Author Archive
There is no association between total fruit and vegetable intake and risk of overall breast cancer, but vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The intake of fruits and vegetables has been hypothesized to lower breast cancer risk, however the existing evidence is inconclusive. There are many subtypes of breast cancer including ER- and ER positive (ER+) tumors and each may have distinct etiologies. Since ER- tumors, which have lower survival rates and are less dependent on estrogen levels than ER+ tumors, account for only 15-20% of breast cancers, large pooled analyses are needed to determine the suspected link to lower ER- breast cancer risk and the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
In order to determine if there is a link between the lowered risk of ER- breast cancers and the intake of fruits and vegetables, Seungyoun Jung, Sc.D., formerly from the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, and currently at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues analyzed data from 20 cohort studies of women who were followed for a maximum of 11-20 years. They investigated the association of high compared to low intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of developing breast cancer in each study and then combined the study-specific estimates to generate summary estimates for all studies combined.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
LOS ANGELES — American Heart Month is here, and there’s one more reason to love pistachios. This spring, Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted and No Salt packages will proudly carry the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark, a trusted label for shoppers who are navigating the grocery store looking for heart-healthy products. Both varieties completed the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check certification process, and the accompanying Heart-Check mark debuting on packages this spring will remind consumers that in-shell pistachios are a great fit for healthy eating plans.Since 1995, the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-Check mark has guided consumers to heart-healthy choices as a good first step in creating an overall sensible eating plan, and today, it stands as one of the most trusted and the most recognized health symbols. The Heart-Check mark is a valuable tool in today’s grocery stores, especially since most Americans consume more than 3000mg sodium per day – twice the 1500mg/day recommended by AHA.1In late 2011, the AHA Heart-Check program expanded to include even more heart-healthy foods, namely fish and nuts. “This is big news,” said Maggie Moon , MS, RD, Senior Nutrition Communications Manager for Paramount Farms. “Having nuts officially included in AHA’s Heart-Check program means it’ll be that much easier for people to find heart-smart snacks.” Ms. Moon added, “This is especially relevant today because Americans are snacking more than ever, often using snacks as a way to boost the overall nutrition they get for the day.””Almost 90 percent of the fat found in pistachio kernels is the healthy unsaturated kind, such as mono- and polyunsaturated fats, the good types that may play a role in cardiovascular wellness,” said Gary Foster , PhD, Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. “Compare in-shell pistachios to other popular snack foods like packaged cookies or nachos, which can be high in both saturated and trans fats, and the choice for healthy snacking is clear.”The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a health claim related to nuts that states “scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. See nutrition information for fat content.”2In addition to heart-health support, there is a lot to love about Wonderful Pistachios. Pistachios deliver a bevy of nutrients, and a one-ounce serving (about 49 kernels) of Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted provides 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 310 milligrams of potassium and only 80 milligrams of sodium—that’s just 3% of the Daily Value for sodium. That’s half the sodium found in the regular Roasted and Salted variety, which is still just 160 milligrams of sodium, or 7% of the Daily Value. Wonderful Pistachios No Salt offers the same package of nutrients except with no salt. So now fans of Wonderful Pistachios can now enjoy a sodium-free version of our pistachios, roasted to perfection with no additives.Wonderful Pistachio Lightly Salted and Wonderful Pistachios No Salt are available in eight and 16-ounce bags with an estimated retail price of $4.99 and $7.99. Both products can be found in major grocery stores nationwide.Please stay tuned for the American Heart Association Heart-Check also appearing on Wonderful Almonds this spring.About Wonderful® Pistachios The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer. Wonderful Pistachios are grown in the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California. Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide and are available in a variety of sizes. For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the “Get Crackin'” campaign, visit www.getcrackin.com, www.facebook.com/wonderfulpistachios and www.twitter.com/getcrackin.About Paramount Farms Paramount Farms is the world’s largest grower and processor of almonds and pistachios, with more than 80,000 acres of prime pistachio and almond orchards. Paramount Farms is part of the Paramount Agricultural Companies, a group of privately-owned, affiliated companies which comprise the largest farming operation of tree crops in the world.1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs : Food categories contributing the most to sodium consumption – United States, 2007-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Vol. 61(2/07/2012).2 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2003). Qualified Health Claims About Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Retrieved 5 November 2012. http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/LabelClaims/QualifiedHealthClaims/ucm073992.htm#nuts
Source: Wonderful Pistachios
Over 50 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the United States come through Nogales, AZ, making it the nation’s second busiest port of entry.
Weather conditions in Mexico, including a freeze in January pushed back many items crossing the border, with the exeption being tomatoes. Otherwise, many vegetables normally shipped all over North American by truck from Nogales have become available later than normal. Among the most affected veggies have been various types of squash, green beans and sweet corn.
However, this is about to change. Loading opportunities at warehouses on the USA side of the border should start increasing significantly with the arrival of March. This could result in volume shipments continuing later because of the later starts of harvest. But again, it will depend a lot on weather.
Mexican tomato shipments have been virtually uninterrupted this winter because they are grown in a different region of Mexico than were the freeze occurred. Tomato loadings have been going well since mid December and have been going full bore for the past two to three weeks.
It’s too early to get a handle on table grape shipments that usually get underway in late April or early May, but there is good reason to believe grapes will once again provide heavy shipments.
Watermelons out of Mexico have had light volume, but will show a big increase in shipments as we head into spring.
Mexician produce at Nogales – grossing about $5200 to New York Cithy.
Over the years there have been an number of attempts to pass federal legislation allowing heavier trucks on interstate highways. These have been supported primarily by groups representing shipper interests, although the American Trucking Associations (representing large carriers) has long backed this type of legistion. Below is an article form Inside, an online publication of the United Fresh Produce Association, which represents many, if not most of the medium to large produce shippers across the country. United supports a bill for heavier trucks recently introduced in Congress.
Most owner operators and small fleet owners over the years have opposed such legislation. The first question usually asked is, “Will shippers be willing to pay the truck more for hauling a heavier load, or will they expect to pay the same rate? Heavier loads also mean added wear and tear on equipment.
Below is the press release sent out by United.
*****************************
United Fresh applauded the February 12 introduction of legislation that would give states the authority to increase weight limits for certain trucks on federal interstates. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act (SETA), co-sponsored by Representatives Reid Ribble (R-WI) and Mike Michaud (D-ME), would allow for trucks fitted with a sixth axle to haul up to 97,000 pounds on federal interstates. The current limit of 80,000 pounds on a vehicle with five axles has been in place since 1982 and puts US growers at a disadvantage with competitors in Mexico and Canada. The increase in weight allowance is expected to result in fewer loads, leading to economic efficiencies and a smaller environmental impact.
“The fresh fruit and vegetable industry stands to gain significant efficiencies along the supply chain from this legislation,” said Robert Guenther, United Fresh senior vice president of public policy. “Numerous studies have shown that the increase in weight allowed for these trucks does not compromise safety on the roads, and will allow the industry to provide more fruits and vegetables to consumers across the country and world, resulting in affordable nutrition and a healthier population.”
A letter of support was sent to Representatives Ribble and Michaud this week. United and nearly 50 national and state organizations also signed the letter, which can be read here.
For more information, please contact Robert Guenther, United’s senior vice president of public policy at 202-303-3400.
Unless you are hauling a produce item coming out of storage in the West, it can be pretty risky business this time of the year. Apples, potatoes and onions tend to be your best bet. Row crop vegetables, such as many that are coming out of the California and Arizona deserts are much less preditable and seem to become more so with each passing winter storm.
Case in point is the latest winter weather that marched through California, Arizona and eastward Feb. 18 -22. Only minor damage is reported such as lettuce with some blisters on it.
Supplies have been on a roller coaster ride throughout the winter vegetable season and will continue on the unpredictable course through the end of March. Expect light or moderate shipments of many veggies during the next month ranging from the leafy items to broccoli, cauliflower and green onions.
Shipments will be especially light over the next couple of months and possibly even lighter in April.
The California and Arizona deserts provide the most shipments for vegetables through March. Shipments of some plants such as broccoli and cauliflower, will have shifted to the Salinas Valley by April.
The Huron district in California’s San Joaquin Valley is a major shipping point for Iceberg and Romaine lettuce in April, usually occurring as the change from the desert to Salinas and the Santa Maria area takes place. Those coastal districts normally hit stride with shipments in May.
While loadings of many vegetable items should start picking up in April, some shippers see few if any celery being loaded.
Desert Vegetables – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states leafy vegetables caused more illnesses than any other commodity from 1998-2008.
Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities by using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998–2008, is the new report which split up foods into 17 categories and matched them up with outbreak-associated illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.
Leafy vegetables got some bad news. The CDC studied 17 commodities which showed leafy veggies caused more illnesses than any other commodity. Following leafy vegetables, the commodities linked to the most illnesses were dairy (1.3 million or 14 percent), fruits-nuts (1.2 million or 12 percent) and poultry (900,000 or 10 percent).
Illnesses associated with leafy vegetables were the second-most frequent cause of hospitalizations (14 percent) and the fifth-most frequent cause of death (6 percent).
Past studies have showed produce was linked to half of virus’ that caused a gastroenteritis, the second-most frequent food source for E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks.
But the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group, said CDC’s findings should be no surprise that leafy greens are a top contributor to illness.
“The fact that three of the produce categories — leafy greens, fruits and nuts, vine-stalk vegetables — show up as contributors to illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths underscores the need for rapid implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s new regulations to improve the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables, announced on January 4,” said Caroline Smith DeWall, CSPI food-safety director.
The study comes as FDA announced holding the first public meeting on the FSMA proposed regulations in Washington, DC, from Feb. 28-March 1.
by Idaho Potato Commission
EAGLE, Idaho — In celebration of American Heart Month, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) launched the Heart Smart Recipe Contest with fitness guru Denise Austin and the popular Mr. Food Test Kitchen. Consumers are encouraged to submit their favorite quick and easy Idaho® potato recipe that not only tastes great but is healthy too!
The two-tiered contest kicked off February 8 on MrFood.com and will run through February 24. Ten finalists will be selected by a panel of judges and beginning February 28, foodies across the country will have a chance to select the grand prize winner on MrFood.com.
“We are always looking for opportunities to remind consumers of the role Idaho® potatoes play in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the Heart Smart Recipe Contest is the perfect way for us to bring this message to life,” explained Frank Muir, President and CEO, IPC. “Denise helps remind folks that Idaho® potatoes contain important complex carbohydrates which provide necessary fuel for the body, and the Mr. Food Test Kitchen offers thousands of ways to prepare and enjoy America’s favorite vegetable.”
Contest Details
Visit the recipe contest page on www.MrFood.com to complete the contest registration. Then follow the links and instructions to enter your best original heart healthy Idaho® potato recipes and optional corresponding photo(s) of the prepared dish. Multiple entries will be accepted but each entry must be for a separate and unique recipe. Qualifying recipes must adhere to our “Quick & Easy” cooking guidelines:
• No more than 10 total ingredients, including Idaho® potatoes.
• All ingredients must be easy-to-find and available at local supermarkets.
• Instructions should be easy to read and to follow for the average home cook.
• Prep time should be less than 30 minutes.
• Entries must be specific with measurements, directions, cans, packages, and cookware/bakeware needed so others can successfully reproduce the recipe.
• Entries must also include a few words (100 or less) about the origin of the recipe; share any compliments the recipe has received, plus any variations.
• Recipes must be original.
• Must be tasty and visually appealing!
For complete contest rules and guidelines visit http://www4.mrfood.com/voting/Heart-Smart-Idaho-Potato-Contest/action/entry.
About Denise Austin
Denise Austin has sold more than 24 million exercise videos and DVDs; authored more than 12 fitness books; and has starred in the longest-running fitness show in television history. Considered “America’s favorite fitness expert,” Denise serves on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, helped launch the new USDA food guidelines and continues to champion the benefits of heart health and good nutrition. A busy wife and working mother of two active teenage daughters, Denise is also committed to helping other busy women and mothers find more energy, balance and positivity in their lives. Her popular website and free mobile app, published by Everyday Health, Inc., provides Denise’s signature inspiration and helps millions gain energy, eat smarter and feel better at www.DeniseAustin.com.
About the Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is a state agency that is responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered certification mark that assures consumers they are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes. Idaho’s ideal growing conditions, including rich, volcanic soil, climate and irrigation, differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.
The following is a post harvest posting from the University of California Davis relating to hauling both cut flowers and fresh produce.
This is followed by a bit of information on the Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide. Very important information. Please read the following.
Cut flowers should be considered an ethylene sensitive commodity and grouped with the top group of ethylene sensitive fruits and vegetables. There is one exception to this and that is flowers that have been treated to make them insensitive to ethylene. They can be treated like the middle rows of produce that are not sensitive to ethylene. If you are not sure, then be safe and assume the flowers are ethylene sensitive.
Most flowers should be held at 0 – 2°C and grouped in the first temperature column. Tropical origin flowers may be injured by these low temperatures and should be grouped with items held at warmer temperatures.
The refrigerated trailer book<https://marketplace.ucdavis.edu/C21642_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=104&SINGLESTORE=true> has a section on pages 3 – 5 that describes how to set up a mixed load of fruits and vegetables.
Mixer/Loading Guide
As producer of HaulProduce.com, one of the most useful tools ever created to help perishable haulers avoid claims is Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide. It was copyrighted in 1988. It’s creator, Rich Macleod of TransFresh Corp., Salinas, CA has always held produce truckers in high esteem and has shown concern for decades over the unfair treatment they too often experience at loading and unloading docks.
Few people in produce trucking have contributed anything as significant as his guide that shows groupings of fruits and vegetables that are compatible for hauling perishables on transists between two and 10 days.
You can easily check out the Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide online by simply clicking on the Transfresh ad found on this website.
California shipped 49 percent of the leading vegetable and melon crops in 2012. Florida, Arizona, Georgia and Washington were the next leading states in produce shipments.
Shipments of the 24 leading U.S. vegetable and melon crops increased one percent last year with about 438 million cwt. were transported off of 1.68 million acres, also up one percent from 2011, according to the USDA.
The highest volume crops in 2012 were onions, head lettuce and watermelons, when combined, made up 36 percent of the total shipments.
Onion volume declined from 74.1 million cwt. in 2011 to 72.3 million cwt. in 2012, head lettuce was 45.6 million cwt., down from 49.7 million cwt., and watermelon rose from 37.2 million to 39 million cwt.
Of the approximate 76 million bushels of USA fresh apples remaining to be shipped from storages, over 72 million bushels are in Washington state, 11 percent more than last year at the same time.
The total as of February 1st was also 13 percent higher than the five-year average.
Volumes of the five biggest apple varieties were up from last year. Those varieties are red delicious, fujis, galas; golden delicious and granny smiths.
By region, 73 million bushels had yet to be shipped from the Northwest as of Feb. 1. About 72.3 million bushesls of those are in Washington.
About 2.4 million bushels in the Northeast, 240,000 bushels in the Southeast and 70,000 bushels in the Midwest/Southwest were still in storage.
Apple shipments from Michigan this season have been virtually non existent due to a freeze last spring. Cold weather also adversely affected apple shipments in New York state.
The vast majority of the Washington’s apples are being shipped from storages in the Yakima Wenatchee valleys. There are about 3200 truckload equivalents of apples being shipped weekly. There’s also a significant amount of pears coming from the same area.
There’s also potatoes and onions being loaded out of Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjoining Umatilla Basin in Oregon.
Washington apples – grossing around $3800 to Chicago and $6000 to New York City.
There is no association between total fruit and vegetable intake and risk of overall breast cancer, but vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The intake of fruits and vegetables has been hypothesized to lower breast cancer risk, however the existing evidence is inconclusive. There are many subtypes of breast cancer including ER- and ER positive (ER+) tumors and each may have distinct etiologies. Since ER- tumors, which have lower survival rates and are less dependent on estrogen levels than ER+ tumors, account for only 15-20% of breast cancers, large pooled analyses are needed to determine the suspected link to lower ER- breast cancer risk and the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
In order to determine if there is a link between the lowered risk of ER- breast cancers and the intake of fruits and vegetables, Seungyoun Jung, Sc.D., formerly from the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, and currently at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and colleagues analyzed data from 20 cohort studies of women who were followed for a maximum of 11-20 years. They investigated the association of high compared to low intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of developing breast cancer in each study and then combined the study-specific estimates to generate summary estimates for all studies combined.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
|
LOS ANGELES — American Heart Month is here, and there’s one more reason to love pistachios. This spring, Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted and No Salt packages will proudly carry the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark, a trusted label for shoppers who are navigating the grocery store looking for heart-healthy products. Both varieties completed the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check certification process, and the accompanying Heart-Check mark debuting on packages this spring will remind consumers that in-shell pistachios are a great fit for healthy eating plans.Since 1995, the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-Check mark has guided consumers to heart-healthy choices as a good first step in creating an overall sensible eating plan, and today, it stands as one of the most trusted and the most recognized health symbols. The Heart-Check mark is a valuable tool in today’s grocery stores, especially since most Americans consume more than 3000mg sodium per day – twice the 1500mg/day recommended by AHA.1In late 2011, the AHA Heart-Check program expanded to include even more heart-healthy foods, namely fish and nuts. “This is big news,” said Maggie Moon , MS, RD, Senior Nutrition Communications Manager for Paramount Farms. “Having nuts officially included in AHA’s Heart-Check program means it’ll be that much easier for people to find heart-smart snacks.” Ms. Moon added, “This is especially relevant today because Americans are snacking more than ever, often using snacks as a way to boost the overall nutrition they get for the day.””Almost 90 percent of the fat found in pistachio kernels is the healthy unsaturated kind, such as mono- and polyunsaturated fats, the good types that may play a role in cardiovascular wellness,” said Gary Foster , PhD, Director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. “Compare in-shell pistachios to other popular snack foods like packaged cookies or nachos, which can be high in both saturated and trans fats, and the choice for healthy snacking is clear.”The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a health claim related to nuts that states “scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. See nutrition information for fat content.”2In addition to heart-health support, there is a lot to love about Wonderful Pistachios. Pistachios deliver a bevy of nutrients, and a one-ounce serving (about 49 kernels) of Wonderful Pistachios Lightly Salted provides 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 310 milligrams of potassium and only 80 milligrams of sodium—that’s just 3% of the Daily Value for sodium. That’s half the sodium found in the regular Roasted and Salted variety, which is still just 160 milligrams of sodium, or 7% of the Daily Value. Wonderful Pistachios No Salt offers the same package of nutrients except with no salt. So now fans of Wonderful Pistachios can now enjoy a sodium-free version of our pistachios, roasted to perfection with no additives.Wonderful Pistachio Lightly Salted and Wonderful Pistachios No Salt are available in eight and 16-ounce bags with an estimated retail price of $4.99 and $7.99. Both products can be found in major grocery stores nationwide.Please stay tuned for the American Heart Association Heart-Check also appearing on Wonderful Almonds this spring.About Wonderful® Pistachios The Wonderful Pistachios brand features upscale, premium packaging and a bold contemporary look, appealing to a sophisticated, health-conscious consumer. Wonderful Pistachios are grown in the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heartland of California. Grown, processed and packaged by Paramount Farms, Wonderful Pistachios are available at retail outlets and grocery stores nationwide and are available in a variety of sizes. For more information about Wonderful Pistachios or the “Get Crackin'” campaign, visit www.getcrackin.com, www.facebook.com/wonderfulpistachios and www.twitter.com/getcrackin.About Paramount Farms Paramount Farms is the world’s largest grower and processor of almonds and pistachios, with more than 80,000 acres of prime pistachio and almond orchards. Paramount Farms is part of the Paramount Agricultural Companies, a group of privately-owned, affiliated companies which comprise the largest farming operation of tree crops in the world.1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs : Food categories contributing the most to sodium consumption – United States, 2007-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Vol. 61(2/07/2012).2 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2003). Qualified Health Claims About Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Retrieved 5 November 2012. http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/LabelClaims/QualifiedHealthClaims/ucm073992.htm#nuts
Source: Wonderful Pistachios |
Over 50 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the United States come through Nogales, AZ, making it the nation’s second busiest port of entry.
Weather conditions in Mexico, including a freeze in January pushed back many items crossing the border, with the exeption being tomatoes. Otherwise, many vegetables normally shipped all over North American by truck from Nogales have become available later than normal. Among the most affected veggies have been various types of squash, green beans and sweet corn.
However, this is about to change. Loading opportunities at warehouses on the USA side of the border should start increasing significantly with the arrival of March. This could result in volume shipments continuing later because of the later starts of harvest. But again, it will depend a lot on weather.
Mexican tomato shipments have been virtually uninterrupted this winter because they are grown in a different region of Mexico than were the freeze occurred. Tomato loadings have been going well since mid December and have been going full bore for the past two to three weeks.
It’s too early to get a handle on table grape shipments that usually get underway in late April or early May, but there is good reason to believe grapes will once again provide heavy shipments.
Watermelons out of Mexico have had light volume, but will show a big increase in shipments as we head into spring.
Mexician produce at Nogales – grossing about $5200 to New York Cithy.
Over the years there have been an number of attempts to pass federal legislation allowing heavier trucks on interstate highways. These have been supported primarily by groups representing shipper interests, although the American Trucking Associations (representing large carriers) has long backed this type of legistion. Below is an article form Inside, an online publication of the United Fresh Produce Association, which represents many, if not most of the medium to large produce shippers across the country. United supports a bill for heavier trucks recently introduced in Congress.
Most owner operators and small fleet owners over the years have opposed such legislation. The first question usually asked is, “Will shippers be willing to pay the truck more for hauling a heavier load, or will they expect to pay the same rate? Heavier loads also mean added wear and tear on equipment.
Below is the press release sent out by United.
*****************************
United Fresh applauded the February 12 introduction of legislation that would give states the authority to increase weight limits for certain trucks on federal interstates. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act (SETA), co-sponsored by Representatives Reid Ribble (R-WI) and Mike Michaud (D-ME), would allow for trucks fitted with a sixth axle to haul up to 97,000 pounds on federal interstates. The current limit of 80,000 pounds on a vehicle with five axles has been in place since 1982 and puts US growers at a disadvantage with competitors in Mexico and Canada. The increase in weight allowance is expected to result in fewer loads, leading to economic efficiencies and a smaller environmental impact.
“The fresh fruit and vegetable industry stands to gain significant efficiencies along the supply chain from this legislation,” said Robert Guenther, United Fresh senior vice president of public policy. “Numerous studies have shown that the increase in weight allowed for these trucks does not compromise safety on the roads, and will allow the industry to provide more fruits and vegetables to consumers across the country and world, resulting in affordable nutrition and a healthier population.”
A letter of support was sent to Representatives Ribble and Michaud this week. United and nearly 50 national and state organizations also signed the letter, which can be read here.
For more information, please contact Robert Guenther, United’s senior vice president of public policy at 202-303-3400.
Unless you are hauling a produce item coming out of storage in the West, it can be pretty risky business this time of the year. Apples, potatoes and onions tend to be your best bet. Row crop vegetables, such as many that are coming out of the California and Arizona deserts are much less preditable and seem to become more so with each passing winter storm.
Case in point is the latest winter weather that marched through California, Arizona and eastward Feb. 18 -22. Only minor damage is reported such as lettuce with some blisters on it.
Supplies have been on a roller coaster ride throughout the winter vegetable season and will continue on the unpredictable course through the end of March. Expect light or moderate shipments of many veggies during the next month ranging from the leafy items to broccoli, cauliflower and green onions.
Shipments will be especially light over the next couple of months and possibly even lighter in April.
The California and Arizona deserts provide the most shipments for vegetables through March. Shipments of some plants such as broccoli and cauliflower, will have shifted to the Salinas Valley by April.
The Huron district in California’s San Joaquin Valley is a major shipping point for Iceberg and Romaine lettuce in April, usually occurring as the change from the desert to Salinas and the Santa Maria area takes place. Those coastal districts normally hit stride with shipments in May.
While loadings of many vegetable items should start picking up in April, some shippers see few if any celery being loaded.
Desert Vegetables – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.
A new study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states leafy vegetables caused more illnesses than any other commodity from 1998-2008.
Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities by using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998–2008, is the new report which split up foods into 17 categories and matched them up with outbreak-associated illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths.
Leafy vegetables got some bad news. The CDC studied 17 commodities which showed leafy veggies caused more illnesses than any other commodity. Following leafy vegetables, the commodities linked to the most illnesses were dairy (1.3 million or 14 percent), fruits-nuts (1.2 million or 12 percent) and poultry (900,000 or 10 percent).
Illnesses associated with leafy vegetables were the second-most frequent cause of hospitalizations (14 percent) and the fifth-most frequent cause of death (6 percent).
Past studies have showed produce was linked to half of virus’ that caused a gastroenteritis, the second-most frequent food source for E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks.
But the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group, said CDC’s findings should be no surprise that leafy greens are a top contributor to illness.
“The fact that three of the produce categories — leafy greens, fruits and nuts, vine-stalk vegetables — show up as contributors to illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths underscores the need for rapid implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s new regulations to improve the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables, announced on January 4,” said Caroline Smith DeWall, CSPI food-safety director.
The study comes as FDA announced holding the first public meeting on the FSMA proposed regulations in Washington, DC, from Feb. 28-March 1.
by Idaho Potato Commission
EAGLE, Idaho — In celebration of American Heart Month, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) launched the Heart Smart Recipe Contest with fitness guru Denise Austin and the popular Mr. Food Test Kitchen. Consumers are encouraged to submit their favorite quick and easy Idaho® potato recipe that not only tastes great but is healthy too!
The two-tiered contest kicked off February 8 on MrFood.com and will run through February 24. Ten finalists will be selected by a panel of judges and beginning February 28, foodies across the country will have a chance to select the grand prize winner on MrFood.com.
“We are always looking for opportunities to remind consumers of the role Idaho® potatoes play in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the Heart Smart Recipe Contest is the perfect way for us to bring this message to life,” explained Frank Muir, President and CEO, IPC. “Denise helps remind folks that Idaho® potatoes contain important complex carbohydrates which provide necessary fuel for the body, and the Mr. Food Test Kitchen offers thousands of ways to prepare and enjoy America’s favorite vegetable.”
Contest Details
Visit the recipe contest page on www.MrFood.com to complete the contest registration. Then follow the links and instructions to enter your best original heart healthy Idaho® potato recipes and optional corresponding photo(s) of the prepared dish. Multiple entries will be accepted but each entry must be for a separate and unique recipe. Qualifying recipes must adhere to our “Quick & Easy” cooking guidelines:
• No more than 10 total ingredients, including Idaho® potatoes.
• All ingredients must be easy-to-find and available at local supermarkets.
• Instructions should be easy to read and to follow for the average home cook.
• Prep time should be less than 30 minutes.
• Entries must be specific with measurements, directions, cans, packages, and cookware/bakeware needed so others can successfully reproduce the recipe.
• Entries must also include a few words (100 or less) about the origin of the recipe; share any compliments the recipe has received, plus any variations.
• Recipes must be original.
• Must be tasty and visually appealing!
For complete contest rules and guidelines visit http://www4.mrfood.com/voting/Heart-Smart-Idaho-Potato-Contest/action/entry.
About Denise Austin
Denise Austin has sold more than 24 million exercise videos and DVDs; authored more than 12 fitness books; and has starred in the longest-running fitness show in television history. Considered “America’s favorite fitness expert,” Denise serves on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, helped launch the new USDA food guidelines and continues to champion the benefits of heart health and good nutrition. A busy wife and working mother of two active teenage daughters, Denise is also committed to helping other busy women and mothers find more energy, balance and positivity in their lives. Her popular website and free mobile app, published by Everyday Health, Inc., provides Denise’s signature inspiration and helps millions gain energy, eat smarter and feel better at www.DeniseAustin.com.
About the Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is a state agency that is responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered certification mark that assures consumers they are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes. Idaho’s ideal growing conditions, including rich, volcanic soil, climate and irrigation, differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.
The following is a post harvest posting from the University of California Davis relating to hauling both cut flowers and fresh produce.
This is followed by a bit of information on the Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide. Very important information. Please read the following.
Cut flowers should be considered an ethylene sensitive commodity and grouped with the top group of ethylene sensitive fruits and vegetables. There is one exception to this and that is flowers that have been treated to make them insensitive to ethylene. They can be treated like the middle rows of produce that are not sensitive to ethylene. If you are not sure, then be safe and assume the flowers are ethylene sensitive.
Most flowers should be held at 0 – 2°C and grouped in the first temperature column. Tropical origin flowers may be injured by these low temperatures and should be grouped with items held at warmer temperatures.
The refrigerated trailer book<https://marketplace.ucdavis.edu/C21642_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=104&SINGLESTORE=true> has a section on pages 3 – 5 that describes how to set up a mixed load of fruits and vegetables.
Mixer/Loading Guide
As producer of HaulProduce.com, one of the most useful tools ever created to help perishable haulers avoid claims is Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide. It was copyrighted in 1988. It’s creator, Rich Macleod of TransFresh Corp., Salinas, CA has always held produce truckers in high esteem and has shown concern for decades over the unfair treatment they too often experience at loading and unloading docks.
Few people in produce trucking have contributed anything as significant as his guide that shows groupings of fruits and vegetables that are compatible for hauling perishables on transists between two and 10 days.
You can easily check out the Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide online by simply clicking on the Transfresh ad found on this website.
California shipped 49 percent of the leading vegetable and melon crops in 2012. Florida, Arizona, Georgia and Washington were the next leading states in produce shipments.
Shipments of the 24 leading U.S. vegetable and melon crops increased one percent last year with about 438 million cwt. were transported off of 1.68 million acres, also up one percent from 2011, according to the USDA.
The highest volume crops in 2012 were onions, head lettuce and watermelons, when combined, made up 36 percent of the total shipments.
Onion volume declined from 74.1 million cwt. in 2011 to 72.3 million cwt. in 2012, head lettuce was 45.6 million cwt., down from 49.7 million cwt., and watermelon rose from 37.2 million to 39 million cwt.
Of the approximate 76 million bushels of USA fresh apples remaining to be shipped from storages, over 72 million bushels are in Washington state, 11 percent more than last year at the same time.
The total as of February 1st was also 13 percent higher than the five-year average.
Volumes of the five biggest apple varieties were up from last year. Those varieties are red delicious, fujis, galas; golden delicious and granny smiths.
By region, 73 million bushels had yet to be shipped from the Northwest as of Feb. 1. About 72.3 million bushesls of those are in Washington.
About 2.4 million bushels in the Northeast, 240,000 bushels in the Southeast and 70,000 bushels in the Midwest/Southwest were still in storage.
Apple shipments from Michigan this season have been virtually non existent due to a freeze last spring. Cold weather also adversely affected apple shipments in New York state.
The vast majority of the Washington’s apples are being shipped from storages in the Yakima Wenatchee valleys. There are about 3200 truckload equivalents of apples being shipped weekly. There’s also a significant amount of pears coming from the same area.
There’s also potatoes and onions being loaded out of Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjoining Umatilla Basin in Oregon.
Washington apples – grossing around $3800 to Chicago and $6000 to New York City.