from dehydrating during the supply chain.
A Mexican labor dispute that broke out in late October has had U.S. avocado importers anxious, but the issue was resolved November 14th.
What Mexican growers consider low prices for their avocados was at the core of the dispute. As a result growers had installed checkpoints on all major roads in the Michoacan growing region, preventing picking crews and field trucks from entering the groves, according to the Avocado Producers and Exporting Packers Association of Michoacán (APEAM).
In the U.S., importers were becoming concerned as inventories were quickly declining. Calavo Growers Inc. of Santa Paula, CA was airing concerns of running of avocado supplies soon.
APEAM said its executives were working to resolve the issue through meetings and conversations with police agencies, the federal government and growers. The association expressed confidence these actions would soon lead to avocado shipments returning to normal.
Avocado prices began falling last August in anticipation of a bigger crop. In fact, by mid-October f.o.b. prices of a box of avocados were $12 lower than a year earlier.
Calavo estimated that the U.S. imported 1.9 million pounds of Mexican avocados from July 2017 through June 2018, and he that number was expected to be up to 2.1 million pounds for the current crop year.
McDaniel Fruit Co. of Fallbrook, CA was ware of Mexican grower disappointment in prices, but felt the lower prices were only temporary and the avocado market would rebound. Meanwhile, the quality of the Mexican avocado crop was looking very good.
Index Fresh Inc. of Riverside, CA was pointing out Mexico is expecting a slightly larger crop for the first time in five years.
Avocado supplies in the U.S. have been low due to the labor strife, although the average consumer probably didn’t notice it. Importers report it will be weeks before supplies return to normal, plus a lot of avocado supplies will not be ripe in time for Thanksgiving.