Author Archive
Fresh potato shipments out of the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota are expected to be the largest volume in possibly a quarter of a century. Also, in Washington state, Henningsen Cold Storage is building a new cold storage.
About five million hundredweight(cwt.) of red as well as yellow potatoes should be shipped this season. During the ’60s and ’70s the Red River Valley actually shipped more spuds. However, there were a lot more wash plants in those days before consolidations took place. There also was not nearly the competition from potato producing regions in other parts of the country.
Another change in the valley has come with production of yellow potatoes. Volume has tripled over the past six year and now accounts for about 18 percent of the tonnage. Most of the balance comes with the more traditional red potato.
The valley has historically had transportation problems with shortages of trucks. Part of the problem was truckers having difficulty getting loads into the sparsely populated region. However, new federal regulations requiring electronic logging devices are making it even more difficult as many drivers are forced to reduce the number of hours they operate.
Red potatoes from Grand Forks, ND to Chicago – grossing about $2000.
Henningsen Cold Storage
by Henningsen Cold Storage Co.
HILLSBORO, Ore. — Henningsen Cold Storage Co. announces plans to build a new 5-million cubic foot temperature controlled warehouse to support the growing demand of customers in the Yakima Valley and Columbian Basin regions of Washington state. Construction will begin immediately with completion in the summer of 2018.
Grandview is located near the eastern border of Yakima County in south-central Washington State, and is equidistant, 40 miles, from the city of Yakima and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick. It is in the heart of a thriving agri-business region and is an excellent distribution point to services customers throughout the entire Pacific Northwest.
The new location will offer over 20,000 pallet positions, with a variety of configurations and temperature ranges. It is designed to accommodate both production support and high-volume distribution business. A flexible racking design and layout will enable Henningsen to meet the needs of a wide variety of customer requirements.
Henningsen Transportation Services will augment the operation by offering local, regional and nationwide transportation services to manufacturers, retail and foodservice distributors, and international customers utilizing the new facility. About Henningsen Cold Storage Co.
Henningsen Cold Storage Co. is one of the largest public refrigerated warehousing companies in the U.S., with 11 facilities in six states providing 60 million cubic feet of temperature controlled storage. Henningsen is a fifth-generation family owned corporation with roots dating to 1923. To learn more about Henningsen, visit www.henningsen.com
By ACS / Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Raw broccoli sprouts, a rich source of potential cancer-fighting compounds, have become a popular health food in recent years. But conventional heat treatment used to kill bacteria on produce can reduce levels of the broccoli sprouts’ helpful phytochemicals. Now researchers report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that high-pressure processing could wipe out harmful bacteria while maintaining high concentrations of its health-promoting ingredients.
Research has found broccoli sprouts contain anywhere from 10 to 100 times more glucosinolates than their mature counterparts. Glucosinolates are the main compounds in broccoli and sprouts that are transformed into isothiocyanates when chopped or chewed. Studies suggest isothiocyanates have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. To help prevent bacterial contamination, the sprouts can be heated, but high temperatures can affect the conversion of glucosinolates to isothiocyanates. So Volker Bohm and colleagues wanted to explore an alternative method for getting rid of broccoli sprouts’ microbial contamination.
The researchers treated sprouts with high pressure, a method that is sometimes used to ensure the safety of seeds, fruits and vegetables while preserving heat-sensitive nutrients. Results showed that processing broccoli sprouts at 400 to 600 megapascals increased the amount of glucosinolates that turned into isothiocyanates. Up to 85 percent of glucosinolates were converted under high-pressure processing, boosting the plants’ potential health-promoting compounds. The rate of conversion for mild heat treatment at 60 degrees Celsius was 69 percent. Isothiocyanate content in boiled samples were undetectable or not quantifiable. Thus, the researchers say high pressure could be a preferred method over heating for processing broccoli sprouts.
Funding was provided by Ohio State University for the research.
Chicory
By Amiel Stanick, Bon Apetit
A crisp, leafy salad is a miraculous thing: It lends satisfying bulk to a light meal and bright balance to a heavy one. It seems like just yesterday chefs of every stripe were obsessing over alt-Caesars, crunchy piles of Little Gem, and reinvented wedges. But this year it’s definitely a family of hardy, pleasantly bitter, multihued lettuces that are having their moment in the salad spotlight. Some varieties, like escarole and radicchio, feel familiar; others, like boutiquey speckled Castelfranco and finger-spindly Tardivo, look fantastically exotic.
One of the biggest selling points of chicories is their hardiness. They taste sturdy, they feel sturdy, meaning you can treat them aggressively, says chef Jake Nemmers of Flora Bar in NYC. They want lots of salt and acid and fat. They are dying to be seasoned. Not only does that mean that chicories play nice with more intense salad elements such as salty cheese, nuts, and fruit, but also that they’ll hold up over the course of a long, lazy meal much better than more delicate lettuces.
Deliciousness aside, chicories are also a win visually, an Instagram-age slam dunk. “They’re just so beautiful,” J.J. Proville, chef of Seattle’s Our Sin. Whether you’re a chef or a home cook, a chicory salad with all those incredible hues of purple and white and green is going to impress. It’s a lot more interesting than iceberg. Proville recommends mixing up different varieties for maximum visual and textural impact.
I’m not sure where 2017 went, but ready or not I’m plowing right into 2018!
I’ve been very blessed in many ways, one of which is the way HaulProduce.com continues to have more folks signing up for our free subscriptions. This tells me you are finding worthwhile information here relating to produce hauling, as well as other news such as the health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
There have now been over 1900 posts published on the website since it was launched on January 12, 2012. Six years! Where has the time gone!
The primary sponsors of HaulProduce – Allen Lund Co., Cool Runnings, and DMTB, I have personally known the owners a combined 105 years! They are all good, honest people that I can’t say enough good things about. The bottom line is they care about maintaining impeccable business reputations and they truly care about the trucking industry and particularly the hard working Americans that deliver well over 9o percent of the fresh produce to destinations across North America.
So, here is a shout out to 3 of the finest men I’ve ever known – Allen Lund, Fred Plotsky and Jimmy DeMatteis.
It looks like we are entering another cycle in the trucking industry. If you are old enough you have witnessed several of these over the years. The economy slows down, excess equipment is out there and freight rates plunge. Luckily, it looks like what started in 2017 is just really getting started with this new cycle in trucking. The economy is picking up, equipment and qualified drivers are harder to find, and freight rates are on the rise.
Of course, we can always count on the federal and state governments to put a damper on things, particularly with more rules, regulations and taxes, most of which seem to do more harm than good, and often increase costs of operation.
I continue to be amazed, especially with the owner operators and small fleet owners, that continue to persevere.
This is wishing each of you much happiness and health in the New Year. – Bill Martin
2017 had its share of bad weather conditions of different varieties that presented challenges for produce truckers.
Heavy snows early in the year resulted in collapsing buildings in the Northwest holding onions, among other items. During the spring a Southeastern killer freeze wiped out the majority of peaches and blueberries.
On the Gulf Coast and in Florida two hurricanes were devastating.
On the positive side, winter rains eased the California drought significantly.
Citrus hauling was adversely affected with Irma causing at least $760 million in losses to citrus, with many growers losing at least half of their crop. Vegetable and strawberry shipments also were adversely affected by Irma, but not nearly as much.
Banana imports by boat were diverted from Galveston to Florida ports after the storm. The port of Houston remained closed for months. The 50 inches of rain dumped on the Gulf Coast area was the most on record in the U.S. for a single storm.
In Georgia, a March freeze knocked out 70 percent of the peach shipments and an even higher percentage of blueberries.
Wave after wave of late-winter rains flooded fields, caused crop delays and played havoc with planting schedules and ultimately produce shipping schedules in California. However, Salinas Valley produce grower and shippers were so desperate for rain they weren’t complaining.
The rains brought a much-needed cleansing of the soil in the Salinas Valley by helping to leach unwanted salts below the farmed portions of the soil. Still California needs another two or three years like 2017 to end its drought.
In January 2017 in the Treasure Valley region of Western Idaho and Eastern Oregon, two major snow storms in less than two weeks resulted in collapsing of a number of onion storage sheds and other structures. At least eight onion companies lost one or more buildings, while at least five had three or more cave in.
In 2016 Washington state shipped 120 million pounds of blueberries, which was six times more than a decade earlier and is now America’s largest blueberry shipper. In 2017 the final total was more like 132 million pounds. In 2018, if growing conditions cooperate, the state’s blueberry shipments could hit 145 million pounds.
Blueberry shipments from Washington occur basically over a five-month period from early June until the middle of October. This is longest season of any blueberry producing state in America. The first berries of the season come out of Eastern Washington, followed by Northwest Washington.
The biggest volume blueberry counties in Washington are Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit on the westside of the state and Benton and Franklin counties in Eastern Washington.
Before long, Washington blueberry shipments could reach 200 million pounds annually.
Washington surpassed Georgia in 2015 when it became the nation’s top blueberry producer. Coming in 3rd with blueberry shipments is Michigan, followed by Oregon.
Washington has about 18,000 acres of “blues,” with about 5,000 acres located in the eastern part of the state, which now produces about 40 percent of this state’s blueberries. Eastern Washington has some of the largest blueberry growers in the world.
Whatcom County in Northwest Washington is the leading county in the state for production of blues, accounting for about 7,000 acres of blueberries. Production there has doubled in the past eight years. Notably, a third of those plants are 4 years old or younger.
Across the state there is a lot of new production from young fields and in 2016 at least 1,000 new acres of blueberries were planted. Organic blueberries now make up about 25 percent of the total crop. This follows a worldwide trend where production has increased 40 percent between 2012 and 2016. An astounding number is that between 1994 and 2014, U.S. blueberry consumption increased 599 percent!
Washington state has four sectors of blueberry production: organic fresh, organic processed, conventional fresh and conventional processed.
Blueberry production in Washington has grown so fast it doesn’t have the capacity to pack all of its fresh or processed crop. It is estimated at least 40 percent of Washington’s blueberry crop is packed or processed out of state. Oregon and British Columbia are primary destinations. But more than 2 million pounds each also are shipped to Idaho and California for packing.
Bamford Produce Co. Ltd., based in Mississaugua, ON, announced it has reserved the all-electric Class 8 Tesla trucks, as part of its long-term environmental sustainability vision to reduce its carbon footprint.
“As one of Ontario’s most long-standing produce distributors with more than 75 delivery and transport trailer vehicles in operation across the province on a daily basis, we recognized the opportunity that the new eco-friendly Tesla trucks presented in enabling our business to put in motion a plan to significantly reduce our carbon emissions,” said Steve Bamford, owner of Bamford Produce and Group of Cos.
Although production of the Tesla all electric trucks is expected to begin in 2019, Bamford Produce is confident in the decision to secure the new trucks.
“The Tesla trucks align well with our commitment to continually enhance our operations towards more sustainable business practices, as well as our dedication to provide safe and fresh produce and efficient distribution services to our customers,” said Bamford. “We anticipate that this investment will have an immense impact on our efficiencies and savings in the areas of fuel costs and fleet maintenance, and more importantly, will ensure a greater measure of safety on the roads for our trucking employees, in particular for those servicing the long haul routes.”
Tesla semi trucks can operate for 500 miles on a single charge, and the company guarantees zero breakdowns for 1 million miles and estimates a 20 percent reduction in costs when compared to diesel trucks.
About Bamford Produce
The Bamford Family is one of founders of the Ontario Food Terminal in 1954.
Before 1954, the hub for produce wholesaling was St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto. This is where James Bamford and Sons Produce was located. The company has been thriving since 1881. This translates to 132 years of experience.
After years away from the Ontario Food Terminal, The Bamford Family returned in 2003 with the acquisition of the Fresh Advancements stall.
Fresh Advancements marks the 4th Generation of Bamfords in the produce industry. Since 2003, the single stall has expanded to three stalls. Together with Freshline Foods, our processing and fresh cut division, along with Bamford Produce, our food service distribution division, the Bamford Family is uniquely positioned to service wholesalers, retailers and the food service industry
Today we are made up 6 companies that allow us strategic vertical integration that helps us maximize efficiencies and offer all our customers a very unique diversified model. These include; Farming/Growing and Packing Operations in Ontario, with Bay Growers and Bamford Family Farms located in Georgian Bay.
We also have our own Freight Division, FA International Logistics, which includes our own fleet of tractor-trailers specifically delivering product to our companies direct from growers all over North America, and global DSD services for retail and food service.
Florida strawberry shipments got off to a good start this season and while volume is currently down, this should change once we get into the New Year.
As of December 9th, loadings had totaled 1.258 million 12-pound cartons, up from 1.075 million cartons the same time a year ago.
While some plastic covering for the plants had to be replaced, strawberries were unaffected by Hurricane Irma last September. The fruit also came through a cold spell in the middle of December in good shape. However, that colder weather has resulted in fewer shipments the last half of December, but volume to return more to normal as we progress into January.
Because of newer strawberry varieties and planting of plugs there was more volume in November than there used to be. Fruit was being shipped in at the start of November this season instead of after Thanksgiving as in the past. Florida strawberry shipment for the fresh market should continue through March.
Florida strawberry shipments in calendar year 2016 totaled 18.3 million 12-pound cartons, down slightly from 19.2 million cartons in 2015 but way up from 11.5 million cartons in 2010, according to the USDA. Florida strawberry shipments typically peak in February and March, with those two months accounting for 32 and 37 percent of annual shipments, respectively.
In 2016, December accounted for 21 percent of total shipments and January had a 9 percent share of total annual shipments.
Additionally, in 2016, Florida strawberry acreage totaled 10,800 planted acres and 10,700 harvested acres of strawberries.
Each year Easter provides a big demand for strawberries. In 2018, Easter will fall on April 1st, instead of April 16th as it did in 2017. Florida should still have good supplies of strawberries to ship ahead of the Easter observance.
Wish Farms of Plant City, FL accounts for about 17 to 18 percent of the total strawberry acreage.
by Alliance for Food and Farming
According to a new study issued by the Centers for Disease Control, consumption of fruits and vegetables continues to be stagnant with only one in 10 Americans eating enough on a daily basis. You may not have heard about the CDC announcement because this is yet another government report that surprisingly received little media coverage.
The CDC report, which broke out groups of Americans by state, income, race and gender, found some subgroups were even less likely to eat enough produce. Men, young adults and people living in poverty all had especially low rates of fruit and vegetable intake.
“The study confirms years of data demonstrating that Americans do not eat their veggies,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, in The Guardian. Assuming this result is close to reality, it suggests the need for taking much stronger action to make it easier and cheaper to eat fruits and vegetables.
The very fact that the CDC examines fruit and veggie consumption itself should be an indicator of its vital importance to our health. But here are some facts to remind everyone why produce is the only food group health experts agree we should eat more of every day for better health and a longer life.
- 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented each year if only half of all Americans increased their consumption of a fruit or veggie by a single serving every day.
- Consuming a plant rich diet can lower your risk of premature death by 42%, heart disease by 31% and cancer by 25%.
- Research shows the benefit of increased consumption on fetal health. One study showed that pregnant women who eat a diet rich in fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish can reduce the risk of heart defects in their baby, sometimes by as much as 37%.
- Numerous studies illustrate the benefits of fruits and veggies on cognitive development. One recent study found that children who ate more fruits and veggies scored much higher in multiple areas on standardized academic tests.
Unfortunately, as two peer reviewed studies are showing, misinformation carried by activist groups about the safety of the more affordable (cheaper) and accessible (easier) fruits and veggies may be contributing to this trend of stagnating consumption. In one of the studies, researchers found misleading messaging which inaccurately describes certain fruits and vegetables as having pesticide residues results in low income shoppers reporting that they would be less likely to purchase any fruits and vegetables, organic or conventional.
In light of the CDC consumption statistics and peer reviewed research showing the potential effect of fear-based messaging, isn’t it time for activist groups to change their strategy from one of disparagement to encouragement? Just think what activists could do if they spent their time and considerable resources, including using their celebrity spokespersons, to encourage consumption instead of disparaging produce that has been proven safe but is also the most affordable and accessible to the majority of Americans. What a benefit that could be to public health.
Centuries ago, in the city of Nazareth, a good and kind young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph, the local carpenter. Mary was a saintly woman who lived every day in an effort to please God.
One day, God’s archangel Gabriel suddenly appeared before Mary in her home. “You are highly favored by God and are blessed among women” he said.
Mary was troubled and fearful, but the angel comforted her. “Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God. You shall give birth to a baby boy and you shall name him Jesus. He shall be great and his reign shall have no end.”
Mary looked at the angel with astonishment. “But how is this possible?” Mary asked. “I am not yet married.”
The angel quickly answered. “The Holy Spirit will perform a miracle, and the holy child born of this miracle shall be called the Son of God.”
To Mary’s surprise the angel had more exciting news. “Your cousin Elizabeth, whom many thought too old and incapable of having a child, is already in her sixth month with her son. For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
Mary kneeled before the angel and bowed her head. “I am the Lord’s servant and believe all that has been told to me.”
The angel then disappeared, and Mary was once again alone.
* * * * * *
In those days the government of Rome, ruled by Caesar Augustus, decided to tax everyone in the world. All were required to return to their home town to be counted. So, Joseph left Nazareth with Mary, his betrothed, to be taxed in Bethlehem.
Mary was now great with child, and the long, hot and tiring trip to Bethlehem was a difficult one for her. Just after they arrived, Mary began to feel the pains of birth. Joseph pleaded with the local innkeeper to give them shelter, but no rooms were available. “But you may use the stable,” the innkeeper helpfully suggested. Faced with the imminent birth, Mary and Joseph settled down in the stable surrounded by curious animals.
That night, a blessed miracle happened. Baby Jesus was born! Mary cuddled her newborn son as Joseph looked on with wonder. After a while, they wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in a warm, straw-filled manger for all to honor.
The heavenly angels spread the word of this tiny Savior’s birth to shepherds and kings alike. All of those who heard the story rejoiced that Jesus, the King of Kings and the Son of God had come to cleanse the world of its sins.
Royalty and peasants, believers all, followed the star that shone over Bethlehem to offer gifts and kneel before the new born king.
And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11, ESV
By CarbAmericas
Ft. Lauderdale, FL. — CarbAmericas, a premier importer of fresh fruits and vegetables, kicks off Florida broccoli shipments next week with a new season of growing in the Sunshine State. Broccoli shipments will continue through mid-April.
The Florida harvest complements the company’s established Mexico and East Coast offerings. This year, the Florida program accounts for more than 400 acres of their broccoli program, nearly doubling their volume from 2016. Growing in Florida allows CarbAmericas to offer a year-round broccoli program.
“Our location in North Florida places us at a perfect location for freight,” said Danny Pollak, vice president of sales of CarbAmericas. “We can utilize trucks coming from various locations south of us who have just come from loading produce such as blueberries and strawberries. We can be in cities like Boston and New York in a day and a half to two days and are able to provide our customers with a quicker and more efficient supply chain.””
“We’ve done a lot of research and continue to work closely with our seed partners to perfect the varieties for this climate,” said Jeff Friedman, president of CarbAmericas. “We currently grow seedlings in greenhouses which helps us get better yields and consistent sizing. We are also working with new seed varieties that we trialed last year and proved worthy of our program.”
Also on their side is their relationship with grower TJ Bratcher, whose family brings over 30 years of experience to the operation.
Later this month, CarbAmericas will begin building a packing plant which will be used to not only pack and ship broccoli but also other items such as cauliflower, potatoes, squash and cucumbers to name a few. The facility is projected to be completed by late summer 2018 and will be in full operation for next year’s December crop.
This season, CarbAmericas will ship Asian Cut Crown broccoli in wax boxes, iced from an onsite machine out of Bunnell, FL.
###
About CarbAmericas
CarbAmericas was established in 1993 and is a vertically integrated, year-round supplier and importer of fruits and vegetables. Specializing in asparagus, broccoli, mangos, snow and sugar snap peas, CarbAmericas services both retail and foodservice in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America.
Fresh potato shipments out of the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota are expected to be the largest volume in possibly a quarter of a century. Also, in Washington state, Henningsen Cold Storage is building a new cold storage.
About five million hundredweight(cwt.) of red as well as yellow potatoes should be shipped this season. During the ’60s and ’70s the Red River Valley actually shipped more spuds. However, there were a lot more wash plants in those days before consolidations took place. There also was not nearly the competition from potato producing regions in other parts of the country.
Another change in the valley has come with production of yellow potatoes. Volume has tripled over the past six year and now accounts for about 18 percent of the tonnage. Most of the balance comes with the more traditional red potato.
The valley has historically had transportation problems with shortages of trucks. Part of the problem was truckers having difficulty getting loads into the sparsely populated region. However, new federal regulations requiring electronic logging devices are making it even more difficult as many drivers are forced to reduce the number of hours they operate.
Red potatoes from Grand Forks, ND to Chicago – grossing about $2000.
Henningsen Cold Storage
by Henningsen Cold Storage Co.
HILLSBORO, Ore. — Henningsen Cold Storage Co. announces plans to build a new 5-million cubic foot temperature controlled warehouse to support the growing demand of customers in the Yakima Valley and Columbian Basin regions of Washington state. Construction will begin immediately with completion in the summer of 2018.
Grandview is located near the eastern border of Yakima County in south-central Washington State, and is equidistant, 40 miles, from the city of Yakima and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick. It is in the heart of a thriving agri-business region and is an excellent distribution point to services customers throughout the entire Pacific Northwest.
The new location will offer over 20,000 pallet positions, with a variety of configurations and temperature ranges. It is designed to accommodate both production support and high-volume distribution business. A flexible racking design and layout will enable Henningsen to meet the needs of a wide variety of customer requirements.
Henningsen Transportation Services will augment the operation by offering local, regional and nationwide transportation services to manufacturers, retail and foodservice distributors, and international customers utilizing the new facility. About Henningsen Cold Storage Co.
Henningsen Cold Storage Co. is one of the largest public refrigerated warehousing companies in the U.S., with 11 facilities in six states providing 60 million cubic feet of temperature controlled storage. Henningsen is a fifth-generation family owned corporation with roots dating to 1923. To learn more about Henningsen, visit www.henningsen.com
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I’m not sure where 2017 went, but ready or not I’m plowing right into 2018!
I’ve been very blessed in many ways, one of which is the way HaulProduce.com continues to have more folks signing up for our free subscriptions. This tells me you are finding worthwhile information here relating to produce hauling, as well as other news such as the health benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
There have now been over 1900 posts published on the website since it was launched on January 12, 2012. Six years! Where has the time gone!
The primary sponsors of HaulProduce – Allen Lund Co., Cool Runnings, and DMTB, I have personally known the owners a combined 105 years! They are all good, honest people that I can’t say enough good things about. The bottom line is they care about maintaining impeccable business reputations and they truly care about the trucking industry and particularly the hard working Americans that deliver well over 9o percent of the fresh produce to destinations across North America.
So, here is a shout out to 3 of the finest men I’ve ever known – Allen Lund, Fred Plotsky and Jimmy DeMatteis.
It looks like we are entering another cycle in the trucking industry. If you are old enough you have witnessed several of these over the years. The economy slows down, excess equipment is out there and freight rates plunge. Luckily, it looks like what started in 2017 is just really getting started with this new cycle in trucking. The economy is picking up, equipment and qualified drivers are harder to find, and freight rates are on the rise.
Of course, we can always count on the federal and state governments to put a damper on things, particularly with more rules, regulations and taxes, most of which seem to do more harm than good, and often increase costs of operation.
I continue to be amazed, especially with the owner operators and small fleet owners, that continue to persevere.
This is wishing each of you much happiness and health in the New Year. – Bill Martin
2017 had its share of bad weather conditions of different varieties that presented challenges for produce truckers.
Heavy snows early in the year resulted in collapsing buildings in the Northwest holding onions, among other items. During the spring a Southeastern killer freeze wiped out the majority of peaches and blueberries.
On the Gulf Coast and in Florida two hurricanes were devastating.
On the positive side, winter rains eased the California drought significantly.
Citrus hauling was adversely affected with Irma causing at least $760 million in losses to citrus, with many growers losing at least half of their crop. Vegetable and strawberry shipments also were adversely affected by Irma, but not nearly as much.
Banana imports by boat were diverted from Galveston to Florida ports after the storm. The port of Houston remained closed for months. The 50 inches of rain dumped on the Gulf Coast area was the most on record in the U.S. for a single storm.
In Georgia, a March freeze knocked out 70 percent of the peach shipments and an even higher percentage of blueberries.
Wave after wave of late-winter rains flooded fields, caused crop delays and played havoc with planting schedules and ultimately produce shipping schedules in California. However, Salinas Valley produce grower and shippers were so desperate for rain they weren’t complaining.
The rains brought a much-needed cleansing of the soil in the Salinas Valley by helping to leach unwanted salts below the farmed portions of the soil. Still California needs another two or three years like 2017 to end its drought.
In January 2017 in the Treasure Valley region of Western Idaho and Eastern Oregon, two major snow storms in less than two weeks resulted in collapsing of a number of onion storage sheds and other structures. At least eight onion companies lost one or more buildings, while at least five had three or more cave in.
In 2016 Washington state shipped 120 million pounds of blueberries, which was six times more than a decade earlier and is now America’s largest blueberry shipper. In 2017 the final total was more like 132 million pounds. In 2018, if growing conditions cooperate, the state’s blueberry shipments could hit 145 million pounds.
Blueberry shipments from Washington occur basically over a five-month period from early June until the middle of October. This is longest season of any blueberry producing state in America. The first berries of the season come out of Eastern Washington, followed by Northwest Washington.
The biggest volume blueberry counties in Washington are Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit on the westside of the state and Benton and Franklin counties in Eastern Washington.
Before long, Washington blueberry shipments could reach 200 million pounds annually.
Washington surpassed Georgia in 2015 when it became the nation’s top blueberry producer. Coming in 3rd with blueberry shipments is Michigan, followed by Oregon.
Washington has about 18,000 acres of “blues,” with about 5,000 acres located in the eastern part of the state, which now produces about 40 percent of this state’s blueberries. Eastern Washington has some of the largest blueberry growers in the world.
Whatcom County in Northwest Washington is the leading county in the state for production of blues, accounting for about 7,000 acres of blueberries. Production there has doubled in the past eight years. Notably, a third of those plants are 4 years old or younger.
Across the state there is a lot of new production from young fields and in 2016 at least 1,000 new acres of blueberries were planted. Organic blueberries now make up about 25 percent of the total crop. This follows a worldwide trend where production has increased 40 percent between 2012 and 2016. An astounding number is that between 1994 and 2014, U.S. blueberry consumption increased 599 percent!
Washington state has four sectors of blueberry production: organic fresh, organic processed, conventional fresh and conventional processed.
Blueberry production in Washington has grown so fast it doesn’t have the capacity to pack all of its fresh or processed crop. It is estimated at least 40 percent of Washington’s blueberry crop is packed or processed out of state. Oregon and British Columbia are primary destinations. But more than 2 million pounds each also are shipped to Idaho and California for packing.
Bamford Produce Co. Ltd., based in Mississaugua, ON, announced it has reserved the all-electric Class 8 Tesla trucks, as part of its long-term environmental sustainability vision to reduce its carbon footprint.
“As one of Ontario’s most long-standing produce distributors with more than 75 delivery and transport trailer vehicles in operation across the province on a daily basis, we recognized the opportunity that the new eco-friendly Tesla trucks presented in enabling our business to put in motion a plan to significantly reduce our carbon emissions,” said Steve Bamford, owner of Bamford Produce and Group of Cos.
Although production of the Tesla all electric trucks is expected to begin in 2019, Bamford Produce is confident in the decision to secure the new trucks.
“The Tesla trucks align well with our commitment to continually enhance our operations towards more sustainable business practices, as well as our dedication to provide safe and fresh produce and efficient distribution services to our customers,” said Bamford. “We anticipate that this investment will have an immense impact on our efficiencies and savings in the areas of fuel costs and fleet maintenance, and more importantly, will ensure a greater measure of safety on the roads for our trucking employees, in particular for those servicing the long haul routes.”
Tesla semi trucks can operate for 500 miles on a single charge, and the company guarantees zero breakdowns for 1 million miles and estimates a 20 percent reduction in costs when compared to diesel trucks.
About Bamford Produce
The Bamford Family is one of founders of the Ontario Food Terminal in 1954.
Before 1954, the hub for produce wholesaling was St. Lawrence Market in downtown Toronto. This is where James Bamford and Sons Produce was located. The company has been thriving since 1881. This translates to 132 years of experience.
After years away from the Ontario Food Terminal, The Bamford Family returned in 2003 with the acquisition of the Fresh Advancements stall.
Fresh Advancements marks the 4th Generation of Bamfords in the produce industry. Since 2003, the single stall has expanded to three stalls. Together with Freshline Foods, our processing and fresh cut division, along with Bamford Produce, our food service distribution division, the Bamford Family is uniquely positioned to service wholesalers, retailers and the food service industry
Today we are made up 6 companies that allow us strategic vertical integration that helps us maximize efficiencies and offer all our customers a very unique diversified model. These include; Farming/Growing and Packing Operations in Ontario, with Bay Growers and Bamford Family Farms located in Georgian Bay.
We also have our own Freight Division, FA International Logistics, which includes our own fleet of tractor-trailers specifically delivering product to our companies direct from growers all over North America, and global DSD services for retail and food service.
Florida strawberry shipments got off to a good start this season and while volume is currently down, this should change once we get into the New Year.
As of December 9th, loadings had totaled 1.258 million 12-pound cartons, up from 1.075 million cartons the same time a year ago.
While some plastic covering for the plants had to be replaced, strawberries were unaffected by Hurricane Irma last September. The fruit also came through a cold spell in the middle of December in good shape. However, that colder weather has resulted in fewer shipments the last half of December, but volume to return more to normal as we progress into January.
Because of newer strawberry varieties and planting of plugs there was more volume in November than there used to be. Fruit was being shipped in at the start of November this season instead of after Thanksgiving as in the past. Florida strawberry shipment for the fresh market should continue through March.
Florida strawberry shipments in calendar year 2016 totaled 18.3 million 12-pound cartons, down slightly from 19.2 million cartons in 2015 but way up from 11.5 million cartons in 2010, according to the USDA. Florida strawberry shipments typically peak in February and March, with those two months accounting for 32 and 37 percent of annual shipments, respectively.
In 2016, December accounted for 21 percent of total shipments and January had a 9 percent share of total annual shipments.
Additionally, in 2016, Florida strawberry acreage totaled 10,800 planted acres and 10,700 harvested acres of strawberries.
Each year Easter provides a big demand for strawberries. In 2018, Easter will fall on April 1st, instead of April 16th as it did in 2017. Florida should still have good supplies of strawberries to ship ahead of the Easter observance.
Wish Farms of Plant City, FL accounts for about 17 to 18 percent of the total strawberry acreage.
by Alliance for Food and Farming
According to a new study issued by the Centers for Disease Control, consumption of fruits and vegetables continues to be stagnant with only one in 10 Americans eating enough on a daily basis. You may not have heard about the CDC announcement because this is yet another government report that surprisingly received little media coverage.
The CDC report, which broke out groups of Americans by state, income, race and gender, found some subgroups were even less likely to eat enough produce. Men, young adults and people living in poverty all had especially low rates of fruit and vegetable intake.
“The study confirms years of data demonstrating that Americans do not eat their veggies,” said Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition and food studies at New York University, in The Guardian. Assuming this result is close to reality, it suggests the need for taking much stronger action to make it easier and cheaper to eat fruits and vegetables.
The very fact that the CDC examines fruit and veggie consumption itself should be an indicator of its vital importance to our health. But here are some facts to remind everyone why produce is the only food group health experts agree we should eat more of every day for better health and a longer life.
- 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented each year if only half of all Americans increased their consumption of a fruit or veggie by a single serving every day.
- Consuming a plant rich diet can lower your risk of premature death by 42%, heart disease by 31% and cancer by 25%.
- Research shows the benefit of increased consumption on fetal health. One study showed that pregnant women who eat a diet rich in fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish can reduce the risk of heart defects in their baby, sometimes by as much as 37%.
- Numerous studies illustrate the benefits of fruits and veggies on cognitive development. One recent study found that children who ate more fruits and veggies scored much higher in multiple areas on standardized academic tests.
Unfortunately, as two peer reviewed studies are showing, misinformation carried by activist groups about the safety of the more affordable (cheaper) and accessible (easier) fruits and veggies may be contributing to this trend of stagnating consumption. In one of the studies, researchers found misleading messaging which inaccurately describes certain fruits and vegetables as having pesticide residues results in low income shoppers reporting that they would be less likely to purchase any fruits and vegetables, organic or conventional.
In light of the CDC consumption statistics and peer reviewed research showing the potential effect of fear-based messaging, isn’t it time for activist groups to change their strategy from one of disparagement to encouragement? Just think what activists could do if they spent their time and considerable resources, including using their celebrity spokespersons, to encourage consumption instead of disparaging produce that has been proven safe but is also the most affordable and accessible to the majority of Americans. What a benefit that could be to public health.
Centuries ago, in the city of Nazareth, a good and kind young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph, the local carpenter. Mary was a saintly woman who lived every day in an effort to please God.
One day, God’s archangel Gabriel suddenly appeared before Mary in her home. “You are highly favored by God and are blessed among women” he said.
Mary was troubled and fearful, but the angel comforted her. “Do not be afraid for you have found favor with God. You shall give birth to a baby boy and you shall name him Jesus. He shall be great and his reign shall have no end.”
Mary looked at the angel with astonishment. “But how is this possible?” Mary asked. “I am not yet married.”
The angel quickly answered. “The Holy Spirit will perform a miracle, and the holy child born of this miracle shall be called the Son of God.”
To Mary’s surprise the angel had more exciting news. “Your cousin Elizabeth, whom many thought too old and incapable of having a child, is already in her sixth month with her son. For with God, nothing shall be impossible.”
Mary kneeled before the angel and bowed her head. “I am the Lord’s servant and believe all that has been told to me.”
The angel then disappeared, and Mary was once again alone.
* * * * * *
In those days the government of Rome, ruled by Caesar Augustus, decided to tax everyone in the world. All were required to return to their home town to be counted. So, Joseph left Nazareth with Mary, his betrothed, to be taxed in Bethlehem.
Mary was now great with child, and the long, hot and tiring trip to Bethlehem was a difficult one for her. Just after they arrived, Mary began to feel the pains of birth. Joseph pleaded with the local innkeeper to give them shelter, but no rooms were available. “But you may use the stable,” the innkeeper helpfully suggested. Faced with the imminent birth, Mary and Joseph settled down in the stable surrounded by curious animals.
That night, a blessed miracle happened. Baby Jesus was born! Mary cuddled her newborn son as Joseph looked on with wonder. After a while, they wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in a warm, straw-filled manger for all to honor.
The heavenly angels spread the word of this tiny Savior’s birth to shepherds and kings alike. All of those who heard the story rejoiced that Jesus, the King of Kings and the Son of God had come to cleanse the world of its sins.
Royalty and peasants, believers all, followed the star that shone over Bethlehem to offer gifts and kneel before the new born king.
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By CarbAmericas
Ft. Lauderdale, FL. — CarbAmericas, a premier importer of fresh fruits and vegetables, kicks off Florida broccoli shipments next week with a new season of growing in the Sunshine State. Broccoli shipments will continue through mid-April.
The Florida harvest complements the company’s established Mexico and East Coast offerings. This year, the Florida program accounts for more than 400 acres of their broccoli program, nearly doubling their volume from 2016. Growing in Florida allows CarbAmericas to offer a year-round broccoli program.
“Our location in North Florida places us at a perfect location for freight,” said Danny Pollak, vice president of sales of CarbAmericas. “We can utilize trucks coming from various locations south of us who have just come from loading produce such as blueberries and strawberries. We can be in cities like Boston and New York in a day and a half to two days and are able to provide our customers with a quicker and more efficient supply chain.””
“We’ve done a lot of research and continue to work closely with our seed partners to perfect the varieties for this climate,” said Jeff Friedman, president of CarbAmericas. “We currently grow seedlings in greenhouses which helps us get better yields and consistent sizing. We are also working with new seed varieties that we trialed last year and proved worthy of our program.”
Also on their side is their relationship with grower TJ Bratcher, whose family brings over 30 years of experience to the operation.
Later this month, CarbAmericas will begin building a packing plant which will be used to not only pack and ship broccoli but also other items such as cauliflower, potatoes, squash and cucumbers to name a few. The facility is projected to be completed by late summer 2018 and will be in full operation for next year’s December crop.
This season, CarbAmericas will ship Asian Cut Crown broccoli in wax boxes, iced from an onsite machine out of Bunnell, FL.
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About CarbAmericas
CarbAmericas was established in 1993 and is a vertically integrated, year-round supplier and importer of fruits and vegetables. Specializing in asparagus, broccoli, mangos, snow and sugar snap peas, CarbAmericas services both retail and foodservice in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America.