Author Archive
The long awaited loadings of cherry from the Pacific Northwest get underway this week from the Tri-Cities area in Washington state. Initial volume will be with Chelans, with the more popular Bing variety coming about a week later.
Unlike California cherry shipments, where volume was down this season, the Northwest should experience a significant increase in cherry loadings. Total cherry shipments, mostly out of Washington state, should hit 20 million boxes, up from only 13 million boxes last year.
Washington state typically accounts for about 75 percent of the cherry shipments out of the Northwest, with most of the volume coming out of the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. However, it is the Tri-City area where initial loadings occur as it spreads to the southern Columbia Basin and the lower Yakima Valley within the next week or so.
(Reuters Health) – Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce stroke risk by almost a third, according to a fresh look at recent evidence. The results support existing recommendations from organizations like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which already call for a diet rich in fresh greens.
“The findings are consistent with the current knowledge that increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged to prevent stroke,” Dr. Yan Qu said in an email. Qu, of the Qingdao Municipal Hospital and the Medical College of Qingdao University in Qingdao, China, led the analysis.
A stroke occurs when bloodflow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot or a burst blood vessel. Without emergency care, a stroke can lead to severe brain damage or death. Stroke remains the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC. Several studies have looked at the influence of diet on stroke risk. Some have tied eating lots of fruits and vegetables to lowered risk; others have found no link at all.
The effect could be indirect, and eating fruits and vegetables may benefit overall health by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and other stroke risk factors, Qu said. It’s also possible that specific nutrients in the foods may reduce stroke risk, he said. To get a better understanding of the relationship between stroke risk and plants in the diet, the researchers searched for reports from recent decades that tracked the eating habits and health of men and women around the world.
Twenty studies examining a total of 16,981 strokes among 760,629 participants were included in the analysis. Overall, the people who ate the most fruits and vegetables were 21 percent less likely to have a stroke, compared to people who ate the lowest amounts, the researchers found.
The benefits rose along with the amounts of produce consumed. Stroke risk fell by 32 percent for every 200 grams (g) per day of fruit people ate, and 11 percent with every 200 g of vegetables. The researchers found that citrus fruits, leafy vegetables and apples and pears were the specific types of greenery linked to reduced stroke risk.
Pear Bureau Northwest, the nonprofit marketing association that promotes fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington, recently commissioned nutrition research examining fresh pear consumption and the associated nutrition and health benefits.
The research, which was led by Victor Fulgoni III, Ph.D, was presented at Experimental Biology in San Diego and revealed that when compared with non-consumers, fresh pear consumers had a better nutrition profile and overall better quality of diet (for example, more dietary fibre, vitamin C, copper, magnesium and potassium). Fresh pear consumers also had lower added sugar intake, as well as lower intake of total fat, mono-unsaturated fat and saturated fat. Furthermore, the likelihood of being obese was 35 percent lower among fresh pear consumers than among their non-consumer counterparts.
The association between fresh pear consumption with nutrient intake, dietary quality and risk of obesity was examined in adults 19 years old and older participating in the 2001-10 National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey. Energy and nutrient intakes were calculated using the USDA’s Food & Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies.
“We are pleased to see healthy pears as part of the greater scientific conversation and look forward to growing our nutrition research and communications program,” Kevin Moffitt, president and chief executive officer of Pear Bureau Northwest, said in a press release.
It was only a couple of weeks ago when 80 percent of the asparagus fields in west-central Michigan had frost damage, but it has since re-grown. Shipments have recently resumed and while the crop is now late, loss of volume is expected to be relatively small. The harvest already was late due to a cold spring and harvesting in southern Michigan didn’t start until about May 9. Asparagus shipments should continue through June. Volume in 2014 should be about equal to 2013 Michigan asparagus volume of 20 million pounds. Around 8 million pounds will to go to the fresh market this year, with the remainder of the total going to the processing market. The fresh market share has risen in two years to about 40 percent from 20-25 percent. In another two years about half of the state’s asparagus will go to the fresh market.
ATHENS, Ga. — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has given Carrier Transicold full verification for its engine emissions system (EES) option as a level 3+ verified diesel emission control device.
“This is yet another significant milestone in the planned rollout of our latest trailer refrigeration platforms and emissions compliance devices as we continue to provide refrigerated fleets with technology options and compliance choices that best suit their particular operations,” said David Kiefer, director of sales, marketing and product management, Carrier Transicold.
Last year, CARB gave the EES a conditional verification, that allowed its installation on certain models and generator sets with up to 3,000 hours of engine operations. With full verification, the 3,000 hour condition is removed, allowing the EES installation on any of the model, regardless of the accrued hours of operation.
“CARB’s robust verification process requires independent testing and diligent review by CARB staff to assure fleets that verified products meet stringent durability, performance and emissions-reduction specifications,” Kiefer added. “Carrier Transicold worked closely with CARB staff to advance the EES to ensure reliable emissions reduction on models equipped with Tier 4 engines and achieve full verification. Building on this achievement, Carrier Transicold will next evaluate application of the EES to our older legacy platforms, for which maintaining CARB compliance has been limited to engine upgrades that will soon no longer be a compliance option.”
Installed as a substitute for a standard exhaust system, the EES filters exhaust using a high-performance diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a catalytic diesel particulate filter (CDPF). The DOC removes more than 93% of hydrocarbons and the CDPF reduces more than 98% of particulate matter, well beyond the 85% ULETRU requirement.
No operator intervention is needed because the EES uses passive, active and active-assist regeneration to clear accumulated soot.
xxx
100 years ago the railroads ruled when it came to long haul freight transportation. The advent of the interstate highway system in the 1950s changed all of that and led to a thriving trucking industry. Then in the 1970s there was a renewed interest in rail service, and this involved fresh produce. It was primarily refrigerated intermodal trailers and refrigerated box cars. However, as the trailers and rail cars aged, the companies invested in those ventures too often had problems coming up with the capital to replace the equipment. Additionally, in those days the rails had difficulty understanding perishable produce had to be treated differently than coal or auto parts. There also were too many produce receivers filing claims at the drop of a hat. The rails also were notorious for taking forever to pay claims.
But times have changed. Here are some of the rail related companies that have come on the scene in recent years.
****Railex LLC, Rotterdam, NY. This was perhaps the first one, and it partners with the Union Pacific Railroad, using 64-foot refrigerated railcars transporting produce from the West Coast to an upstate New York distribution center, where trucks take over. It also is establishing a presence in the Southeast.
****Rail Logistics Cold Train, Overland Park, Ks. The Cold Train used containers shipped out Washington and Oregon to the Midwest and East Coast.
****McKay TransCold, Minneapolis. It works with the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad using refrigerated boxcars out of California to Wilmington, IL citing each boxcar is equivalent to 3.5 to 4.2 truckloads of product.
****Tiger Cool Express LLC, Overland Park, Ks. According to its website it “Provides retailers an efficient, cost-effective, safe alternative to all-spot, all-the-time brokered transportation that relies on small, independent owner-operators who supply shippers through intermediaries.”
****C.R. England of Salt Lake City. While it is widely known as the nation’s largest refrigerated carrier with about 4,500 trucks, it also has had an intermodal division for about eight years and uses refrigerated containers.
Ricky Stover is director of business development – intermodal, for C.R. England. The company has 1,150 containers and plans adding 400 more this year.
“The percentage of produce we haul is small. We do a lot of frozen food, dairy, beverages, etc. That type of stuff is really our bread and butter,” he says.
Jason Spafford, McKay’s Vice President of Business Development credits the down turn in the nation’s economy resulting in people being “more open to new ideas.”
Spafford also points to increasing regulations on the trucking industry working in favor of the railroads.
“There’s the restrictions on driving hours that’s making it harder and is pushing it more towards a rail solution,” he states.
Additionally, Spafford says McKay TransCold believes they have to offer rail rates that are eight to 15 percent less than truck rates, depending upon the commodity and specific traffic lane.
“Traditionally rail has had difficulty with box car and intermodal concerns with damage claims. We’ve developed a racking system that creates a rock solid load. It can actually have less shifting than in truck load,” Spafford says.
McKay TransCold took a different approach in that it initially developed westbound rail shipments from the Midwest with commodities like eggs and ice cream. It then developed its eastbound freight, which is the opposite approach from most companies.
While a lot of attention is being paid to rail hauling fresh produce, Kenny Lund, Vice President of Allen Lund Company of LaCanada, CA states, “Owner operators move probably 95 percent of the produce cross country. Owner operators dominate cross country transportation of produce. The carriers that haul for us have 25 trucks at the most. We work with over 9,000 refrigerated carriers and they are mostly guys with 25 trucks or less.”
Continuing, Lund points out it is the rules and regulations that are hurting the owner operators. He adds there is no driver shortage, it is an owner operator shortage. The truck broker has been one of CARB’s (California Air Resources Board) biggest critics, citing such requirements on equipment such as refrigerated units for trailers cannot be over seven years old. Lund also is critical of the new diesel engines calling them a “nightmare. They shut down and you can’at fix them out in the field. You have to tow them in. They are so complicated and these regulations are going to make it worse.”
Paul Kazan, president of Target Interstate Systems Inc., Bronx, NY, is equally critical of excessive regulations on 18 wheelers.
“You don’t see it (increasing regulations) with trains, but at every turn you see it with the trucking industry. There is a very concerted affect out there by the rail industry to restrict trucks and I’m surprised there is not a more concerted effort by the trucking industry to push back against this effect. We’ve never had the power or the clout of the rail industry,” Kazan states.
At the same time, Kazan adds he is having conversations with rail entities and says, “we need a rail component.”
Target is headquartered on the Hunts Point Terminal Wholesale Market. Still, Kazan sees the rails “shying away” from wholesale terminal markets because these facilities hold on to the trailers (TOFC) too long using them as storage.
Kazan concedes, “Rails are here to stay. You have the green (environmental) technology, the carbon footprint.”
By The U.S. Apple Association
Vienna, VA – Apples routinely top grocery lists for a variety of tasty reasons. Beyond the plethora of varieties and apple products to be enjoyed, apples pack a nutritious punch, providing a daily dose of health benefits.
“American consumers can be confident when eating or serving apples—whether organic or conventional—that they are enjoying a safe, nutritious, healthy and delicious home-grown food produced with pride by the U.S. apple growers and the apple industry,” said Wendy Brannen, Director of Consumer Health and Public Relations for U.S. Apple Association (USApple). “Apples are a super food found in every supermarket – and it is no wonder numerous health organizations, including the Surgeon General, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetic Association, encourage greater consumption of fruits and vegetables—like apples and apple products.”
The U.S. Apple Association offers the following Delicious Dozen – 12 proven ways apples and apple products positively impact health, from head to toe and from the inside out:
1. Brain Health
Researchers from Cornell University found that apple nutrients protected brain neurons against oxidative damage. Such damage can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The study highlighted the antioxidant quercetin as a principle compound responsible for the protective effect (Journal of Food Science, 2004, 69: S357-S360).
2. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
A University of Massachusetts-Lowell clinical trial showed that drinking apple juice significantly improved mood and behavior among a group of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. Cornell University research also suggests that quercetin may be the compound in apples that protects brain cells against oxidative stress associated with Alzheimer’s.
3. Heart Health
An Ohio State University study recently found that eating an apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL, the bad cholesterol, by 40 percent. A University of Florida study found eating two apples a day reduced LDL by 23%.
4. Respiratory System
A National Institutes of Health study reports that foods rich in fiber and flavonoids, found abundantly in apples, may reduce chronic productive cough and other respiratory symptoms (Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med, 2004, 170: 279-287).
5. Asthma
Research from the United Kingdom reports children of mothers who eat apples during pregnancy are much less likely to exhibit symptoms of asthma at age five. Apples were the only food found to have a positive association with a reduced risk of asthma among a variety of foods consumed and recorded (Thorax, 2007, 62:745-746).
6. Digestive Health
University of Denmark researchers discovered apples and apple products could boost intestinal health by increasing the numbers of good gut bacteria. The friendly bacteria in the intestines feed on apple pectin, a fiber found abundantly in apples (BMC Microbiology 2010, 10:13).
7. Bone Health
A study published in the November 2010 online edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that older women who eat plenty of fruits, including apples and apple products, along with vegetables and whole grains, may have a lower chance of bone fractures than those not getting their fill.
8. Muscle Strength
A natural compound found in the apple’s skin, called ursolic acid, may help prevent muscle wasting that can result from aging and illness (Cell Metabolism, 2011, 13 (6): 627-638).
9. Weight Management or Weight Loss
State University of Rio de Janeiro researchers studying the impact of fruit intake on weight loss found that overweight women who ate the equivalent of three apples a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t eat the fiber-rich fruit (Nutrition, 2003, 19: 253-256).
10. Metabolic Syndrome
Adults who consume apples, apple juice and apple sauce are likely to have lower blood pressure and trimmer waistlines, resulting in a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health problems related to diabetes and heart disease (Experimental Biology 2008 Poster (unpublished)).
11. Immune System
Soluble fiber, like apple pectin, may reduce the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthen the immune system, according to a University of Illinois study (Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2010, in press/available online).
12. Certain types of Cancer, like Breast, Pancreatic, Colon or Liver, Prostate, and Colorectal
Apples are rich in antioxidants, especially quercetin, which have been identified to help inhibit cancer onset and cell proliferation. In one study, the more apples per day individuals ate, the less likely they were to develop colorectal cancer. The anti-cancer effect was seen even when an individual had a low total consumption of fruits and vegetables but consumed at least an apple a day (European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2010, 19(1):42-47).
For more information or to read about additional studies on the health benefits of apples and apple products, visit www.USApple.org.
About US Apple
The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business. More information on the organization is available at www.USApple.org.
Georgia produce shipments play an important role, particularly this time of the year, as it supplies a significant amount of fruit and vegetables, especially to the eastern half of the country. Here is a run down on current and coming loading opportunities from Georgia.
Before getting started, let it be said that Georgia has joined much of the nation with some disruptive weather that has delayed normal starts in shipping and is continuing to result in supply gaps where more product will be available for loading some weeks more than others. In general, a lot of the volume that would usually be available in May has been pushed back into June. With few exceptions volume will be lighter this season.
Bell Peppers and Cukes
In central and southern Georgia, bell pepper shipments will not have significant volume until June. Cucumber shipments initially start this week, with better volume coming at the end of May. Both items should be available through June.
Squash, Cabbage and Eggplant
Squash loadings recently started, but too many plants have been lost to cold and excessive rains. Volume will be down significantly this year. Cabbage shipments also are underway, but no big crop here. Georgia epplant faces a similar situation.
Sweet Corn and Green Beans
Sweet corn shipments, as well as green bean shipments should be in better shape than previously mentioned vegetables. Beans have already started, with sweet corn getting underway in late May.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Most shipments of Vidalia sweet onions started April 21st or later. While volume has been increasing in May, June will provide peak loading opportunities.
Blueberry Shipments
Georgia blueberries have been underway for three to four weeks and are now moving in good volume. However, no huge crop is seen.
Peaches and Watermelons
Early Georiga peaches were hit hard by freezing weather. Very limited loadings will be occurring into mid June, when volume starts improving. However, serious shipments will not come until July.
Georgia watermelon shipments start in a limited way in mid June. With the late start melon loadings should continue into mid July, instead of the Fourth of July.
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3500 to New York City.
Georgia mixed vegetables – about $2700 to New York City.
Arkansas tomato loadings in June should start on time, while loading opportunities with late season California oranges should improve.
Tomato Shipments
For about a six-week period each summer Arkansas is a significant shipping area for tomatoes.
While cool and wet weather may affect the size and volumes of Arkansas tomatoes, shipments should get underway on schedule around June 10th from the Hermitage area. There also may be some quality issues early in the harvest compared to later in the season. Loading opportunities should continue into the third week of July. Typically the tomato mix is about 80 percent round tomatoes and the balance is with romas.
Orange Shipments
California orange shipments have suffered this season due to a devasting freeze last December. However, the good news is the loss of navels from that event may not be as serious as originally thought. While the culling process resulted in about a 30 percent loss of citrus, this was lower than predicted.
Still, navel shipments should be pretty much ending with May.
California valencia loadings started last month, and are expected to continue through October.
California rates have generally been edging upwards, which is to be expected this time of year with volume increases and greater demand for trucks.
Southern California citrus – grossing about $5300 to Chicago.
Salinas Valley vegetables – grossing about $6400 to Atlanta.
Sometimes you just can’t help but marvel at the complete lack of common sense in our society. For many years it was believed by many that during the cold war the former Soviet Union had developed a new type of virus that would spread undetectable throughout a population. And the only effect it would have would be to progressively make the society dumber and dumber. I used to call it the “Russian Dumb-Ass Disease”. It just seems that we have more and more stupid people in our country that just can’t connect the dots.
If you want to enjoy your life and be happy it takes some extra thought. Life cannot be put into sound bites. You must be able to have some level of deductive reasoning in your thought process. My observation is that we have more and people who rely on their emotional feelings to make decisions in their life, and less and less people who set their emotions aside and actually think about rational solutions to their life’s problems. Maybe it’s a reflection of a society that lets the elected leaders do their thinking for them, or maybe it’s because they just don’t want to take the time to sit down and contemplate their problems. Perhaps it’s because it is easier to let the government feed you, cloth you, and tell you what to think.
After all, it’s much easier to be lazy than to be responsible. But for whatever reason, it’s taking a toll on our country and ultimately on the entire world. Your problems in life are mainly caused by you and not by others. When we allow our leaders and educators to teach our children to blame others for their problems, we are turning on a ticking time bomb in our society that may someday go off with tragic results. Our school shootings are carried out by students who are taught to blame their parents, teachers, and other students for their problems. And not themselves.
Failure of leadership in any society will result in untold human misery for that society. The list of the failed empires throughout history is very long indeed. And all have a large amount of death and destruction in the wake of their demise. The chapter of world history that includes the United States has yet to be completed, but I fear the final chapters are beginning to be written.
Our country was founded by people who had a pioneering spirit of self reliance and steadfast resolve to be responsible for themselves and their families. This country has definitely drifted away from that pioneer spirit. Today’s leaders tell us that “You didn’t do that, someone else made that happen.” After all, it’s not your fault you dropped out of school, got involved with gangs, drugs, and ran afoul of the law. It’s someone else’s fault. Sadly, there will never be any hope for those who believe this tripe. The reason is you cannot change other people’s behavior, only yours.
Hope and change cannot happen in your life until you understand that YOU are the only one who can make it happen. That’s right. Not big government, elected leaders, teachers, parents, or anybody else can change your life as easily as you can change it yourself. I overheard a conversation between two ladies recently and couldn’t help but make a note. One lady was telling the other that “Nobody likes me”. She never stopped to think about what she just said. Obviously the other lady liked her, or she would not be sitting there listening to this B.S. If you want people to like you the solution is simple. Be more likable.
People like likable people. Approach life with a smile, and others will smile back. Lets’ do a quick thought experiment. Say you are walking down the street and a dog crosses your path. If the dog is wagging it’s tail and happy to see you, you respond positively. On the other hand, if the dog is growling, not wagging it’s tail, and has hair raised on it’s back, you respond negatively. You respond to people the same way. It’s not the responsibility of others to like you. It’s your responsibility to be likeable. It’s not the color of your skin, the money in your pocket, the cloths you wear, or the car you drive that makes you “likable”. It’s your attitude about life and the smile you bring to others lives.
If people feel better when they are around you, then you will be liked by almost everybody. There will always be those who are jealous and envious, so choose your friends wisely.
And above all don’t take life too serious. The only real serious thing in life would be running out of beer or scotch. Now that would be serious! (I could be wrong about the money though….it always seems to attract women!)
The long awaited loadings of cherry from the Pacific Northwest get underway this week from the Tri-Cities area in Washington state. Initial volume will be with Chelans, with the more popular Bing variety coming about a week later.
Unlike California cherry shipments, where volume was down this season, the Northwest should experience a significant increase in cherry loadings. Total cherry shipments, mostly out of Washington state, should hit 20 million boxes, up from only 13 million boxes last year.
Washington state typically accounts for about 75 percent of the cherry shipments out of the Northwest, with most of the volume coming out of the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. However, it is the Tri-City area where initial loadings occur as it spreads to the southern Columbia Basin and the lower Yakima Valley within the next week or so.
(Reuters Health) – Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce stroke risk by almost a third, according to a fresh look at recent evidence. The results support existing recommendations from organizations like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which already call for a diet rich in fresh greens.
“The findings are consistent with the current knowledge that increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged to prevent stroke,” Dr. Yan Qu said in an email. Qu, of the Qingdao Municipal Hospital and the Medical College of Qingdao University in Qingdao, China, led the analysis.
A stroke occurs when bloodflow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot or a burst blood vessel. Without emergency care, a stroke can lead to severe brain damage or death. Stroke remains the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC. Several studies have looked at the influence of diet on stroke risk. Some have tied eating lots of fruits and vegetables to lowered risk; others have found no link at all.
The effect could be indirect, and eating fruits and vegetables may benefit overall health by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and other stroke risk factors, Qu said. It’s also possible that specific nutrients in the foods may reduce stroke risk, he said. To get a better understanding of the relationship between stroke risk and plants in the diet, the researchers searched for reports from recent decades that tracked the eating habits and health of men and women around the world.
Twenty studies examining a total of 16,981 strokes among 760,629 participants were included in the analysis. Overall, the people who ate the most fruits and vegetables were 21 percent less likely to have a stroke, compared to people who ate the lowest amounts, the researchers found.
The benefits rose along with the amounts of produce consumed. Stroke risk fell by 32 percent for every 200 grams (g) per day of fruit people ate, and 11 percent with every 200 g of vegetables. The researchers found that citrus fruits, leafy vegetables and apples and pears were the specific types of greenery linked to reduced stroke risk.
Pear Bureau Northwest, the nonprofit marketing association that promotes fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington, recently commissioned nutrition research examining fresh pear consumption and the associated nutrition and health benefits.
The research, which was led by Victor Fulgoni III, Ph.D, was presented at Experimental Biology in San Diego and revealed that when compared with non-consumers, fresh pear consumers had a better nutrition profile and overall better quality of diet (for example, more dietary fibre, vitamin C, copper, magnesium and potassium). Fresh pear consumers also had lower added sugar intake, as well as lower intake of total fat, mono-unsaturated fat and saturated fat. Furthermore, the likelihood of being obese was 35 percent lower among fresh pear consumers than among their non-consumer counterparts.
The association between fresh pear consumption with nutrient intake, dietary quality and risk of obesity was examined in adults 19 years old and older participating in the 2001-10 National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey. Energy and nutrient intakes were calculated using the USDA’s Food & Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies.
“We are pleased to see healthy pears as part of the greater scientific conversation and look forward to growing our nutrition research and communications program,” Kevin Moffitt, president and chief executive officer of Pear Bureau Northwest, said in a press release.
It was only a couple of weeks ago when 80 percent of the asparagus fields in west-central Michigan had frost damage, but it has since re-grown. Shipments have recently resumed and while the crop is now late, loss of volume is expected to be relatively small. The harvest already was late due to a cold spring and harvesting in southern Michigan didn’t start until about May 9. Asparagus shipments should continue through June. Volume in 2014 should be about equal to 2013 Michigan asparagus volume of 20 million pounds. Around 8 million pounds will to go to the fresh market this year, with the remainder of the total going to the processing market. The fresh market share has risen in two years to about 40 percent from 20-25 percent. In another two years about half of the state’s asparagus will go to the fresh market.
ATHENS, Ga. — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has given Carrier Transicold full verification for its engine emissions system (EES) option as a level 3+ verified diesel emission control device.“This is yet another significant milestone in the planned rollout of our latest trailer refrigeration platforms and emissions compliance devices as we continue to provide refrigerated fleets with technology options and compliance choices that best suit their particular operations,” said David Kiefer, director of sales, marketing and product management, Carrier Transicold.
Last year, CARB gave the EES a conditional verification, that allowed its installation on certain models and generator sets with up to 3,000 hours of engine operations. With full verification, the 3,000 hour condition is removed, allowing the EES installation on any of the model, regardless of the accrued hours of operation.
“CARB’s robust verification process requires independent testing and diligent review by CARB staff to assure fleets that verified products meet stringent durability, performance and emissions-reduction specifications,” Kiefer added. “Carrier Transicold worked closely with CARB staff to advance the EES to ensure reliable emissions reduction on models equipped with Tier 4 engines and achieve full verification. Building on this achievement, Carrier Transicold will next evaluate application of the EES to our older legacy platforms, for which maintaining CARB compliance has been limited to engine upgrades that will soon no longer be a compliance option.”
Installed as a substitute for a standard exhaust system, the EES filters exhaust using a high-performance diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a catalytic diesel particulate filter (CDPF). The DOC removes more than 93% of hydrocarbons and the CDPF reduces more than 98% of particulate matter, well beyond the 85% ULETRU requirement.
No operator intervention is needed because the EES uses passive, active and active-assist regeneration to clear accumulated soot.
xxx
100 years ago the railroads ruled when it came to long haul freight transportation. The advent of the interstate highway system in the 1950s changed all of that and led to a thriving trucking industry. Then in the 1970s there was a renewed interest in rail service, and this involved fresh produce. It was primarily refrigerated intermodal trailers and refrigerated box cars. However, as the trailers and rail cars aged, the companies invested in those ventures too often had problems coming up with the capital to replace the equipment. Additionally, in those days the rails had difficulty understanding perishable produce had to be treated differently than coal or auto parts. There also were too many produce receivers filing claims at the drop of a hat. The rails also were notorious for taking forever to pay claims.
But times have changed. Here are some of the rail related companies that have come on the scene in recent years.
****Railex LLC, Rotterdam, NY. This was perhaps the first one, and it partners with the Union Pacific Railroad, using 64-foot refrigerated railcars transporting produce from the West Coast to an upstate New York distribution center, where trucks take over. It also is establishing a presence in the Southeast.
****Rail Logistics Cold Train, Overland Park, Ks. The Cold Train used containers shipped out Washington and Oregon to the Midwest and East Coast.
****McKay TransCold, Minneapolis. It works with the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad using refrigerated boxcars out of California to Wilmington, IL citing each boxcar is equivalent to 3.5 to 4.2 truckloads of product.
****Tiger Cool Express LLC, Overland Park, Ks. According to its website it “Provides retailers an efficient, cost-effective, safe alternative to all-spot, all-the-time brokered transportation that relies on small, independent owner-operators who supply shippers through intermediaries.”
****C.R. England of Salt Lake City. While it is widely known as the nation’s largest refrigerated carrier with about 4,500 trucks, it also has had an intermodal division for about eight years and uses refrigerated containers.
Ricky Stover is director of business development – intermodal, for C.R. England. The company has 1,150 containers and plans adding 400 more this year.
“The percentage of produce we haul is small. We do a lot of frozen food, dairy, beverages, etc. That type of stuff is really our bread and butter,” he says.
Jason Spafford, McKay’s Vice President of Business Development credits the down turn in the nation’s economy resulting in people being “more open to new ideas.”
Spafford also points to increasing regulations on the trucking industry working in favor of the railroads.
“There’s the restrictions on driving hours that’s making it harder and is pushing it more towards a rail solution,” he states.
Additionally, Spafford says McKay TransCold believes they have to offer rail rates that are eight to 15 percent less than truck rates, depending upon the commodity and specific traffic lane.
“Traditionally rail has had difficulty with box car and intermodal concerns with damage claims. We’ve developed a racking system that creates a rock solid load. It can actually have less shifting than in truck load,” Spafford says.
McKay TransCold took a different approach in that it initially developed westbound rail shipments from the Midwest with commodities like eggs and ice cream. It then developed its eastbound freight, which is the opposite approach from most companies.
While a lot of attention is being paid to rail hauling fresh produce, Kenny Lund, Vice President of Allen Lund Company of LaCanada, CA states, “Owner operators move probably 95 percent of the produce cross country. Owner operators dominate cross country transportation of produce. The carriers that haul for us have 25 trucks at the most. We work with over 9,000 refrigerated carriers and they are mostly guys with 25 trucks or less.”
Continuing, Lund points out it is the rules and regulations that are hurting the owner operators. He adds there is no driver shortage, it is an owner operator shortage. The truck broker has been one of CARB’s (California Air Resources Board) biggest critics, citing such requirements on equipment such as refrigerated units for trailers cannot be over seven years old. Lund also is critical of the new diesel engines calling them a “nightmare. They shut down and you can’at fix them out in the field. You have to tow them in. They are so complicated and these regulations are going to make it worse.”
Paul Kazan, president of Target Interstate Systems Inc., Bronx, NY, is equally critical of excessive regulations on 18 wheelers.
“You don’t see it (increasing regulations) with trains, but at every turn you see it with the trucking industry. There is a very concerted affect out there by the rail industry to restrict trucks and I’m surprised there is not a more concerted effort by the trucking industry to push back against this effect. We’ve never had the power or the clout of the rail industry,” Kazan states.
At the same time, Kazan adds he is having conversations with rail entities and says, “we need a rail component.”
Target is headquartered on the Hunts Point Terminal Wholesale Market. Still, Kazan sees the rails “shying away” from wholesale terminal markets because these facilities hold on to the trailers (TOFC) too long using them as storage.
Kazan concedes, “Rails are here to stay. You have the green (environmental) technology, the carbon footprint.”
By The U.S. Apple Association
Vienna, VA – Apples routinely top grocery lists for a variety of tasty reasons. Beyond the plethora of varieties and apple products to be enjoyed, apples pack a nutritious punch, providing a daily dose of health benefits.
“American consumers can be confident when eating or serving apples—whether organic or conventional—that they are enjoying a safe, nutritious, healthy and delicious home-grown food produced with pride by the U.S. apple growers and the apple industry,” said Wendy Brannen, Director of Consumer Health and Public Relations for U.S. Apple Association (USApple). “Apples are a super food found in every supermarket – and it is no wonder numerous health organizations, including the Surgeon General, the American Cancer Society and the American Dietetic Association, encourage greater consumption of fruits and vegetables—like apples and apple products.”
The U.S. Apple Association offers the following Delicious Dozen – 12 proven ways apples and apple products positively impact health, from head to toe and from the inside out:
1. Brain Health
Researchers from Cornell University found that apple nutrients protected brain neurons against oxidative damage. Such damage can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The study highlighted the antioxidant quercetin as a principle compound responsible for the protective effect (Journal of Food Science, 2004, 69: S357-S360).
2. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease
A University of Massachusetts-Lowell clinical trial showed that drinking apple juice significantly improved mood and behavior among a group of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. Cornell University research also suggests that quercetin may be the compound in apples that protects brain cells against oxidative stress associated with Alzheimer’s.
3. Heart Health
An Ohio State University study recently found that eating an apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL, the bad cholesterol, by 40 percent. A University of Florida study found eating two apples a day reduced LDL by 23%.
4. Respiratory System
A National Institutes of Health study reports that foods rich in fiber and flavonoids, found abundantly in apples, may reduce chronic productive cough and other respiratory symptoms (Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med, 2004, 170: 279-287).
5. Asthma
Research from the United Kingdom reports children of mothers who eat apples during pregnancy are much less likely to exhibit symptoms of asthma at age five. Apples were the only food found to have a positive association with a reduced risk of asthma among a variety of foods consumed and recorded (Thorax, 2007, 62:745-746).
6. Digestive Health
University of Denmark researchers discovered apples and apple products could boost intestinal health by increasing the numbers of good gut bacteria. The friendly bacteria in the intestines feed on apple pectin, a fiber found abundantly in apples (BMC Microbiology 2010, 10:13).
7. Bone Health
A study published in the November 2010 online edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that older women who eat plenty of fruits, including apples and apple products, along with vegetables and whole grains, may have a lower chance of bone fractures than those not getting their fill.
8. Muscle Strength
A natural compound found in the apple’s skin, called ursolic acid, may help prevent muscle wasting that can result from aging and illness (Cell Metabolism, 2011, 13 (6): 627-638).
9. Weight Management or Weight Loss
State University of Rio de Janeiro researchers studying the impact of fruit intake on weight loss found that overweight women who ate the equivalent of three apples a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t eat the fiber-rich fruit (Nutrition, 2003, 19: 253-256).
10. Metabolic Syndrome
Adults who consume apples, apple juice and apple sauce are likely to have lower blood pressure and trimmer waistlines, resulting in a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health problems related to diabetes and heart disease (Experimental Biology 2008 Poster (unpublished)).
11. Immune System
Soluble fiber, like apple pectin, may reduce the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthen the immune system, according to a University of Illinois study (Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2010, in press/available online).
12. Certain types of Cancer, like Breast, Pancreatic, Colon or Liver, Prostate, and Colorectal
Apples are rich in antioxidants, especially quercetin, which have been identified to help inhibit cancer onset and cell proliferation. In one study, the more apples per day individuals ate, the less likely they were to develop colorectal cancer. The anti-cancer effect was seen even when an individual had a low total consumption of fruits and vegetables but consumed at least an apple a day (European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2010, 19(1):42-47).
For more information or to read about additional studies on the health benefits of apples and apple products, visit www.USApple.org.
About US Apple
The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business. More information on the organization is available at www.USApple.org.
Georgia produce shipments play an important role, particularly this time of the year, as it supplies a significant amount of fruit and vegetables, especially to the eastern half of the country. Here is a run down on current and coming loading opportunities from Georgia.
Before getting started, let it be said that Georgia has joined much of the nation with some disruptive weather that has delayed normal starts in shipping and is continuing to result in supply gaps where more product will be available for loading some weeks more than others. In general, a lot of the volume that would usually be available in May has been pushed back into June. With few exceptions volume will be lighter this season.
Bell Peppers and Cukes
In central and southern Georgia, bell pepper shipments will not have significant volume until June. Cucumber shipments initially start this week, with better volume coming at the end of May. Both items should be available through June.
Squash, Cabbage and Eggplant
Squash loadings recently started, but too many plants have been lost to cold and excessive rains. Volume will be down significantly this year. Cabbage shipments also are underway, but no big crop here. Georgia epplant faces a similar situation.
Sweet Corn and Green Beans
Sweet corn shipments, as well as green bean shipments should be in better shape than previously mentioned vegetables. Beans have already started, with sweet corn getting underway in late May.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Most shipments of Vidalia sweet onions started April 21st or later. While volume has been increasing in May, June will provide peak loading opportunities.
Blueberry Shipments
Georgia blueberries have been underway for three to four weeks and are now moving in good volume. However, no huge crop is seen.
Peaches and Watermelons
Early Georiga peaches were hit hard by freezing weather. Very limited loadings will be occurring into mid June, when volume starts improving. However, serious shipments will not come until July.
Georgia watermelon shipments start in a limited way in mid June. With the late start melon loadings should continue into mid July, instead of the Fourth of July.
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3500 to New York City.
Georgia mixed vegetables – about $2700 to New York City.
Arkansas tomato loadings in June should start on time, while loading opportunities with late season California oranges should improve.
Tomato Shipments
For about a six-week period each summer Arkansas is a significant shipping area for tomatoes.
While cool and wet weather may affect the size and volumes of Arkansas tomatoes, shipments should get underway on schedule around June 10th from the Hermitage area. There also may be some quality issues early in the harvest compared to later in the season. Loading opportunities should continue into the third week of July. Typically the tomato mix is about 80 percent round tomatoes and the balance is with romas.
Orange Shipments
California orange shipments have suffered this season due to a devasting freeze last December. However, the good news is the loss of navels from that event may not be as serious as originally thought. While the culling process resulted in about a 30 percent loss of citrus, this was lower than predicted.
Still, navel shipments should be pretty much ending with May.
California valencia loadings started last month, and are expected to continue through October.
California rates have generally been edging upwards, which is to be expected this time of year with volume increases and greater demand for trucks.
Southern California citrus – grossing about $5300 to Chicago.
Salinas Valley vegetables – grossing about $6400 to Atlanta.
Sometimes you just can’t help but marvel at the complete lack of common sense in our society. For many years it was believed by many that during the cold war the former Soviet Union had developed a new type of virus that would spread undetectable throughout a population. And the only effect it would have would be to progressively make the society dumber and dumber. I used to call it the “Russian Dumb-Ass Disease”. It just seems that we have more and more stupid people in our country that just can’t connect the dots.
If you want to enjoy your life and be happy it takes some extra thought. Life cannot be put into sound bites. You must be able to have some level of deductive reasoning in your thought process. My observation is that we have more and people who rely on their emotional feelings to make decisions in their life, and less and less people who set their emotions aside and actually think about rational solutions to their life’s problems. Maybe it’s a reflection of a society that lets the elected leaders do their thinking for them, or maybe it’s because they just don’t want to take the time to sit down and contemplate their problems. Perhaps it’s because it is easier to let the government feed you, cloth you, and tell you what to think.
After all, it’s much easier to be lazy than to be responsible. But for whatever reason, it’s taking a toll on our country and ultimately on the entire world. Your problems in life are mainly caused by you and not by others. When we allow our leaders and educators to teach our children to blame others for their problems, we are turning on a ticking time bomb in our society that may someday go off with tragic results. Our school shootings are carried out by students who are taught to blame their parents, teachers, and other students for their problems. And not themselves.
Failure of leadership in any society will result in untold human misery for that society. The list of the failed empires throughout history is very long indeed. And all have a large amount of death and destruction in the wake of their demise. The chapter of world history that includes the United States has yet to be completed, but I fear the final chapters are beginning to be written.
Our country was founded by people who had a pioneering spirit of self reliance and steadfast resolve to be responsible for themselves and their families. This country has definitely drifted away from that pioneer spirit. Today’s leaders tell us that “You didn’t do that, someone else made that happen.” After all, it’s not your fault you dropped out of school, got involved with gangs, drugs, and ran afoul of the law. It’s someone else’s fault. Sadly, there will never be any hope for those who believe this tripe. The reason is you cannot change other people’s behavior, only yours.
Hope and change cannot happen in your life until you understand that YOU are the only one who can make it happen. That’s right. Not big government, elected leaders, teachers, parents, or anybody else can change your life as easily as you can change it yourself. I overheard a conversation between two ladies recently and couldn’t help but make a note. One lady was telling the other that “Nobody likes me”. She never stopped to think about what she just said. Obviously the other lady liked her, or she would not be sitting there listening to this B.S. If you want people to like you the solution is simple. Be more likable.
People like likable people. Approach life with a smile, and others will smile back. Lets’ do a quick thought experiment. Say you are walking down the street and a dog crosses your path. If the dog is wagging it’s tail and happy to see you, you respond positively. On the other hand, if the dog is growling, not wagging it’s tail, and has hair raised on it’s back, you respond negatively. You respond to people the same way. It’s not the responsibility of others to like you. It’s your responsibility to be likeable. It’s not the color of your skin, the money in your pocket, the cloths you wear, or the car you drive that makes you “likable”. It’s your attitude about life and the smile you bring to others lives.
If people feel better when they are around you, then you will be liked by almost everybody. There will always be those who are jealous and envious, so choose your friends wisely.
And above all don’t take life too serious. The only real serious thing in life would be running out of beer or scotch. Now that would be serious! (I could be wrong about the money though….it always seems to attract women!)