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Refrigerated equipment is in tight supply in a number of areas around the 
country, but it could be much worse. Less than bumper sized crops in several areas is easing some of the pressure for trucks. California’s San Joaquin Valley stone fruit crop is down from a year ago. Central and southern Georgia fruits and vegetables were hit hard by inclement weather during the spring. Watermelons in Texas and some parts of the east coast were also victims of bad weather.
The new apple season will be launched in only a few weeks and crops were decimated in Michigan, Ontario and parts of New York state.
Thus, when folks complain about California rates hitting $6,000 to the Mid-west and $9,000 to the East Coast, with a little more favorable weather conditions in various parts of the USA and Canada, demand for refrigerated equipment could have been worse – resulting in even higher rates on produce hauls. Still, there comes a point when rates reach a certain point, that retail prices for fruits and vegetables rise, and at a certain there is consumer resistance to high the costs.
Whether talking availablity of equipment, volume of fruits and vegetables, as well as the quality of the product — and let’s not forget the availability of professional drivers – many factors can result in the final equasion for supply and demand….If and when this economy ever turns around, produce shipments will be receiving a lot more competition as many drivers will choose to haul other things, which is not as demanding and risky as loads of fresh produce.
Southern Californa citrus and fruit – grossing about $9000 to Boston, sometimes more.
Salinas Valley vegetables and berries – about $6200 to Chicago.
As California table grape shipments will soon be starting from the San Joaquin 
Valley, it is a good two-week swing from a year ago, when the vineyards were 10 to 14 days later than normal. This year, the product is being shipped a few days earlier than normal – and two weeks or more earlier than in 2011. Projections call for 101.6 million, 19-pound boxes of California grapes to be shipped, up 4.5 million cartons from a year ago.
Stone fruit shipments are coming out of the Southern San Joaquin Valley in light to moderate volume and will pick up in volume quickly as the harvest moves northward. The Bakersfield area is shipping potatoes and carrots.
California cherry shipments from the northern part of the valley are winding down, as Washington state will soon take center stage with loads of cherries.
There are still grapes from Mexico and California’s Coachella Valley being shipped in volume. Those areas will still be providing loads into mid July.
One word of caution. There are reports of some red grapes from Coachella having splits, cracks and being low in color. Make sure whoever is paying the freight is aware of this situation before you load — and of course check for quality yourself at the loading dock.
Demand for trucks remains heavy from the Salinas Valley as many vegetables are in peak production. There’s also good volume with strawberries from the nearby Watsonville district. The Santa Maria area has lighter, but consistent movement with vegetables.
San Joaquin Valley stone fruit and vegetables – grossing about $8300 to Baltimore.
Bakersfield area carrots and potatoes – about $6800 to Atlanta.
Looking for healthy food in your local supermarket produce department. 
Nuts are often cited for healthy reasons – and a new study on pistachios is favorable.
A Pennsylvania State University study published online this month in Hypertension, an American Heart Association Journal, reveals that including pistachios in a healthy diet may positively reduce the body’s response to the stresses of everyday life.
Adults with elevated cholesterol were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial comparing diets containing pistachios to a low fat diet. The results show that a healthy diet supplemented with pistachios helps decrease systolic blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance and heart rate during acute stress. Cardiovascular responses were measured while participants engaged in a challenging mental arithmetic test and again as they immersed their foot in cold water.
The study conducted at Pennsylvania State University by Drs. Sheila G. West and Penny M. Kris-Etherton and colleagues examined how diets containing pistachios
(one-and-a-half and three ounces per day) versus a low-fat diet without pistachios, affect responses to stress on subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol, but normal blood pressure. This study is the first to show that including both salted and unsalted pistachios in a healthy diet helps reduce blood pressure and lessen the vascular load on the heart.
The people in the study were healthy, non-smoking men and women with elevated LDL cholesterol (commonly regarded as bad cholesterol) but normal blood pressure. All of the meals were provided and calorie levels were customized to maintain body weight. Pistachios were substituted for other foods in the diet to prevent weight gain. Participants followed three different diets – one low fat diet (25% fat ) without pistachios, and two with different levels of pistachios (approximately 1.5 oz or 10% of calories from pistachios and 3.0 oz or (20% of calories from pistachios). The pistachio diets contained higher amounts of potassium, healthy fats and protein. All diets were rich in fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains, consistent with current food-based dietary recommendations. Participant demographics and the diet design have been published previously.2
“Daily events, such as work stress, a tight deadline, or public speaking can increase blood pressure, and we know that we can’t avoid all of the stressors in our lives. These results are significant because they show that physiological responses to stress are affected by the foods we eat,” stated Sheila West, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health and the study’s lead author. Dr. West continues, “These changes in blood pressure occurred even though self-reported mood, anxiety, and tension were not changed.”
The largest drop in blood pressure, – 4.8 mm Hg, was associated with eating about one-and-a-half ounces of pistachios a day versus a -1.8 mm Hg on the low-fat diet and, -2.4 mm Hg, three ounces of pistachios per day. The diet containing three ounces of pistachios resulted in a significant decrease in peripheral vascular resistance, a measure of artery stiffness and heart rate versus the control diet. Fifty percent of the pistachios were given salted as a snack and the other half were unsalted and incorporated into recipes. Interestingly, although high sodium intake is typically associated with high blood pressure, the largest drop in in blood pressure was not associated with the lowest sodium diet. Pistachios do provide potassium (8% Daily Value) and magnesium (8% Daily Value) which are important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure.
“In addition, these results are very exciting because they demonstrate further benefits of pistachios on another risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” added Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, and a lead researcher for the study. Dr. Kris-Etherton adds, “Our previous research suggests including pistachios in a healthy diet lowers LDL cholesterol in a dose-response fashion2 and increases antioxidants in the blood.”
“This research adds to the growing body of literature on the health benefits of pistachios,” added Constance J. Geiger, Ph.D., R.D. who serves as a nutrition research consultant with the American Pistachio Growers. Dr. Geiger continues, “Nuts, such as pistachios, are an important part of a healthy diet.”
For more information and to read the full study, go to hyper.ahajournals.org.1
About the Study
The research support was provided by the Western Pistachio Association, now known as the American Pistachio Growers, with partial support from the NIH-supported General Clinical Research Center at Pennsylvania State University. It was first reported on in 2007. It is relevant because lowering blood pressure may reduce the risk for stroke and heart disease.
Pistachios Pack Powerful Nutrition
In recent years the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized that tree nuts, including pistachios, may help reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Since then, the American Pistachio Growers have committed to learning more about the nutritional benefits of pistachios and the nuts’ impact on other health issues affecting Americans today.
Pistachio Facts
Pistachios are a naturally cholesterol-free and sodium-free snack that contains just 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 13 grams of fat per serving, the majority of which comes from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts, which is more nuts per serving than any other snack nut. One serving has as much potassium (290mg, 8 percent) as an orange (250 mg, 7 percent) and 3 g of fiber making it a nutritious snack choice or ingredient to incorporate into daily diets.
About American Pistachio Growers
American Pistachio Growers (APG) is a voluntary trade association representing members who are pistachio growers, processors and industry partners in California, Arizona and New Mexico. These states represent 100% of the domestic commercial pistachio production. APG pistachios are the “Official Snack” of both USA men’s and women’s water polo teams and Miss California. For more information, visit http://www.AmericanPistachios.org.
___________________________________
¹West SG, Gebaurer SK, Kay CD, Bagshaw DM, Savastano DM, Diefenbach C, Kris-Etherton P. Diets Containing Pistachios Reduce Systolic Blood Pressure and Peripheral Vascular Responses to Stress in Adults with Dyslipidemia. Hypertension. 2012 Jun 4. [Epub ahead of print] doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.182147
2Gebauer SK, West SG, Kay CD, Alaupovic P, Bagshaw D, Kris-Etherton PM. “Effects of pistachios on cardiovascular disease risk factors and potential mechanisms of action: A dose-response study.” Amer J Clin Nutr. 2008;88:651–9.
3Kay CD, Gebauer SK, West SG, Kris-Etherton PM. “Pistachios increase serum antioxidants and lower serum oxidized-LDL in hypercholesterolemic adults.” J Nutr. 2010;140:1093-98.
Source: American Pistachio Growers
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Produce shipments on the East Coast are a mixed bag this year and some areas 
are shipping more normal volumes, with other areas doing less.
Shipments of New Jersey blueberries, along with vegetables continue to be loaded in normal volumes. Jersey peach loadings are ramping up and should be in peak volume soon, continuing through July.
Further south in the Mid-Altantic area, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Shore, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia are shipping a variety of vegetables, with more coming into play as we enter July. This area, however, has struggled over the years, as it tries to provide shipments during a gap between states to the south of it, and New Jersey to the north, which in theory is supposed to begin shipments when Delaware, Maryland and Virgina are finishing.
However, it’s a gamble every year and if the southern states are late coming in, or Jersey is early, the the Mid-Atlantic states tend to face poor markets, and fewer loading opportunities for produce haulers. As a result this area does not have as many shippers as it used to.
Meanwhile, there are fewer Georgia vegetables, Vidalia onions and peaches this year due to weather factors, although the vegetables were easily hit the hardest of the three.
Vidalia, Georgia onions – grossing about $3200 to New York City.
New Jersey blueberries – about $1800 to Boston.
Besides being one of the better priced items in your produce deparment 
this year, a new study touts the benefits of eating kiwifrut..
Kiwifruit have long thought to be a nutritional powerhouse. But a new nutritional analysis published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrition Today further verifies that fact. The author of the paper, Dr. Keith Singletary, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition at the University of Illinois, found that in addition to its antioxidant benefits, kiwi fruit can also help the digestive tract and even your skin.
“Potential benefits include a rich source of antioxidants, improvement in gastrointestinal laxation, lowering of blood lipids, and alleviation of skin disorders,” as stated in the published paper titled, “Kiwifruit: Overview of Potential Health Benefits.”
The Nutrition Today paper stated that kiwifruit is also a rich source of vitamin C as well as folate, potassium and dietary fiber. The paper cited ongoing, preliminary research that is investigating other possible health benefits associated with kiwi consumption. “The fruit’s content of nutrients and biologically active phytochemicals has stimulated investigations into its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that might then help prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer and other degenerative disorders.”
The California kiwifruit growers, as a member of the International Kiwifruit Organization (IKO), partnered with other kiwifruit growers around the world in conducting the research that further affirms these known potential nutritional benefits of consuming kiwifruit.
California represents 98% of U.S. kiwifruit production or about one-third of all the fresh kiwifruit supplies in the United States during the season. California farmers produce up to eight million trays of the nutritious fruit from September to May with its primary production in October and November. As domestic production from California has increased, kiwifruit has become an increasingly popular fruit for Americans.
The 2012/13 crop is well on its way into the growing season and the mild summer weather California has experienced thus far is sure to promote good size and great flavor.
The full Nutrition Today article can be viewed here.
Source: California Kiwifruit Growers
Salinas, CA – The mission to create a connection between the agricultural 
community and food assistance programs just got a little easier for the local nonprofit Ag Against Hunger. Due to a generous $50,000 grant from Walmart, along with discounts from ThermoKing, Utility Trailer, and Central Coast Sign Factory, Ag Against Hunger was able to purchase a beautiful brand new 53’ refrigerated trailer. The new trailer will replace an older model that will now be used as additional cold storage during the season when their cooler is at capacity. In 2011, the organization distributed 13.9 million lbs. of fresh nutritious produce to food banks in need, feeding over 3 million people. Executive Director Karen DeWitt says that she hopes the new trailer will help increase that amount by an additional 250,000 lbs. equaling 1.25 million servings.
Press release by Ag Against Hunger
Remember when Wal-Mart introduced produce departments to their stores a 
number of years ago. They did an excellent job! You can thank a guy named Bruce Peterson for that. Anyway, Bruce left the huge chain a while back and Wal-Mart produce departments, at least in many stores, have went down hill. My local Wal-Mart often has substandard produce, and definately not enough staff to keep the shelves stocked properly, not only in produce, but in the grocery and other departments as well.
Anyway, I just bought my first peaches of the season at my local Wal-Mart. I purposely bought peaches from California, as well as – honestly I’m not sure where the 2nd peaches are from. The shipper is based in South Carolina, but he may be selling some peaches for growers in Georgia. The label didn’t say in which state the peaches were grown.
I would give the California peaches a “C” and the Eastern peaches a “C-minus.” The West Coast peaches had excess juice, which really tasted more like water. The East Coast peaches were seriously lacking in juice. Peaches from both California and South Carolina, or is it Georgia, were dry.
Looking at the photograph I took of a peach from California (on the right) and the East Coast peach (on the left), both have nice color, although both are lacking in size. Just goes to show, as Bo Diddley once sang, you can’t always judge a book by looking at the cover. Hopefully, both coasts will have better peach quality in coming days.
Fred Plotsky, who with his staff at Cool Runnings, arrange about 8,000 loads 
a year, sees the biggest issue facing truckers is financing, followed by the rules and regulations on the industry. “However, he adds, “If you can’t get the financing, the rules and regulations don’t matter.”
The president of Cool Runnings, based in Kenosha, WI, says truckers are facing rising costs with everything from tires to fuel and labor. An engine overhaul that was $13,000 two years ago now costs $20,000 to $21,000. The mechanics who work on those diesel engines have hourly rates that have increased from $60 to $100 per hour.
While the produce rates have gone up in recent weeks, the price of diesel fuel remains high as well. For example, Fred says a truck averaging five miles per gallon, running 3,700 miles per week, at today’s diesel prices, that is costing $3,000 a week, which is hard to finance.
While Cool Runnings charges a two percent fee for advances on loads, Fred points out a lot of truck brokers charge three to five percent.
“The broker has to borrow to finance advance loads. The bank is not loaning you that money for free,” Fred states. “Financing is tight. You either pay the bank, or the broker for the cash advance. It is going to cost you more either way.”
It used to be the average cash advance was around $500 to $700 for fuel to cover a trip from Idaho to Chicago. Now the advances are around $1,500. “You are talking two percent of $1,500 when it used to be two percent of $700. The truckers have to find a way to finance this themselves, while the others who do not figure it out fall by the wayside,” Fred says.
Cool Runnings works with a lot of owner operators and small fleet operations. “The guys who used to have 20 trucks now own eight or 10. If he had 10 trucks, now he only has three or four trucks,” Fred says. “They just don’t care anymore. They’ll say, `I’m tired of fighting the rules and regulations and everything else.'”
One example of excessive government interference, Fred notes, are the CARB (California Air Resources Board) rules in California. The requirements, some of which have to do with reducing emissions, increase the costs of operation and is make it very difficult for truckers to comply, much less continue to operate profitably.
He knows one trucker who hauls potatoes and french fries between Idaho and Utah. That trucker receives a consistent, steady fair rate. The trucker also does not have to comply with California’s CARB rules.
“Now that those rules are stabilized, just don’t keep changing them,” Fred states.
Although it has been nearly 26 years, it seems almost like yesterday when Ifirst met Fred Plotsky. I was riding in a car with a friend and business associate named Gary Robinson in Highland Park, IL during a week I was working in Chicago. Gary had just sold his truck brokerage, Cool Runnings.
“How would you like to meet the new owner of Cool Runnings? He’s really a great guy,” Gary asked me. In a moment, Gary had Fred dialed up on his car phone. I met up with Fred later that day and the rest is history. We have been friends ever since.
Fred and I immediately found a few things in common. We both had an interest in produce trucking for starters. Both of us loved to fish. Fred goes after northern pike, especially on fishing expeditions to Canada, while this southern boy prefers the warmer climates and large mouth (you might find Fred reporting to work at the Cool Runnings offices in Kenosha, WI, wearing shorts in January).
Fred also has love for listening to radio, and only a few months earlier in 1986 I had launched the Produce Truckers Network and had two radio stations airing it — WRVA in Richmond, VA with Big John Trimble and WMAQ in Chicago with Fred Sanders.
Both of us are sports fans with Fred a great follower of the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. He is forgiving of my support of St. Louis Cardinals.
Over the years I’ve learned to respect Fred as a loving husband, great father, little league baseball coach — and a fair and honest businessman.
It has sort of become a tradition with Fred and I to occasionally have lunch together — usually involving chicken wings and root beer. It was during such a recent visit, Fred shared some thoughts on Cool Runnings, which he has owned since July 1986, as well as what is happening with the trucking industry, and what he views as the major concerns and issues with the professionals driving the big rigs. — By Bill Martin
Record shipments of highly perishables, but high rate paying cherries are 
getting underway from Washington state, along with apricots and onions, and joining the late season apples and pears.
Cherry loadings start in limited volume from the Yakima Valley, but tonnage quickly increases. 23 million boxes are forecast to be shipped from Washington state, which should break the previous record by 3 million cartons….Apricot loadings are close behind starting in mid June, with peak movement occurring the first half of July.
The Evergreen state continues to ship apples and pears from the 2011/12 season, and remains the heaviest volume for produce. About 1,750 truck load equivalents of apples and pears are being shipped weekly from the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys.
Onions from the Walla Walla Valley should get underway the week of June 18th. The Walla Walla onion shipping area is located in Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon. Primary shippers are located in or near Walla Walla, WA and Hermiston, OR.
Washington apples and pears – grossing about $6000 to Philadelphia.
NOTE: Apples, pears and apricots can be loaded on the same truck, but oder from the fruit can be absorbed by potatoes, onions and some other items. Source: TransFresh “Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide.”
With Wi-Fi connectivity, weather information and more, the new 
IntelliRoute® TND™ 720 offers more driver-requestedIf you’re attending the Great West Truck Show in the Las Vegas this weekend, or you’ll be in the area, stop by for a demo of the TND™ 720 and check out its new, rugged look and brigther 7″ screen. Or, be the first to purchase, and take advantage of our show special!
We’ll be offering specials – you could win a TND™ 720 by playing
“Guess the Weather” featuring the TND™ 720’s real time-weather updates.
You can find us at Booth #3428 at the Sands Expo Convention Center. features than ever!
If you can’t make it to Las Vegas,
you can find the TND™ 720 at truck stops, travel centers and truck dealers across North America.
— Press Release provided by Rand McNally
Refrigerated equipment is in tight supply in a number of areas around the country, but it could be much worse. Less than bumper sized crops in several areas is easing some of the pressure for trucks. California’s San Joaquin Valley stone fruit crop is down from a year ago. Central and southern Georgia fruits and vegetables were hit hard by inclement weather during the spring. Watermelons in Texas and some parts of the east coast were also victims of bad weather.
The new apple season will be launched in only a few weeks and crops were decimated in Michigan, Ontario and parts of New York state.
Thus, when folks complain about California rates hitting $6,000 to the Mid-west and $9,000 to the East Coast, with a little more favorable weather conditions in various parts of the USA and Canada, demand for refrigerated equipment could have been worse – resulting in even higher rates on produce hauls. Still, there comes a point when rates reach a certain point, that retail prices for fruits and vegetables rise, and at a certain there is consumer resistance to high the costs.
Whether talking availablity of equipment, volume of fruits and vegetables, as well as the quality of the product — and let’s not forget the availability of professional drivers – many factors can result in the final equasion for supply and demand….If and when this economy ever turns around, produce shipments will be receiving a lot more competition as many drivers will choose to haul other things, which is not as demanding and risky as loads of fresh produce.
Southern Californa citrus and fruit – grossing about $9000 to Boston, sometimes more.
Salinas Valley vegetables and berries – about $6200 to Chicago.
As California table grape shipments will soon be starting from the San Joaquin 
Valley, it is a good two-week swing from a year ago, when the vineyards were 10 to 14 days later than normal. This year, the product is being shipped a few days earlier than normal – and two weeks or more earlier than in 2011. Projections call for 101.6 million, 19-pound boxes of California grapes to be shipped, up 4.5 million cartons from a year ago.
Stone fruit shipments are coming out of the Southern San Joaquin Valley in light to moderate volume and will pick up in volume quickly as the harvest moves northward. The Bakersfield area is shipping potatoes and carrots.
California cherry shipments from the northern part of the valley are winding down, as Washington state will soon take center stage with loads of cherries.
There are still grapes from Mexico and California’s Coachella Valley being shipped in volume. Those areas will still be providing loads into mid July.
One word of caution. There are reports of some red grapes from Coachella having splits, cracks and being low in color. Make sure whoever is paying the freight is aware of this situation before you load — and of course check for quality yourself at the loading dock.
Demand for trucks remains heavy from the Salinas Valley as many vegetables are in peak production. There’s also good volume with strawberries from the nearby Watsonville district. The Santa Maria area has lighter, but consistent movement with vegetables.
San Joaquin Valley stone fruit and vegetables – grossing about $8300 to Baltimore.
Bakersfield area carrots and potatoes – about $6800 to Atlanta.
Looking for healthy food in your local supermarket produce department. Nuts are often cited for healthy reasons – and a new study on pistachios is favorable.
A Pennsylvania State University study published online this month in Hypertension, an American Heart Association Journal, reveals that including pistachios in a healthy diet may positively reduce the body’s response to the stresses of everyday life.
Adults with elevated cholesterol were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial comparing diets containing pistachios to a low fat diet. The results show that a healthy diet supplemented with pistachios helps decrease systolic blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance and heart rate during acute stress. Cardiovascular responses were measured while participants engaged in a challenging mental arithmetic test and again as they immersed their foot in cold water.
The study conducted at Pennsylvania State University by Drs. Sheila G. West and Penny M. Kris-Etherton and colleagues examined how diets containing pistachios
(one-and-a-half and three ounces per day) versus a low-fat diet without pistachios, affect responses to stress on subjects with elevated LDL cholesterol, but normal blood pressure. This study is the first to show that including both salted and unsalted pistachios in a healthy diet helps reduce blood pressure and lessen the vascular load on the heart.
The people in the study were healthy, non-smoking men and women with elevated LDL cholesterol (commonly regarded as bad cholesterol) but normal blood pressure. All of the meals were provided and calorie levels were customized to maintain body weight. Pistachios were substituted for other foods in the diet to prevent weight gain. Participants followed three different diets – one low fat diet (25% fat ) without pistachios, and two with different levels of pistachios (approximately 1.5 oz or 10% of calories from pistachios and 3.0 oz or (20% of calories from pistachios). The pistachio diets contained higher amounts of potassium, healthy fats and protein. All diets were rich in fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains, consistent with current food-based dietary recommendations. Participant demographics and the diet design have been published previously.2
“Daily events, such as work stress, a tight deadline, or public speaking can increase blood pressure, and we know that we can’t avoid all of the stressors in our lives. These results are significant because they show that physiological responses to stress are affected by the foods we eat,” stated Sheila West, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health and the study’s lead author. Dr. West continues, “These changes in blood pressure occurred even though self-reported mood, anxiety, and tension were not changed.”
The largest drop in blood pressure, – 4.8 mm Hg, was associated with eating about one-and-a-half ounces of pistachios a day versus a -1.8 mm Hg on the low-fat diet and, -2.4 mm Hg, three ounces of pistachios per day. The diet containing three ounces of pistachios resulted in a significant decrease in peripheral vascular resistance, a measure of artery stiffness and heart rate versus the control diet. Fifty percent of the pistachios were given salted as a snack and the other half were unsalted and incorporated into recipes. Interestingly, although high sodium intake is typically associated with high blood pressure, the largest drop in in blood pressure was not associated with the lowest sodium diet. Pistachios do provide potassium (8% Daily Value) and magnesium (8% Daily Value) which are important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure.
“In addition, these results are very exciting because they demonstrate further benefits of pistachios on another risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” added Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, and a lead researcher for the study. Dr. Kris-Etherton adds, “Our previous research suggests including pistachios in a healthy diet lowers LDL cholesterol in a dose-response fashion2 and increases antioxidants in the blood.”
“This research adds to the growing body of literature on the health benefits of pistachios,” added Constance J. Geiger, Ph.D., R.D. who serves as a nutrition research consultant with the American Pistachio Growers. Dr. Geiger continues, “Nuts, such as pistachios, are an important part of a healthy diet.”
For more information and to read the full study, go to hyper.ahajournals.org.1
About the Study
The research support was provided by the Western Pistachio Association, now known as the American Pistachio Growers, with partial support from the NIH-supported General Clinical Research Center at Pennsylvania State University. It was first reported on in 2007. It is relevant because lowering blood pressure may reduce the risk for stroke and heart disease.
Pistachios Pack Powerful Nutrition
In recent years the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized that tree nuts, including pistachios, may help reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Since then, the American Pistachio Growers have committed to learning more about the nutritional benefits of pistachios and the nuts’ impact on other health issues affecting Americans today.
Pistachio Facts
Pistachios are a naturally cholesterol-free and sodium-free snack that contains just 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 13 grams of fat per serving, the majority of which comes from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. A one-ounce serving of pistachios equals 49 nuts, which is more nuts per serving than any other snack nut. One serving has as much potassium (290mg, 8 percent) as an orange (250 mg, 7 percent) and 3 g of fiber making it a nutritious snack choice or ingredient to incorporate into daily diets.
About American Pistachio Growers
American Pistachio Growers (APG) is a voluntary trade association representing members who are pistachio growers, processors and industry partners in California, Arizona and New Mexico. These states represent 100% of the domestic commercial pistachio production. APG pistachios are the “Official Snack” of both USA men’s and women’s water polo teams and Miss California. For more information, visit http://www.AmericanPistachios.org.
___________________________________
¹West SG, Gebaurer SK, Kay CD, Bagshaw DM, Savastano DM, Diefenbach C, Kris-Etherton P. Diets Containing Pistachios Reduce Systolic Blood Pressure and Peripheral Vascular Responses to Stress in Adults with Dyslipidemia. Hypertension. 2012 Jun 4. [Epub ahead of print] doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.182147
2Gebauer SK, West SG, Kay CD, Alaupovic P, Bagshaw D, Kris-Etherton PM. “Effects of pistachios on cardiovascular disease risk factors and potential mechanisms of action: A dose-response study.” Amer J Clin Nutr. 2008;88:651–9.
3Kay CD, Gebauer SK, West SG, Kris-Etherton PM. “Pistachios increase serum antioxidants and lower serum oxidized-LDL in hypercholesterolemic adults.” J Nutr. 2010;140:1093-98.
Source: American Pistachio Growers
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Produce shipments on the East Coast are a mixed bag this year and some areas are shipping more normal volumes, with other areas doing less.
Shipments of New Jersey blueberries, along with vegetables continue to be loaded in normal volumes. Jersey peach loadings are ramping up and should be in peak volume soon, continuing through July.
Further south in the Mid-Altantic area, sometimes referred to as the Eastern Shore, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia are shipping a variety of vegetables, with more coming into play as we enter July. This area, however, has struggled over the years, as it tries to provide shipments during a gap between states to the south of it, and New Jersey to the north, which in theory is supposed to begin shipments when Delaware, Maryland and Virgina are finishing.
However, it’s a gamble every year and if the southern states are late coming in, or Jersey is early, the the Mid-Atlantic states tend to face poor markets, and fewer loading opportunities for produce haulers. As a result this area does not have as many shippers as it used to.
Meanwhile, there are fewer Georgia vegetables, Vidalia onions and peaches this year due to weather factors, although the vegetables were easily hit the hardest of the three.
Vidalia, Georgia onions – grossing about $3200 to New York City.
New Jersey blueberries – about $1800 to Boston.
Besides being one of the better priced items in your produce deparment this year, a new study touts the benefits of eating kiwifrut..
Kiwifruit have long thought to be a nutritional powerhouse. But a new nutritional analysis published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrition Today further verifies that fact. The author of the paper, Dr. Keith Singletary, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition at the University of Illinois, found that in addition to its antioxidant benefits, kiwi fruit can also help the digestive tract and even your skin.
“Potential benefits include a rich source of antioxidants, improvement in gastrointestinal laxation, lowering of blood lipids, and alleviation of skin disorders,” as stated in the published paper titled, “Kiwifruit: Overview of Potential Health Benefits.”
The Nutrition Today paper stated that kiwifruit is also a rich source of vitamin C as well as folate, potassium and dietary fiber. The paper cited ongoing, preliminary research that is investigating other possible health benefits associated with kiwi consumption. “The fruit’s content of nutrients and biologically active phytochemicals has stimulated investigations into its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions that might then help prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer and other degenerative disorders.”
The California kiwifruit growers, as a member of the International Kiwifruit Organization (IKO), partnered with other kiwifruit growers around the world in conducting the research that further affirms these known potential nutritional benefits of consuming kiwifruit.
California represents 98% of U.S. kiwifruit production or about one-third of all the fresh kiwifruit supplies in the United States during the season. California farmers produce up to eight million trays of the nutritious fruit from September to May with its primary production in October and November. As domestic production from California has increased, kiwifruit has become an increasingly popular fruit for Americans.
The 2012/13 crop is well on its way into the growing season and the mild summer weather California has experienced thus far is sure to promote good size and great flavor.
The full Nutrition Today article can be viewed here.
Source: California Kiwifruit Growers
Salinas, CA – The mission to create a connection between the agricultural community and food assistance programs just got a little easier for the local nonprofit Ag Against Hunger. Due to a generous $50,000 grant from Walmart, along with discounts from ThermoKing, Utility Trailer, and Central Coast Sign Factory, Ag Against Hunger was able to purchase a beautiful brand new 53’ refrigerated trailer. The new trailer will replace an older model that will now be used as additional cold storage during the season when their cooler is at capacity. In 2011, the organization distributed 13.9 million lbs. of fresh nutritious produce to food banks in need, feeding over 3 million people. Executive Director Karen DeWitt says that she hopes the new trailer will help increase that amount by an additional 250,000 lbs. equaling 1.25 million servings.
Press release by Ag Against Hunger
Remember when Wal-Mart introduced produce departments to their stores a number of years ago. They did an excellent job! You can thank a guy named Bruce Peterson for that. Anyway, Bruce left the huge chain a while back and Wal-Mart produce departments, at least in many stores, have went down hill. My local Wal-Mart often has substandard produce, and definately not enough staff to keep the shelves stocked properly, not only in produce, but in the grocery and other departments as well.
Anyway, I just bought my first peaches of the season at my local Wal-Mart. I purposely bought peaches from California, as well as – honestly I’m not sure where the 2nd peaches are from. The shipper is based in South Carolina, but he may be selling some peaches for growers in Georgia. The label didn’t say in which state the peaches were grown.
I would give the California peaches a “C” and the Eastern peaches a “C-minus.” The West Coast peaches had excess juice, which really tasted more like water. The East Coast peaches were seriously lacking in juice. Peaches from both California and South Carolina, or is it Georgia, were dry.
Looking at the photograph I took of a peach from California (on the right) and the East Coast peach (on the left), both have nice color, although both are lacking in size. Just goes to show, as Bo Diddley once sang, you can’t always judge a book by looking at the cover. Hopefully, both coasts will have better peach quality in coming days.
Fred Plotsky, who with his staff at Cool Runnings, arrange about 8,000 loads a year, sees the biggest issue facing truckers is financing, followed by the rules and regulations on the industry. “However, he adds, “If you can’t get the financing, the rules and regulations don’t matter.”
The president of Cool Runnings, based in Kenosha, WI, says truckers are facing rising costs with everything from tires to fuel and labor. An engine overhaul that was $13,000 two years ago now costs $20,000 to $21,000. The mechanics who work on those diesel engines have hourly rates that have increased from $60 to $100 per hour.
While the produce rates have gone up in recent weeks, the price of diesel fuel remains high as well. For example, Fred says a truck averaging five miles per gallon, running 3,700 miles per week, at today’s diesel prices, that is costing $3,000 a week, which is hard to finance.
While Cool Runnings charges a two percent fee for advances on loads, Fred points out a lot of truck brokers charge three to five percent.
“The broker has to borrow to finance advance loads. The bank is not loaning you that money for free,” Fred states. “Financing is tight. You either pay the bank, or the broker for the cash advance. It is going to cost you more either way.”
It used to be the average cash advance was around $500 to $700 for fuel to cover a trip from Idaho to Chicago. Now the advances are around $1,500. “You are talking two percent of $1,500 when it used to be two percent of $700. The truckers have to find a way to finance this themselves, while the others who do not figure it out fall by the wayside,” Fred says.
Cool Runnings works with a lot of owner operators and small fleet operations. “The guys who used to have 20 trucks now own eight or 10. If he had 10 trucks, now he only has three or four trucks,” Fred says. “They just don’t care anymore. They’ll say, `I’m tired of fighting the rules and regulations and everything else.'”
One example of excessive government interference, Fred notes, are the CARB (California Air Resources Board) rules in California. The requirements, some of which have to do with reducing emissions, increase the costs of operation and is make it very difficult for truckers to comply, much less continue to operate profitably.
He knows one trucker who hauls potatoes and french fries between Idaho and Utah. That trucker receives a consistent, steady fair rate. The trucker also does not have to comply with California’s CARB rules.
“Now that those rules are stabilized, just don’t keep changing them,” Fred states.
Although it has been nearly 26 years, it seems almost like yesterday when Ifirst met Fred Plotsky. I was riding in a car with a friend and business associate named Gary Robinson in Highland Park, IL during a week I was working in Chicago. Gary had just sold his truck brokerage, Cool Runnings.
“How would you like to meet the new owner of Cool Runnings? He’s really a great guy,” Gary asked me. In a moment, Gary had Fred dialed up on his car phone. I met up with Fred later that day and the rest is history. We have been friends ever since.
Fred and I immediately found a few things in common. We both had an interest in produce trucking for starters. Both of us loved to fish. Fred goes after northern pike, especially on fishing expeditions to Canada, while this southern boy prefers the warmer climates and large mouth (you might find Fred reporting to work at the Cool Runnings offices in Kenosha, WI, wearing shorts in January).
Fred also has love for listening to radio, and only a few months earlier in 1986 I had launched the Produce Truckers Network and had two radio stations airing it — WRVA in Richmond, VA with Big John Trimble and WMAQ in Chicago with Fred Sanders.
Both of us are sports fans with Fred a great follower of the Chicago White Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. He is forgiving of my support of St. Louis Cardinals.
Over the years I’ve learned to respect Fred as a loving husband, great father, little league baseball coach — and a fair and honest businessman.
It has sort of become a tradition with Fred and I to occasionally have lunch together — usually involving chicken wings and root beer. It was during such a recent visit, Fred shared some thoughts on Cool Runnings, which he has owned since July 1986, as well as what is happening with the trucking industry, and what he views as the major concerns and issues with the professionals driving the big rigs. — By Bill Martin
Record shipments of highly perishables, but high rate paying cherries are getting underway from Washington state, along with apricots and onions, and joining the late season apples and pears.
Cherry loadings start in limited volume from the Yakima Valley, but tonnage quickly increases. 23 million boxes are forecast to be shipped from Washington state, which should break the previous record by 3 million cartons….Apricot loadings are close behind starting in mid June, with peak movement occurring the first half of July.
The Evergreen state continues to ship apples and pears from the 2011/12 season, and remains the heaviest volume for produce. About 1,750 truck load equivalents of apples and pears are being shipped weekly from the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys.
Onions from the Walla Walla Valley should get underway the week of June 18th. The Walla Walla onion shipping area is located in Southeastern Washington and Northeastern Oregon. Primary shippers are located in or near Walla Walla, WA and Hermiston, OR.
Washington apples and pears – grossing about $6000 to Philadelphia.
NOTE: Apples, pears and apricots can be loaded on the same truck, but oder from the fruit can be absorbed by potatoes, onions and some other items. Source: TransFresh “Fresh Produce Mixer & Loading Guide.”
With Wi-Fi connectivity, weather information and more, the new IntelliRoute® TND™ 720 offers more driver-requestedIf you’re attending the Great West Truck Show in the Las Vegas this weekend, or you’ll be in the area, stop by for a demo of the TND™ 720 and check out its new, rugged look and brigther 7″ screen. Or, be the first to purchase, and take advantage of our show special!
We’ll be offering specials – you could win a TND™ 720 by playing
“Guess the Weather” featuring the TND™ 720’s real time-weather updates.
You can find us at Booth #3428 at the Sands Expo Convention Center. features than ever!
If you can’t make it to Las Vegas,
you can find the TND™ 720 at truck stops, travel centers and truck dealers across North America.
— Press Release provided by Rand McNally