Author Archive
The Imperial Valley and the Yuma district of Arizona have had cold, wind and freezes interminent with heat. Now it has got even hotter. Over the past weekend temperatures soared into the upper 90s.
When loading watch for heat related issues like scalding and internal burn. Additionally, keep an eye out for some remaining freeze related issues like blister and epidermal peel.
Just be sure you check closely what is being loaded into your trailer. The lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower have been through a lot this winter. If your receiver knows what’s being bought before it’s loaded, it could save you a claim, or rejected load.
Apple shipping Update
Across the USA there remains around 63 million bushels of fresh apples to be shipped, 13 percent more than at this time last year.
To put in even more perspective, this is 15 percent more fruit remaining to be hauled than the five-year average.
Nearly all of the remaining apples, to no one’s surprise, is in Washington state’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. Almost 61 million of those bushels are in Washington storages. Another 814,000 are in New York, 561,000 in Pennsylvania and 421,000 in Oregon.
By variety, there were 23.9 million bushels of red delicious still in storage, up from 21.5 million last year.
Fuji holdings rose from 5.8 million to 9.8 million bushels, gala from 8.5 million to 9.6 million bushels and golden delicious from 6.5 million to 7.4 million bushels.
Granny smith was the only majority variety whose holdings declined from 2012. Granny supplies fell from 6.61 million to 6.56 million bushels.
California Grape re-cap
California table grape shipments hit a record 101.5 million boxes between May 2012 and January 2013. This was the first time loadings topped 100 million, 19-pound cartons.
Washington state apples – grossing about $5700 to New York City.
How much Florida spring sweet corn and bean shipments will be affected by that March 4 freeze still remains unclear as everyone waits for farmers to provide some accurate estimates. It seems, however, they are starting to play down a little, how serious the damage was.
However, there still was considerable damage. How much, probably won’t really be known until they start harvest, packing and shipping. Reports from Palm Beach County, which ships most of the state’s spring corn, have down played the freeze from earlier reports saying losses will be less than 20 percent instead of 25 percent.
Bean Shipments
South Florida bean shipments have been delayed by the cold and wet weather and loadings are not expected until mid-April. This will push the Florida bean season much closer to the Georgia season, which normally follows right on the heals of Florida. High volume normally begins in mid-March for Belle Glade beans.
Citrus
Each month with the updated Florida citrus shipping forecast, the numbers continue to drop. The USDA’s March report shows this season’s valencia volume will decline by 3 million cartons, to 72 million cartons. February’s forecast indicated a 1 million carton decline.
While non-valencia oranges, including midseasons, increased by 1 million cartons, the valencia decline lowers the state’s 2013 orange crop to 139 million cartons. That’s down 5 percent from the February 141 million box estimate.
Midseason fruit generally harvest through March while late-season valencias begin production by March and harvest through early June.
Florida grapefruit shipments declined by another 1 million equivalent cartons, from 18 million cartons to the recent report’s 17 million cartons. Colored and white grapefruit production fell by 500,000 respective cartons.
Tangerines and tangelos, the state’s specialty citrus fruit, remain unchanged at 4.7 million boxes.
Florida’s predicted 160.8 million box total citrus crop is lower than the state’s recent five-year average of 179 million cartons. The state produced more than 200 million cartons in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
South Florida produce – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
In transportation, as well as fresh produce circuits, Doug Stoiber is known for his keen insight into the state of the trucking industry. As vice president of produce transportation operations for L&M Transportation Services, Inc. based in Raleigh, NC, Doug recently shared some insights into how truckers are doing, made some obervations on increasing government regulations and chided political mauverings from politicians.
LMTS does $100 million annually in business and last year arranged 28,000 loads, of which about 70 percent were fresh fruits and vegetables.
Concerning the financial health of the trucking industry, Doug describes it as just “okay.” Although he sees freight volumes picking up some, the economy is still struggling to get much momentum.
“The transportation industry lives and dies with the construction industry,” he observes. “That is what keeps a whole lot of trucks moving. When they (drivers) deliver building materials, they (return) load with produce, nursery and all kinds of things.”
Doug is observing modest increases in the amount of westbound freight involving construction materials and some Asian imports. However, he continues to see depressed rates on westbound freight, in part because eastbound produce loads pay so much more.
About 30 percent of LMTS’s business is with dry freight loads and LTL.
“On the produce (transportation) side of our business, the owner operators and the small fleets are always going to be the mainstay of this business,” Doug relates, “because of the the way crops move around (seasonally) and the unique nature of fresh produce. The business model of owner operators are best suited to move that kind of freight.”
As for its dry freight and LTL business, LMTS relies more heavily on larger fleet operations and contract carriers.
He notes it was in 2008 when the nation’s economy collasped. This resulted in a downsizing of the trucking industry as many trucking companies were forced out of the business. It was the strong carriers that were able to withstand the economic downturn and it is these same operations that will benefit as more freight becomes available and shippers compete for the services of the remaining trucking companies.
While this will mean some freight rate increases, Doug cautions there is a down side.
“(The rate increases) will be offset by the higher costs due to more regulations. The states and the federal government are trying to increase taxes on people who buy fuel, people who use highways and on people who work in the state of California.”
He says two of the biggest concerns with trucking regulations relate to hours of service and CARB (California Air Resources Board).
The federal government is set to finalize its rules on hour of service relating to reset time and mandatory rest periods. He sees this translating into less time trucking per driver, which will require more drivers to be hired, resulting in higher costs of operation.
As for new CARB regulations that became effective with the New Year, he points out all parties involved in the transportation can be fined if there is a violation.
For example, if a carrier misrepresents itself to LMTS and is fined for not having a refrigerated unit that is 2007 or newer, the transportation broker can be fined, as well as the carrier, shipper and receiver.
Highways
When it comes to infrastructure, Doug doesn’t hear a lot of complaints from drivers. However, when he reads the newspaper, people are constantly complaining about the poor state of the highways and bridges.
“I don’t know whether they (politicians) are seeing something we’re not, or whether they are just legislating for more taxes, because they are working the public to try and create a situation that is bigger than it really is. I think the primary concern with infrastructure is the states going to toll roads,” Doug states.
For example, he notes the Pennsylvania Turnpike has raised tolls and since then commercial vehicle traffic has declined. This is because carriers are taking other routes to avoid the turnpike and save money. This results in freight not moving as fast or efficiently as it should.
Greens continue out of southern Georgia, while southeastern Georgia is shipping carrots. This same area also will see Vidalia onion loadings become available around April 10 – 15th, although volume will be light at the start.
Heaviest Vidalia sweet onion shipments will occur during May and June. Total volume will probably be down some from last season.
Sweet onion shipments are already under way from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, which typically starts a little earlier than Vidalia each year. Texas onion shipments have had it pretty rough in recent years. In 2012 there was a 30 percent reduction in acreage. This year another 20 percent has been taken out of production. Texas has been shipping the 1015 sweet onion since the early 1980s. What’s left of the crop after the 50 percent acreage reduction over the past two years, is reported to have good quality…..South Texas also is shipping citrus and vegetable, as well as fresh produce crossing the border from Mexico.
Blueberries
Chilean blueberry imports continue to arrive in the USA and will be available into mid April. California blueberries from coastal areas are now being shipped in small volumes…..Strawberries continue from Southern Californa, along with citrus.
Blueberries apparently dodged a direct weather bullet in early March that damaged some fruit in the northern part of the state and nipped at the edges of central Florida fields. Florida began shipping blueberries in late February. Georgia shippers following right after the Sunshine State.
Southern California berries, citrus – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
South Texas onion, vegetables – about $2600 to Atlanta.
South Georgia greens – $2400 to New York City.
The USDA recently announced regulations placing limits on snack foods sold to children during the school day to promote healthy eating.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires the USDA establishing nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools, besides the federally supported school meal programs. The Smart Snacks in School proposed rule requires all foods sold in schools meet the following criteria:
“Be either a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, a protein food, a ‘whole-grain rich’ grain product (50 percent or more whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient), or a combination food that contains at least a quarter cup of fruit or vegetable; or contain 10 percent of the daily value of a nutrient cited as a public health concern in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or fiber).”
The 160-page proposal sets limits for total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total sugar levels and calories in foods sold à la carte in school stores, snack bars or vending machines. Fruits and vegetables packed in juice or extra-light syrup and certain yogurts are exempt from the sugar limits in the proposal. It also sets new standards for beverages sold on campuses.
“Providing healthy options throughout school cafeterias, vending machines, and snack bars will complement the gains made with the new, healthy standards for school breakfast and lunch so the healthy choice is the easy choice for our kids,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
Califorina strawberries and asparagus are two items popular for Easter (which is March 31st) and good volume and shipments are expected leading up to this Christian observance.
Asparagus
California asparagus shippers started shipping last week and will be increasing throughout March. There also is decent volumes of Mexican asparagus crossing the border and will still be available for Easter before its seasonal finish. Most Mexican asparagus is crossing the border into the USA at Calexio, CA and at San Luis, AZ.
Asparagus loadings will be up this Easter because the holiday comes much earlier than the past two years.
Strawberries
California strawberries shipments have been in a bit of a lull from Southern areas of the state, but volume is picking up just in time for Easter movement. Excellent quality is reported.
Shipments of Florida strawberries are in a seasonal decline, with most hauls limited to Southeastern destinations for Easter. That means plenty of trucks loading California berries will be headed to the northeast.
Veggies
Light volume of broccoli and cauliflower is now being shipped out of the Salinas Valley….Lettuce shipments are providing much better volume (although not necessarily great for this time of the year) out of California’s Imperial Valley and the Yuma district in Arizona. Both of these areas combine are averaging around 2,000 truckloads per week.
Strawberries, asparagus and lettuce are comptabile items in a refrigerated trailer (see Transfresh mixer and loading guide ad on home page).
Southern California berries, asparagus – grossing about $5800 to New York City.
California desert vegetables – about $5400 to New York City.
Maturity and decay problems have been occurring with a significant amount of imported peaches and nectarines from Chile arriving at various USA ports. This is just a word of caution to check out the product before loading to help reduce you chances of a claim or rejected load. Make sure your cutomer knows the condition of the product going into the trailer. Chilean plum quality has been reported generally better than peaches and nectarines.
All three Chilean stone fruit items are expected to be providing good loading opportunties though March.
Total Chilean nectarine volumes have been around 10 percent less than last season through early March, while plum volumes are up 10 percent. This has presented a problem to those receivers you normally deliver to because different types of stone fruit have been maturing at different times in Chile and delaying fruit arriving at the same time at American ports.
Chilean peach volumes are down 10 percent compared to last year.
Peach and nectarine loadings will be on ending as March closes, while plums should be available for hauling into early April.
Chilean table grape shipments also have been off some this season. A total of about 1,400 truckloads of grapes are arriving by boat at various USA ports each week.
Port of Long Beach Chilean grapes – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
A sluggish fresh potato market may be good for you as a consumer, but not so good as a produce hauler, if product isn’t being shipped. It also may not be so good for you as a tax payer as the government wants to keep spending more money if doesn’t have.
Despite threats and rumblings of dire consequences from the Administration and some in Congress, the sequester – a deadline for automatic federal spending cuts, hasn’t stopped the spending.
The lastest example is the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to purchase more than 30,000 50-pound bales of potatoes for school lunches and other federal assistance programs. Agricultural Marketing Service (part of the USDA) had asked for bids, specifing that 10 five-pound bags of russets as the desired pack. The deadline was March 5th.
The USDA plans to announce successful bids by March 12. Deliveries to Washington, California, and Arizona range from April 1 to May 31, according to the USDA.
This is small “potatoes” compared to some other fresh potato purchases by the USDA in the 2012-13 season. Last January, the government purchased over 500,000 50-pound bales for $5.49 million.
Last November, the USDA announced a $1.66 million purchase of potatoes for processing after making a $9.5-million purchase of processed potatoes in August.
Despite the bail outs by the USDA for fresh potato purchases. it has not had a pronounced effect on the market to date. Nor has the extra loadings believe to have had any positive effect on produce trucking rates.
Tomatoes
Meanwhile, if you prefer those Mexican vine ripe tomatoes over the mature green tomatoes grown in Florida and California, you’re going to be paying more for those Mexican vine ripes. As a tomato hauler, it remains whether the U.S. government imposed higher prices on Mexican vine ripes will decrease demand and loading opportunites.
The U.S. Department of Commerce published the final version of a newly renegotiated antidumping investigation suspension agreement with producers and exporters of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, which sharply increases the reference or floor prices at which Mexican tomatoes can be sold in the United States, effective immediately.
What you pay for Mexican vine ripe tomatoes will range from nearly 50 percent higher than under the previous agreement to nearly three times as high, depending upon the category of tomatoes.
The new agreement avoids termination of an agreement that has been in place for 16 years and a resumption of the anti-dumping investigation initiated in 1996 at the request of domestic (primarily Florida) tomato growers.
The popularity with consumers for vine-ripe tomatoes from Mexico are one reason why the tomato shipments and consumer purchases has grown so much in recent years in the United States.
Imports of Mexican tomato shipments are now entering a peak for the season.
Tomatoes and other Mexican veggies at Nogales – grossing about $3800 to Atlanta.
In a recent article by Jessica Wohl of Reuters news service it is reported Walmart shoppers have saved $2.3 billion by buying produce at its stores in the first two years of its push to sell more healthful fare and more of it, the largest U.S. grocer reports.
Walmart shoppers saved $1.2 billion on fresh fruits and vegetables in 2012 and $1.1 billion in 2011, based on third-party verified pricing comparisons between its stores and those of unidentified rivals, the huge chain said. Keys to keeping a lid on prices were efforts such as buying more local produce and cutting supply chain costs.
Walmart reported in January 2011 that it wanted to improve the nutritional value of the food it sells, make healthier fare less expensive and make it easier for Americans to access such goods.
Customers of the world’s largest retailer are struggling to put healthful food on the table, especially with higher gasoline prices and payroll taxes.
“They’ve repeatedly told us that while they want to feed their families healthier food, they don’t always know how to do that and they worry that it is simply too expensive,” Leslie Dach, Walmart’s executive vice president of corporate affairs told Reuters.
Consumers and public health officials have been pressuring grocers, restaurants and food makers to sell more healthful food in an effort to address the nation’s obesity crisis. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults and nearly one-third of youth aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese.
Food is a huge business for Wal-Mart, which has been lowering prices, along with its healthier makeover, to boost sales. Groceries, including goods such as paper towels, account for roughly 55 percent of Walmart’s sales.
Walmart and other chains in 2011 publicly committed to opening stores in designated rural and urban “food deserts” where access to groceries is limited. Ssome of those urban areas in Wal-Mart’s case, include markets where it has faced resistance to its big stores.
Walmart has opened 86 such food stores since 2011 and aims to open a total of 275 to 300 of them by the end of 2016.
I was in Florida March 1-3 and nearly froze my fanny. Apparently I wasn’t alone as reports are coming in that your loading opportunities with Florida green beans and sweet corn will be diminished in the weeks ahead.
Up to 25 percent of south Florida’s spring sweet corn was hit by freezing temperatures on the night of Monday, March 4th, including the Belle Glade area. Beans also suffered damage.
Temperatures plunged to degrees in some specific areas for several hours. Some growers already are talking of replanting in Palm Beach County, which has about 20,000-24,000 acres of corn. The harvest and shipments usually start in early April. More specific damage results and its affect on your loading opportunities should become clearer the week of March 11 – 15.
Temperatures dipped to 27-28 degrees in some areas, but two to five degrees warmer in other areas.
Florida blueberries also may be at risk, but information from intial reports were very sketchy, although early indications are for the most part “blues” dodged the bullet.
We’ll just have to wait to see if other veggies besides corn and beans were affected, not to mention tomatoes and citrus. Most Florida vegetables were maturing earlier than ususal – by one to two weeks, because it has been such a mild winter.
The stage of growth, plus the number of hours vegetables are subjected to freezing temperatures can greatly affect the amount of damage. One thing for sure, produce truckers will need to use caution when hauling Florida produce in the weeks ahead, being on the watch for freeze damage.
Florida produce grossing – about $1800 to Chicago.
The Imperial Valley and the Yuma district of Arizona have had cold, wind and freezes interminent with heat. Now it has got even hotter. Over the past weekend temperatures soared into the upper 90s.
When loading watch for heat related issues like scalding and internal burn. Additionally, keep an eye out for some remaining freeze related issues like blister and epidermal peel.
Just be sure you check closely what is being loaded into your trailer. The lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower have been through a lot this winter. If your receiver knows what’s being bought before it’s loaded, it could save you a claim, or rejected load.
Apple shipping Update
Across the USA there remains around 63 million bushels of fresh apples to be shipped, 13 percent more than at this time last year.
To put in even more perspective, this is 15 percent more fruit remaining to be hauled than the five-year average.
Nearly all of the remaining apples, to no one’s surprise, is in Washington state’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. Almost 61 million of those bushels are in Washington storages. Another 814,000 are in New York, 561,000 in Pennsylvania and 421,000 in Oregon.
By variety, there were 23.9 million bushels of red delicious still in storage, up from 21.5 million last year.
Fuji holdings rose from 5.8 million to 9.8 million bushels, gala from 8.5 million to 9.6 million bushels and golden delicious from 6.5 million to 7.4 million bushels.
Granny smith was the only majority variety whose holdings declined from 2012. Granny supplies fell from 6.61 million to 6.56 million bushels.
California Grape re-cap
California table grape shipments hit a record 101.5 million boxes between May 2012 and January 2013. This was the first time loadings topped 100 million, 19-pound cartons.
Washington state apples – grossing about $5700 to New York City.
How much Florida spring sweet corn and bean shipments will be affected by that March 4 freeze still remains unclear as everyone waits for farmers to provide some accurate estimates. It seems, however, they are starting to play down a little, how serious the damage was.
However, there still was considerable damage. How much, probably won’t really be known until they start harvest, packing and shipping. Reports from Palm Beach County, which ships most of the state’s spring corn, have down played the freeze from earlier reports saying losses will be less than 20 percent instead of 25 percent.
Bean Shipments
South Florida bean shipments have been delayed by the cold and wet weather and loadings are not expected until mid-April. This will push the Florida bean season much closer to the Georgia season, which normally follows right on the heals of Florida. High volume normally begins in mid-March for Belle Glade beans.
Citrus
Each month with the updated Florida citrus shipping forecast, the numbers continue to drop. The USDA’s March report shows this season’s valencia volume will decline by 3 million cartons, to 72 million cartons. February’s forecast indicated a 1 million carton decline.
While non-valencia oranges, including midseasons, increased by 1 million cartons, the valencia decline lowers the state’s 2013 orange crop to 139 million cartons. That’s down 5 percent from the February 141 million box estimate.
Midseason fruit generally harvest through March while late-season valencias begin production by March and harvest through early June.
Florida grapefruit shipments declined by another 1 million equivalent cartons, from 18 million cartons to the recent report’s 17 million cartons. Colored and white grapefruit production fell by 500,000 respective cartons.
Tangerines and tangelos, the state’s specialty citrus fruit, remain unchanged at 4.7 million boxes.
Florida’s predicted 160.8 million box total citrus crop is lower than the state’s recent five-year average of 179 million cartons. The state produced more than 200 million cartons in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
South Florida produce – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
In transportation, as well as fresh produce circuits, Doug Stoiber is known for his keen insight into the state of the trucking industry. As vice president of produce transportation operations for L&M Transportation Services, Inc. based in Raleigh, NC, Doug recently shared some insights into how truckers are doing, made some obervations on increasing government regulations and chided political mauverings from politicians.
LMTS does $100 million annually in business and last year arranged 28,000 loads, of which about 70 percent were fresh fruits and vegetables.
Concerning the financial health of the trucking industry, Doug describes it as just “okay.” Although he sees freight volumes picking up some, the economy is still struggling to get much momentum.
“The transportation industry lives and dies with the construction industry,” he observes. “That is what keeps a whole lot of trucks moving. When they (drivers) deliver building materials, they (return) load with produce, nursery and all kinds of things.”
Doug is observing modest increases in the amount of westbound freight involving construction materials and some Asian imports. However, he continues to see depressed rates on westbound freight, in part because eastbound produce loads pay so much more.
About 30 percent of LMTS’s business is with dry freight loads and LTL.
“On the produce (transportation) side of our business, the owner operators and the small fleets are always going to be the mainstay of this business,” Doug relates, “because of the the way crops move around (seasonally) and the unique nature of fresh produce. The business model of owner operators are best suited to move that kind of freight.”
As for its dry freight and LTL business, LMTS relies more heavily on larger fleet operations and contract carriers.
He notes it was in 2008 when the nation’s economy collasped. This resulted in a downsizing of the trucking industry as many trucking companies were forced out of the business. It was the strong carriers that were able to withstand the economic downturn and it is these same operations that will benefit as more freight becomes available and shippers compete for the services of the remaining trucking companies.
While this will mean some freight rate increases, Doug cautions there is a down side.
“(The rate increases) will be offset by the higher costs due to more regulations. The states and the federal government are trying to increase taxes on people who buy fuel, people who use highways and on people who work in the state of California.”
He says two of the biggest concerns with trucking regulations relate to hours of service and CARB (California Air Resources Board).
The federal government is set to finalize its rules on hour of service relating to reset time and mandatory rest periods. He sees this translating into less time trucking per driver, which will require more drivers to be hired, resulting in higher costs of operation.
As for new CARB regulations that became effective with the New Year, he points out all parties involved in the transportation can be fined if there is a violation.
For example, if a carrier misrepresents itself to LMTS and is fined for not having a refrigerated unit that is 2007 or newer, the transportation broker can be fined, as well as the carrier, shipper and receiver.
Highways
When it comes to infrastructure, Doug doesn’t hear a lot of complaints from drivers. However, when he reads the newspaper, people are constantly complaining about the poor state of the highways and bridges.
“I don’t know whether they (politicians) are seeing something we’re not, or whether they are just legislating for more taxes, because they are working the public to try and create a situation that is bigger than it really is. I think the primary concern with infrastructure is the states going to toll roads,” Doug states.
For example, he notes the Pennsylvania Turnpike has raised tolls and since then commercial vehicle traffic has declined. This is because carriers are taking other routes to avoid the turnpike and save money. This results in freight not moving as fast or efficiently as it should.
Greens continue out of southern Georgia, while southeastern Georgia is shipping carrots. This same area also will see Vidalia onion loadings become available around April 10 – 15th, although volume will be light at the start.
Heaviest Vidalia sweet onion shipments will occur during May and June. Total volume will probably be down some from last season.
Sweet onion shipments are already under way from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, which typically starts a little earlier than Vidalia each year. Texas onion shipments have had it pretty rough in recent years. In 2012 there was a 30 percent reduction in acreage. This year another 20 percent has been taken out of production. Texas has been shipping the 1015 sweet onion since the early 1980s. What’s left of the crop after the 50 percent acreage reduction over the past two years, is reported to have good quality…..South Texas also is shipping citrus and vegetable, as well as fresh produce crossing the border from Mexico.
Blueberries
Chilean blueberry imports continue to arrive in the USA and will be available into mid April. California blueberries from coastal areas are now being shipped in small volumes…..Strawberries continue from Southern Californa, along with citrus.
Blueberries apparently dodged a direct weather bullet in early March that damaged some fruit in the northern part of the state and nipped at the edges of central Florida fields. Florida began shipping blueberries in late February. Georgia shippers following right after the Sunshine State.
Southern California berries, citrus – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
South Texas onion, vegetables – about $2600 to Atlanta.
South Georgia greens – $2400 to New York City.
The USDA recently announced regulations placing limits on snack foods sold to children during the school day to promote healthy eating.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires the USDA establishing nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools, besides the federally supported school meal programs. The Smart Snacks in School proposed rule requires all foods sold in schools meet the following criteria:
“Be either a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, a protein food, a ‘whole-grain rich’ grain product (50 percent or more whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient), or a combination food that contains at least a quarter cup of fruit or vegetable; or contain 10 percent of the daily value of a nutrient cited as a public health concern in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or fiber).”
The 160-page proposal sets limits for total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total sugar levels and calories in foods sold à la carte in school stores, snack bars or vending machines. Fruits and vegetables packed in juice or extra-light syrup and certain yogurts are exempt from the sugar limits in the proposal. It also sets new standards for beverages sold on campuses.
“Providing healthy options throughout school cafeterias, vending machines, and snack bars will complement the gains made with the new, healthy standards for school breakfast and lunch so the healthy choice is the easy choice for our kids,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
Califorina strawberries and asparagus are two items popular for Easter (which is March 31st) and good volume and shipments are expected leading up to this Christian observance.
Asparagus
California asparagus shippers started shipping last week and will be increasing throughout March. There also is decent volumes of Mexican asparagus crossing the border and will still be available for Easter before its seasonal finish. Most Mexican asparagus is crossing the border into the USA at Calexio, CA and at San Luis, AZ.
Asparagus loadings will be up this Easter because the holiday comes much earlier than the past two years.
Strawberries
California strawberries shipments have been in a bit of a lull from Southern areas of the state, but volume is picking up just in time for Easter movement. Excellent quality is reported.
Shipments of Florida strawberries are in a seasonal decline, with most hauls limited to Southeastern destinations for Easter. That means plenty of trucks loading California berries will be headed to the northeast.
Veggies
Light volume of broccoli and cauliflower is now being shipped out of the Salinas Valley….Lettuce shipments are providing much better volume (although not necessarily great for this time of the year) out of California’s Imperial Valley and the Yuma district in Arizona. Both of these areas combine are averaging around 2,000 truckloads per week.
Strawberries, asparagus and lettuce are comptabile items in a refrigerated trailer (see Transfresh mixer and loading guide ad on home page).
Southern California berries, asparagus – grossing about $5800 to New York City.
California desert vegetables – about $5400 to New York City.
Maturity and decay problems have been occurring with a significant amount of imported peaches and nectarines from Chile arriving at various USA ports. This is just a word of caution to check out the product before loading to help reduce you chances of a claim or rejected load. Make sure your cutomer knows the condition of the product going into the trailer. Chilean plum quality has been reported generally better than peaches and nectarines.
All three Chilean stone fruit items are expected to be providing good loading opportunties though March.
Total Chilean nectarine volumes have been around 10 percent less than last season through early March, while plum volumes are up 10 percent. This has presented a problem to those receivers you normally deliver to because different types of stone fruit have been maturing at different times in Chile and delaying fruit arriving at the same time at American ports.
Chilean peach volumes are down 10 percent compared to last year.
Peach and nectarine loadings will be on ending as March closes, while plums should be available for hauling into early April.
Chilean table grape shipments also have been off some this season. A total of about 1,400 truckloads of grapes are arriving by boat at various USA ports each week.
Port of Long Beach Chilean grapes – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
A sluggish fresh potato market may be good for you as a consumer, but not so good as a produce hauler, if product isn’t being shipped. It also may not be so good for you as a tax payer as the government wants to keep spending more money if doesn’t have.
Despite threats and rumblings of dire consequences from the Administration and some in Congress, the sequester – a deadline for automatic federal spending cuts, hasn’t stopped the spending.
The lastest example is the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to purchase more than 30,000 50-pound bales of potatoes for school lunches and other federal assistance programs. Agricultural Marketing Service (part of the USDA) had asked for bids, specifing that 10 five-pound bags of russets as the desired pack. The deadline was March 5th.
The USDA plans to announce successful bids by March 12. Deliveries to Washington, California, and Arizona range from April 1 to May 31, according to the USDA.
This is small “potatoes” compared to some other fresh potato purchases by the USDA in the 2012-13 season. Last January, the government purchased over 500,000 50-pound bales for $5.49 million.
Last November, the USDA announced a $1.66 million purchase of potatoes for processing after making a $9.5-million purchase of processed potatoes in August.
Despite the bail outs by the USDA for fresh potato purchases. it has not had a pronounced effect on the market to date. Nor has the extra loadings believe to have had any positive effect on produce trucking rates.
Tomatoes
Meanwhile, if you prefer those Mexican vine ripe tomatoes over the mature green tomatoes grown in Florida and California, you’re going to be paying more for those Mexican vine ripes. As a tomato hauler, it remains whether the U.S. government imposed higher prices on Mexican vine ripes will decrease demand and loading opportunites.
The U.S. Department of Commerce published the final version of a newly renegotiated antidumping investigation suspension agreement with producers and exporters of fresh tomatoes from Mexico, which sharply increases the reference or floor prices at which Mexican tomatoes can be sold in the United States, effective immediately.
What you pay for Mexican vine ripe tomatoes will range from nearly 50 percent higher than under the previous agreement to nearly three times as high, depending upon the category of tomatoes.
The new agreement avoids termination of an agreement that has been in place for 16 years and a resumption of the anti-dumping investigation initiated in 1996 at the request of domestic (primarily Florida) tomato growers.
The popularity with consumers for vine-ripe tomatoes from Mexico are one reason why the tomato shipments and consumer purchases has grown so much in recent years in the United States.
Imports of Mexican tomato shipments are now entering a peak for the season.
Tomatoes and other Mexican veggies at Nogales – grossing about $3800 to Atlanta.
In a recent article by Jessica Wohl of Reuters news service it is reported Walmart shoppers have saved $2.3 billion by buying produce at its stores in the first two years of its push to sell more healthful fare and more of it, the largest U.S. grocer reports.
Walmart shoppers saved $1.2 billion on fresh fruits and vegetables in 2012 and $1.1 billion in 2011, based on third-party verified pricing comparisons between its stores and those of unidentified rivals, the huge chain said. Keys to keeping a lid on prices were efforts such as buying more local produce and cutting supply chain costs.
Walmart reported in January 2011 that it wanted to improve the nutritional value of the food it sells, make healthier fare less expensive and make it easier for Americans to access such goods.
Customers of the world’s largest retailer are struggling to put healthful food on the table, especially with higher gasoline prices and payroll taxes.
“They’ve repeatedly told us that while they want to feed their families healthier food, they don’t always know how to do that and they worry that it is simply too expensive,” Leslie Dach, Walmart’s executive vice president of corporate affairs told Reuters.
Consumers and public health officials have been pressuring grocers, restaurants and food makers to sell more healthful food in an effort to address the nation’s obesity crisis. More than two-thirds of U.S. adults and nearly one-third of youth aged 2 to 19 are overweight or obese.
Food is a huge business for Wal-Mart, which has been lowering prices, along with its healthier makeover, to boost sales. Groceries, including goods such as paper towels, account for roughly 55 percent of Walmart’s sales.
Walmart and other chains in 2011 publicly committed to opening stores in designated rural and urban “food deserts” where access to groceries is limited. Ssome of those urban areas in Wal-Mart’s case, include markets where it has faced resistance to its big stores.
Walmart has opened 86 such food stores since 2011 and aims to open a total of 275 to 300 of them by the end of 2016.
I was in Florida March 1-3 and nearly froze my fanny. Apparently I wasn’t alone as reports are coming in that your loading opportunities with Florida green beans and sweet corn will be diminished in the weeks ahead.
Up to 25 percent of south Florida’s spring sweet corn was hit by freezing temperatures on the night of Monday, March 4th, including the Belle Glade area. Beans also suffered damage.
Temperatures plunged to degrees in some specific areas for several hours. Some growers already are talking of replanting in Palm Beach County, which has about 20,000-24,000 acres of corn. The harvest and shipments usually start in early April. More specific damage results and its affect on your loading opportunities should become clearer the week of March 11 – 15.
Temperatures dipped to 27-28 degrees in some areas, but two to five degrees warmer in other areas.
Florida blueberries also may be at risk, but information from intial reports were very sketchy, although early indications are for the most part “blues” dodged the bullet.
We’ll just have to wait to see if other veggies besides corn and beans were affected, not to mention tomatoes and citrus. Most Florida vegetables were maturing earlier than ususal – by one to two weeks, because it has been such a mild winter.
The stage of growth, plus the number of hours vegetables are subjected to freezing temperatures can greatly affect the amount of damage. One thing for sure, produce truckers will need to use caution when hauling Florida produce in the weeks ahead, being on the watch for freeze damage.
Florida produce grossing – about $1800 to Chicago.