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Carrier Transicold’s new XtendFRESH™ container atmosphere control system uses innovative technologies to help maintain the quality of shipped produce, while extending shipping distances to enable growers reach new customers. Carrier Transicold helps improve global transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers, and is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
Considering its many benefits, the XtendFRESH system is designed to be more affordable than Carrier’s prior atmosphere control solutions and relatively easy to install on existing equipment.
“The XtendFRESH system will expand opportunities for the global trade of perishable commodities,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold. “It will enable Carrier Transicold’s shipping line customers to help exporters extend their reach into new markets.”
The XtendFRESH system actively controls oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and removes ethylene, a hormone given off by ripening produce that will accelerate ripening if left unchecked. O2 and CO2 levels can be independently set at levels that produce optimum results for a given commodity. The system’s ability to remove ethylene, while managing O2 and CO2, is key to its performance and distinguishes it from other products for container atmosphere control.
Kartik Kumar, director, Marketing & Strategic Planning, Global Container Refrigeration, Carrier Transicold, said, “By helping prevent premature ripening, the XtendFRESH system will aid in maintaining optimum quality of delivered produce, which can also result in less spoilage per shipment.”
By slowing ripening, XtendFRESH significantly lengthens the amount of time produce can spend in refrigerated transit – by more than double in some cases. For example, bananas can be shipped for up to eight weeks rather than four, and beans for up to four weeks rather 10 days.
“The XtendFRESH system will give the shipping industry a new, more economical way to implement container atmosphere control and, in turn, grow market opportunities,” Kumar said.
The innovative XtendFRESH system has a patented self-regenerating activated carbon scrubber assembly that removes ethylene and CO2 created by the ripening processes occurring inside the container. As O2 is consumed by ripening produce, automated, on-demand fresh-air ventilation helps maintain the optimum O2 level for the specific cargo inside. No other product integral to the container actively manages CO2 and O2 and removes ethylene.
“We’re enthusiastic about the prospects of the XtendFRESH system for our banana operations,” said Juan Carlos Hernandez, Global Equipment and M&R Manager, Chiquita Brands International, Inc., which worked with Carrier in demonstration projects and sea trials. “The XtendFRESH system is a practical, complete controlled-atmosphere alternative for refrigerated containers that has shown potential for maintaining improved produce quality in long-duration shipments.”
O2, will typically be managed to a range of between 3 to 21 percent, and CO2, will typically be managed within a range of zero to 19 percent.
Modular by design, the XtendFRESH system can be easily added to existing Carrier container refrigeration units equipped with the Micro-Link® 3 (ML3) controller. Key components include the scrubber assembly, a ventilation panel with integral blower, control software and sensors for monitoring O2 and CO2. Adding a humidity sensor provides additional atmosphere control, enabling humidity to be reduced to as low as 50 percent, as needed for cargo protection.
The XtendFRESH system will be available as an option with new equipment purchases, and a special XtendFRESH provision will also be available for new units, making it easier to upgrade them with the XtendFRESH system at a later date.
The XtendFRESH system is currently completing trials and Carrier Transicold anticipates availability later this year. For more information about the XtendFRESH container atmosphere control system, visit www.carrier.com/container.
About Carrier Transicold
Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 40 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with the most advanced, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units and trailer refrigeration systems. Carrier Transicold is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.transicold.carrier.com for more information.
Many years ago my grandfather told me countless times that “Things ain’t what they used to be.”
I never exactly knew what he was talking about, but now I think I do. Well, he was right. Things ain’t what they used to be. There was a time when Americans considered themselves wealthy, not because of the gold they carried in their pocket, but by the liberty they possessed as an American citizen. There was a time when you would never consider disrespecting a teacher. And If you even thought about dropping out of school you would have to face your father, and that would not be a pleasant experience at all. There was a time when you knew the world didn’t owe you one thin dime, and hard work for an honest wage was something you had to do to survive and prosper. There was a time when your word was your bond and contracts were made with a firm handshake. Your reputation depended on you keeping your word. There was a time when you worked to stand on your own two feet and taking a handout was unthinkable. There was a time when you respected your parents and honored the name that they handed down to you from your ancestors. And, believe it or not, there was even a time when you knew that the government would stay out of your business. You could manage your business with common sense and self-respect. There was a time when the American dream was to take up a trade or start your own business. And your business succeeded or failed by the sweat of your own brow, and not by government kickbacks and taxpayer subsidies. There was a time when you took pride in your work, and workers would work extra hours to insure the quality of their work was uncompromised. There was a time when all Americans cheered the success of others. And jealousy and envy were frowned upon, and would never be used, or even considered for use as a political campaign platform. There was even a time when Americans got teary eyed and choked up when singing the national anthem. Americans understood and respected those who gave their lives so that we may live in liberty. During the past few months I have had the good fortune of going through old family photos and memorabilia. Many of them pictures of my grandfather, aunts, uncles, and even a few family outlaws. People who lived through the great depression, the dust bowl, and WWII. People who taught me the value of the name that I carry, and the money in my pocket. There was not a Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Barrack Obama, Al Sharpton, Lady Gaga, or any other bozo among them. They were just solid Americans with a high moral certainty that produced and built a prosperous nation. A nation that is now sadly in decline. Who would have thought that you would see the day when McDonald’s fry cooks and Wal-Mart checkout clerks would think that these type of jobs should be a well paid career to live and raise a family on? Who would have thought that the President of the United States would foster, promote, and encourage a great divide among poor and rich Americans. You have to go back to the Civil War to find a time in American history when our country was as divided as it is today. “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself falls.” Luke 11:17 These words, spoken two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ, speak volumes today. How can we get our nation and economy back on track to prosperity without a unity of leadership? We have unions divided against management, states divided against states, federal laws divided against state laws, government regulators divided against businesses, parents divided against teachers, and politicians divided against our Constitution. There are so many divisions in our country that it is hard to find any common ground for agreement. Many people say that today is no different than our grandfathers’ day, and it will pass. Are you kidding me? This country is at a crossroads. In fact we may have already moved past the crossroads. One thing is for sure. Today we have more people living on some sort of government handout than those who don’t. This my friends is the crucial tipping point toward a national decline. When a politician can stand up and say, ”Vote for me and I’ll give you a tax payer funded government handout”, and get elected, it’s all over folks. Nothing left to do but to rename our country….The United States of Detroit
!
From Washington state apples, to Nebraska and Texas potatoes, as well as North Carolina sweet potatoes and more, here’s some fresh produce loads to consider.
Washington Apple Loads
Apple shipments are really picking up from Washington state’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. They have finally got the old crop out the way and the focus has shifted to new season fruit. The harvest is still continuing, but volume should get heavy as we get into November.
Potato Loads
Shipments of red potatoes out of North Dakota and Minnesota remain only light to moderate as digging still continues. The harvest of Red River Valley potatoes is about two to three weeks behind schedule, with a little over half of the spuds now in storage. Loadings should increase in the weeks ahead.
Sweet Potato Loads
Another late harvest is with North Carolina sweet potatoes. Some sweet potatoes were being shipped uncured at the start of the season, but now there has been time for curing. Sweet potatoes are not very sweet or moist when first dug. It takes six to eight weeks of proper curing and storage before they have the sweet, moist taste and texture desired when baked.
Nebraska continues to ship light amounts of potatoes, mostly from the Imperial, Neb area in the southwest part of the state, and from O’Neill in Northeast Nebraska — about 200 loads weekly combined from both areas
There’s also similar volume of potatoes coming out of what’s know as the High Plains district of West Texas, around the Herford area.
Washington state apples – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – about $1500 to Atlanta.
Shipments of Prince Edward Island potatoes have been taking place for several weeks across Atlantic Canada, but now loadings destinated for other parts of Canada, as well as the United States are gearing up. A majority of shipments to the US are along the eastern seaboard.
The PEI potato harvest is is approximately 85 percent complete across the Island. Yields are generally close to average and the quality of the crop is reported particularly good this year.
The potato industry continues to a major employer and an economic engine in Prince Edward Island, employing 12 percent of the Island labour-force directly or in spin-off employment. The potato industry in PEI creates a total economic impact of $1.065 billion dollars.
For new recipe ideas on how to include PEI Potatoes into family meals this fall, visit www.peipotato.com.
Prince Edward Island Potatoes are world renowned for the great taste and quality that comes from growing in the unique red soil of PEI. The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is a producer-controlled association dedicated to supporting the highest performance of an economically and environmentally sustainable potato industry.
Source: Prince Edward Island Potatoes
It will be a few more weeks before California citrus shipments really get cranked up from the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.
About 88 million cartons of California navels should be loaded this season, down slightly at 2 percent from last season. A few growers started harvest the week of October 7. Limited shipments will be underway at the end of October, with good loading opportunities coming the second week of November, just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays.
Table grapes continue to provide heavy volume from the San Joaquin Valley, and it is little wonder if you’ve tasted the fruit this season. With high sugar levels, consumers, including me, keep going back to the store for more. About 1,800 truck loads of grapes per week are being loaded in California.
Carrot Shipments
There is steady movement of carrots out of the Kern District in the Bakersfield area, averaging over 300 truck load equivalents per week.
Huron Lettuce Shipments
It’s only about a 30-day window for head lettuce loadings coming out of the Westside of the San Joaquin Valley, known as the Huron district. Harvest has just started, but it will be the week of October 28th before significant loadings occur….Meanwhile lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower continue out of the Salinas Valley in light to moderate volume.
Pistachio Shipments
The forecast pegs shipments amounting to 460 million pounds, off from 550 million pounds a year ago. Expect substantially higher prices in your local supermarkets.
By The Alliance for Food and Farming
Study after study continues to confirm the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. Recently, a new study was released from the Harvard School of Public Health where researchers found an association between eating at least two servings of fruit a week and having a 23 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Blueberries, grapes and apples seemed to be especially linked with the reduced diabetes risk. Prunes, apricots, peaches, raisins, bananas, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit were also included in the study.
This is more good news for consumers since the fruits included in the research are popular, plentiful and often kids’ favorites. It also seems to illustrate the nutritional punch of these healthy foods.
The study findings further support the Alliance for Food and Farming’s message to consumers – choose either organic or conventional fruits and veggies but choose to eat more. Both are safe and eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies is always the right choice for improved health and a longer life.
When you are headquartered on the East Coast near much of your customer base, but about one-half of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and shipped from California, the 3,000-mile hauls can present additional challengeover shorter runs. But when one adds the challenges of dealing with federal and state mounting regulations, it just makes doing business more difficult.
Rob Goldstein is president of Genpro Inc. of Newark, NJ and arranges loads of fruit and vegetables from various shipping points around the country, including California. Because of the ever changing and increasing number of rules and regulations, he maintains more team drivers are needed on the road to help meet delivery schedules.
As an example, Goldstein cites the changes in the hours of service rules last July, which in effect reduces the amount of driving time a trucker can legally perform.
“The bottom line is with the new hours of service, and what the truckers can do, if they can’t make more turns in their line hauls, the rates are going to have to go up. Drivers have to drive less hours under the new rules and this results in fewer turns,” Goldstein says. “Drivers get paid for the amount of miles they travel and they are logging fewer miles with these new hours of service.”
On the state level, Goldstein references the California Resources Board (CARB) rules as a hinderance to trucking.
“The average carrier has six or seven units. So we are asking these carriers to comply with the state of California where about 50 percent of the domestic produce production originates,” he notes. “They (California officials) are asking these guys to make significant investments in their equipment, which isn’t easy to do.”
That is a reference to CARB requiring trucking equipment be retrofitted when it reaches seven years old.
As owner operator Henry Lee of Ellenwood, GA says, it will cost him $10,000 to replace the motor on his Thermo King SB-310 reefer unit, to meet the CARB requirements.
Genpro works with a mixture of owner operators, small fleets and carriers. Goldstein says the average size of fleets they work with is about seven units.
We’re entering that time of the year when overall produce volume is declining and it will only get worse during the first few months or so in the New Year. For example, Florida is nothing to get excited about for produce haulers, and will remain that way until spring vegetable shipments take off in April.
Still there are some loading opportunities in the Sunshine state, with vegetables, strawberries and citrus.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Grape tomatoes and cherry tomato shipments started in mid October from the Palmetto-Ruskin area.
Mature green tomatos should get underway from Central Florida in early November.
Bell peppers, grean beans and cucumbers should begin in light volume in early November from Homestead and Belle Glade.
Sweet corn is running late and is not expected to kick off until about a week before Thanksgiving, which is November 28th.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
Southern Georgia has light supplies of sweet corn, and bell peppers. Loading should continue until about a week before Thanksgiving. It is around this time, the items will get started in Florida.
Florida Strawberry Shipments
Looking ahead, we’re only about five weeks or so away from the intial Florida strawberries coming on in late November, primarily around the Plant City area. Loadings will gradually build in December and January befor peak shipments hit in February.
Lettuce shipments from the Salinas Valley are expected to decline in coming weeks as the seasonal transition gradually shifts to the Imperial Valley in the California desert, as well as just to the East in the Yuma, AZ district. However, it will probably be around Thanksgiving before the change is completed. Sandwiched in between this the Huron district on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley. Lettuce shipments from Huron should get underway about the third week of October and last about a month.
Strawberry Shipments
The Watsonville area adjancent to Salinas is loading about 500 truck loads of strawberries weekly. There is much lighter volume coming out of the Santa Maria district, with Ventura County have very light movment as its fall season has just started.
Kiwfruit Shipments
Imports of kiwi from Chile and New Zealand are in a rapid decline, while California kiwi shipments are just gearing up. The California produce loads are predicted to hit about 6.5 million trays this season, down from 9-plus million trays last season.
California Nuts
No we’re not talking about California Gov. Jerry Brown, or the state’s assembly. California expects to load about 495,000 tons of walnuts this season, slightly below a year ago.
Date Shipments
California is the largest shipper of dates, with shipments forecast to be up about 20 percent this year, primarily from the California desert and Yuma, AZ.
Michigan could have a record, or at least near record apple crop this season, but there may be fewer loads available for produce haulers. In a nutshell, there’s not enough farm laborers and there are worries of fruit actually rotting on the trees.
Question. Unemployment is at 7.8 percentange, but some reports state it’s more like 17 percent when including people who have quit looking for work. So why is there a labor shortage? If there is a driver shortage amounting to 20,000 a year, as claimed by the American Trucking Associations, with unemployment so high, what’s the problem?
Could it be that government assistance has become so common and so excessive that folks figure why should they work when there are food stamps, free cell phones, housing assistance, etc.?
Michigan agricultural organizations teamed up to send “help wanted” postcards to more than 300 farm labor contractors, mostly in Florida and Georgia, informing them of the state’s large apple crop and need for hundreds of qualified workers for the next few weeks.
About 20 to 30 percent of the state’s apples remain to be harvested. If the fruit isn’t picked by early November there’s a good chance it will be lost.
Apple pickers are paid $15 to $20 and hour, plus are provided with housing during the season. The crop is estimated to be about 30 million bushels this season.
Carrier Transicold’s new XtendFRESH™ container atmosphere control system uses innovative technologies to help maintain the quality of shipped produce, while extending shipping distances to enable growers reach new customers. Carrier Transicold helps improve global transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers, and is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).
Considering its many benefits, the XtendFRESH system is designed to be more affordable than Carrier’s prior atmosphere control solutions and relatively easy to install on existing equipment.
“The XtendFRESH system will expand opportunities for the global trade of perishable commodities,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold. “It will enable Carrier Transicold’s shipping line customers to help exporters extend their reach into new markets.”
The XtendFRESH system actively controls oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and removes ethylene, a hormone given off by ripening produce that will accelerate ripening if left unchecked. O2 and CO2 levels can be independently set at levels that produce optimum results for a given commodity. The system’s ability to remove ethylene, while managing O2 and CO2, is key to its performance and distinguishes it from other products for container atmosphere control.
Kartik Kumar, director, Marketing & Strategic Planning, Global Container Refrigeration, Carrier Transicold, said, “By helping prevent premature ripening, the XtendFRESH system will aid in maintaining optimum quality of delivered produce, which can also result in less spoilage per shipment.”
By slowing ripening, XtendFRESH significantly lengthens the amount of time produce can spend in refrigerated transit – by more than double in some cases. For example, bananas can be shipped for up to eight weeks rather than four, and beans for up to four weeks rather 10 days.
“The XtendFRESH system will give the shipping industry a new, more economical way to implement container atmosphere control and, in turn, grow market opportunities,” Kumar said.
The innovative XtendFRESH system has a patented self-regenerating activated carbon scrubber assembly that removes ethylene and CO2 created by the ripening processes occurring inside the container. As O2 is consumed by ripening produce, automated, on-demand fresh-air ventilation helps maintain the optimum O2 level for the specific cargo inside. No other product integral to the container actively manages CO2 and O2 and removes ethylene.
“We’re enthusiastic about the prospects of the XtendFRESH system for our banana operations,” said Juan Carlos Hernandez, Global Equipment and M&R Manager, Chiquita Brands International, Inc., which worked with Carrier in demonstration projects and sea trials. “The XtendFRESH system is a practical, complete controlled-atmosphere alternative for refrigerated containers that has shown potential for maintaining improved produce quality in long-duration shipments.”
O2, will typically be managed to a range of between 3 to 21 percent, and CO2, will typically be managed within a range of zero to 19 percent.
Modular by design, the XtendFRESH system can be easily added to existing Carrier container refrigeration units equipped with the Micro-Link® 3 (ML3) controller. Key components include the scrubber assembly, a ventilation panel with integral blower, control software and sensors for monitoring O2 and CO2. Adding a humidity sensor provides additional atmosphere control, enabling humidity to be reduced to as low as 50 percent, as needed for cargo protection.
The XtendFRESH system will be available as an option with new equipment purchases, and a special XtendFRESH provision will also be available for new units, making it easier to upgrade them with the XtendFRESH system at a later date.
The XtendFRESH system is currently completing trials and Carrier Transicold anticipates availability later this year. For more information about the XtendFRESH container atmosphere control system, visit www.carrier.com/container.
About Carrier Transicold
Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 40 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with the most advanced, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units and trailer refrigeration systems. Carrier Transicold is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.transicold.carrier.com for more information.
Many years ago my grandfather told me countless times that “Things ain’t what they used to be.”
I never exactly knew what he was talking about, but now I think I do. Well, he was right. Things ain’t what they used to be. There was a time when Americans considered themselves wealthy, not because of the gold they carried in their pocket, but by the liberty they possessed as an American citizen. There was a time when you would never consider disrespecting a teacher. And If you even thought about dropping out of school you would have to face your father, and that would not be a pleasant experience at all. There was a time when you knew the world didn’t owe you one thin dime, and hard work for an honest wage was something you had to do to survive and prosper. There was a time when your word was your bond and contracts were made with a firm handshake. Your reputation depended on you keeping your word. There was a time when you worked to stand on your own two feet and taking a handout was unthinkable. There was a time when you respected your parents and honored the name that they handed down to you from your ancestors. And, believe it or not, there was even a time when you knew that the government would stay out of your business. You could manage your business with common sense and self-respect. There was a time when the American dream was to take up a trade or start your own business. And your business succeeded or failed by the sweat of your own brow, and not by government kickbacks and taxpayer subsidies. There was a time when you took pride in your work, and workers would work extra hours to insure the quality of their work was uncompromised. There was a time when all Americans cheered the success of others. And jealousy and envy were frowned upon, and would never be used, or even considered for use as a political campaign platform. There was even a time when Americans got teary eyed and choked up when singing the national anthem. Americans understood and respected those who gave their lives so that we may live in liberty. During the past few months I have had the good fortune of going through old family photos and memorabilia. Many of them pictures of my grandfather, aunts, uncles, and even a few family outlaws. People who lived through the great depression, the dust bowl, and WWII. People who taught me the value of the name that I carry, and the money in my pocket. There was not a Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Barrack Obama, Al Sharpton, Lady Gaga, or any other bozo among them. They were just solid Americans with a high moral certainty that produced and built a prosperous nation. A nation that is now sadly in decline. Who would have thought that you would see the day when McDonald’s fry cooks and Wal-Mart checkout clerks would think that these type of jobs should be a well paid career to live and raise a family on? Who would have thought that the President of the United States would foster, promote, and encourage a great divide among poor and rich Americans. You have to go back to the Civil War to find a time in American history when our country was as divided as it is today. “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house divided against itself falls.” Luke 11:17 These words, spoken two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ, speak volumes today. How can we get our nation and economy back on track to prosperity without a unity of leadership? We have unions divided against management, states divided against states, federal laws divided against state laws, government regulators divided against businesses, parents divided against teachers, and politicians divided against our Constitution. There are so many divisions in our country that it is hard to find any common ground for agreement. Many people say that today is no different than our grandfathers’ day, and it will pass. Are you kidding me? This country is at a crossroads. In fact we may have already moved past the crossroads. One thing is for sure. Today we have more people living on some sort of government handout than those who don’t. This my friends is the crucial tipping point toward a national decline. When a politician can stand up and say, ”Vote for me and I’ll give you a tax payer funded government handout”, and get elected, it’s all over folks. Nothing left to do but to rename our country….The United States of Detroit
!
From Washington state apples, to Nebraska and Texas potatoes, as well as North Carolina sweet potatoes and more, here’s some fresh produce loads to consider.
Washington Apple Loads
Apple shipments are really picking up from Washington state’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. They have finally got the old crop out the way and the focus has shifted to new season fruit. The harvest is still continuing, but volume should get heavy as we get into November.
Potato Loads
Shipments of red potatoes out of North Dakota and Minnesota remain only light to moderate as digging still continues. The harvest of Red River Valley potatoes is about two to three weeks behind schedule, with a little over half of the spuds now in storage. Loadings should increase in the weeks ahead.
Sweet Potato Loads
Another late harvest is with North Carolina sweet potatoes. Some sweet potatoes were being shipped uncured at the start of the season, but now there has been time for curing. Sweet potatoes are not very sweet or moist when first dug. It takes six to eight weeks of proper curing and storage before they have the sweet, moist taste and texture desired when baked.
Nebraska continues to ship light amounts of potatoes, mostly from the Imperial, Neb area in the southwest part of the state, and from O’Neill in Northeast Nebraska — about 200 loads weekly combined from both areas
There’s also similar volume of potatoes coming out of what’s know as the High Plains district of West Texas, around the Herford area.
Washington state apples – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – about $1500 to Atlanta.
Shipments of Prince Edward Island potatoes have been taking place for several weeks across Atlantic Canada, but now loadings destinated for other parts of Canada, as well as the United States are gearing up. A majority of shipments to the US are along the eastern seaboard.
The PEI potato harvest is is approximately 85 percent complete across the Island. Yields are generally close to average and the quality of the crop is reported particularly good this year.
The potato industry continues to a major employer and an economic engine in Prince Edward Island, employing 12 percent of the Island labour-force directly or in spin-off employment. The potato industry in PEI creates a total economic impact of $1.065 billion dollars.
For new recipe ideas on how to include PEI Potatoes into family meals this fall, visit www.peipotato.com.
Prince Edward Island Potatoes are world renowned for the great taste and quality that comes from growing in the unique red soil of PEI. The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is a producer-controlled association dedicated to supporting the highest performance of an economically and environmentally sustainable potato industry.
Source: Prince Edward Island Potatoes
It will be a few more weeks before California citrus shipments really get cranked up from the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.
About 88 million cartons of California navels should be loaded this season, down slightly at 2 percent from last season. A few growers started harvest the week of October 7. Limited shipments will be underway at the end of October, with good loading opportunities coming the second week of November, just in time for the Thanksgiving holidays.
Table grapes continue to provide heavy volume from the San Joaquin Valley, and it is little wonder if you’ve tasted the fruit this season. With high sugar levels, consumers, including me, keep going back to the store for more. About 1,800 truck loads of grapes per week are being loaded in California.
Carrot Shipments
There is steady movement of carrots out of the Kern District in the Bakersfield area, averaging over 300 truck load equivalents per week.
Huron Lettuce Shipments
It’s only about a 30-day window for head lettuce loadings coming out of the Westside of the San Joaquin Valley, known as the Huron district. Harvest has just started, but it will be the week of October 28th before significant loadings occur….Meanwhile lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower continue out of the Salinas Valley in light to moderate volume.
Pistachio Shipments
The forecast pegs shipments amounting to 460 million pounds, off from 550 million pounds a year ago. Expect substantially higher prices in your local supermarkets.
By The Alliance for Food and Farming
Study after study continues to confirm the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. Recently, a new study was released from the Harvard School of Public Health where researchers found an association between eating at least two servings of fruit a week and having a 23 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. Blueberries, grapes and apples seemed to be especially linked with the reduced diabetes risk. Prunes, apricots, peaches, raisins, bananas, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit were also included in the study.
This is more good news for consumers since the fruits included in the research are popular, plentiful and often kids’ favorites. It also seems to illustrate the nutritional punch of these healthy foods.
The study findings further support the Alliance for Food and Farming’s message to consumers – choose either organic or conventional fruits and veggies but choose to eat more. Both are safe and eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies is always the right choice for improved health and a longer life.
When you are headquartered on the East Coast near much of your customer base, but about one-half of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables are grown and shipped from California, the 3,000-mile hauls can present additional challengeover shorter runs. But when one adds the challenges of dealing with federal and state mounting regulations, it just makes doing business more difficult.
Rob Goldstein is president of Genpro Inc. of Newark, NJ and arranges loads of fruit and vegetables from various shipping points around the country, including California. Because of the ever changing and increasing number of rules and regulations, he maintains more team drivers are needed on the road to help meet delivery schedules.
As an example, Goldstein cites the changes in the hours of service rules last July, which in effect reduces the amount of driving time a trucker can legally perform.
“The bottom line is with the new hours of service, and what the truckers can do, if they can’t make more turns in their line hauls, the rates are going to have to go up. Drivers have to drive less hours under the new rules and this results in fewer turns,” Goldstein says. “Drivers get paid for the amount of miles they travel and they are logging fewer miles with these new hours of service.”
On the state level, Goldstein references the California Resources Board (CARB) rules as a hinderance to trucking.
“The average carrier has six or seven units. So we are asking these carriers to comply with the state of California where about 50 percent of the domestic produce production originates,” he notes. “They (California officials) are asking these guys to make significant investments in their equipment, which isn’t easy to do.”
That is a reference to CARB requiring trucking equipment be retrofitted when it reaches seven years old.
As owner operator Henry Lee of Ellenwood, GA says, it will cost him $10,000 to replace the motor on his Thermo King SB-310 reefer unit, to meet the CARB requirements.
Genpro works with a mixture of owner operators, small fleets and carriers. Goldstein says the average size of fleets they work with is about seven units.
We’re entering that time of the year when overall produce volume is declining and it will only get worse during the first few months or so in the New Year. For example, Florida is nothing to get excited about for produce haulers, and will remain that way until spring vegetable shipments take off in April.
Still there are some loading opportunities in the Sunshine state, with vegetables, strawberries and citrus.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Grape tomatoes and cherry tomato shipments started in mid October from the Palmetto-Ruskin area.
Mature green tomatos should get underway from Central Florida in early November.
Bell peppers, grean beans and cucumbers should begin in light volume in early November from Homestead and Belle Glade.
Sweet corn is running late and is not expected to kick off until about a week before Thanksgiving, which is November 28th.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
Southern Georgia has light supplies of sweet corn, and bell peppers. Loading should continue until about a week before Thanksgiving. It is around this time, the items will get started in Florida.
Florida Strawberry Shipments
Looking ahead, we’re only about five weeks or so away from the intial Florida strawberries coming on in late November, primarily around the Plant City area. Loadings will gradually build in December and January befor peak shipments hit in February.
Lettuce shipments from the Salinas Valley are expected to decline in coming weeks as the seasonal transition gradually shifts to the Imperial Valley in the California desert, as well as just to the East in the Yuma, AZ district. However, it will probably be around Thanksgiving before the change is completed. Sandwiched in between this the Huron district on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley. Lettuce shipments from Huron should get underway about the third week of October and last about a month.
Strawberry Shipments
The Watsonville area adjancent to Salinas is loading about 500 truck loads of strawberries weekly. There is much lighter volume coming out of the Santa Maria district, with Ventura County have very light movment as its fall season has just started.
Kiwfruit Shipments
Imports of kiwi from Chile and New Zealand are in a rapid decline, while California kiwi shipments are just gearing up. The California produce loads are predicted to hit about 6.5 million trays this season, down from 9-plus million trays last season.
California Nuts
No we’re not talking about California Gov. Jerry Brown, or the state’s assembly. California expects to load about 495,000 tons of walnuts this season, slightly below a year ago.
Date Shipments
California is the largest shipper of dates, with shipments forecast to be up about 20 percent this year, primarily from the California desert and Yuma, AZ.
Michigan could have a record, or at least near record apple crop this season, but there may be fewer loads available for produce haulers. In a nutshell, there’s not enough farm laborers and there are worries of fruit actually rotting on the trees.
Question. Unemployment is at 7.8 percentange, but some reports state it’s more like 17 percent when including people who have quit looking for work. So why is there a labor shortage? If there is a driver shortage amounting to 20,000 a year, as claimed by the American Trucking Associations, with unemployment so high, what’s the problem?
Could it be that government assistance has become so common and so excessive that folks figure why should they work when there are food stamps, free cell phones, housing assistance, etc.?
Michigan agricultural organizations teamed up to send “help wanted” postcards to more than 300 farm labor contractors, mostly in Florida and Georgia, informing them of the state’s large apple crop and need for hundreds of qualified workers for the next few weeks.
About 20 to 30 percent of the state’s apples remain to be harvested. If the fruit isn’t picked by early November there’s a good chance it will be lost.
Apple pickers are paid $15 to $20 and hour, plus are provided with housing during the season. The crop is estimated to be about 30 million bushels this season.