Archive For The “News” Category
Despite all the hoopla in the media over the latest trendy vegetable – kale – head lettuce remains much more popular with American consumers.
At first glance, it looks like kale has taken over the American palate. The number of times restaurants have mentioned iceberg lettuce as a menu ingredient in salads has dropped 17 percent in the last three years, according to research from the market-research firm Mintel. Mentions of kale are “off the charts,” said Caleb Bryant, a food-industry analyst at Mintel. “Kale is just exploding in all restaurants, whether it be salad or roasted kale,” he said. And on store shelves, there is a similar rise in kale products, from kale chips to kale smoothies and juices, he said.
The mentions of kale from 2014 to 2015 as an ingredient in salads jumped 63 percent; before 2014, mentions of kale were so infrequent that there aren’t even kale-and-iceberg comparable data, Bryant said.
American are eating a lot more iceberg (head) lettuce, even though kale appears to be far more popular on menus. The U.S. either produced or imported 13.5 pounds of iceberg per capita for use in 2015, a drop from 20.9 pounds per person in 2005, according to the USDA. Kale, meanwhile, has remained relatively steady for the last decade, with the U.S. producing and importing just 0.6 pounds of kale per person in 2015, up from 0.4 pounds per person in 2005.
Pre-made salads and salad kits at grocery stores have increased in popularity, and many contain at least some iceberg Plus, iceberg is an ingredient in foods that aren’t salads, such as wraps, he said. Iceberg also has a long shelf life and a resistance to turning brown, which may be attractive to restaurants and companies that produce bagged salads.
It will take some time for the kale trend to really change what farmers are producing, because it takes time for Americans to acquire a bigger appetite for it. Agriculture specialists are constantly analyzing restaurant and retail patterns and trying to anticipate what new products are becoming popular. However, even when they can predict a trend, farmers need several years to build up a sufficient supply of seeds and to dedicate land to grow a new crop.
by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
FOLSOM, Calif. – The blueberry industry is projecting a 25 percent increase in North American production over a four-year span, growing from 750.2 million lb. in 2015 to 940 million lb. in 20191. North American production for 2016 is projected to again surpass 750 million lb., with global production anticipated to surpass 1.4 billion lb.
Soaring demand has created a nearly billion dollar industry in the U.S. Top-producing regions include California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington.
As the industry, led by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), promotes blueberries as healthy lifestyle staples, North American consumption and purchases continue to keep pace with supply. Specifically:
- North American per capita blueberry consumption grew nearly 50 percent between 2010-20152
- Fresh blueberry sales at U.S. retail amounted to $1.5 billion in 2015, up 7 percent versus 2014, making blueberries #2 in fresh berry dollar sales3
- Frozen blueberry sales reached $189.6 million in 2015, up 4 percent versus 2014, making blueberries #2 in frozen fruit dollar sales3
- In 2013, Americans were nearly twice as likely as they were in 2004 to buy blueberries in the coming year and 84 percent cited awareness of blueberry health benefits, up 115 percent over 20044
Growing Export Markets
North America isn’t the only market of focus for the blueberry industry. Approximately 10 percent of the total U.S. highbush crop is exported each year, with fresh exports totaling more than 79 million lb. in 2014, up 60 percent from 49.3 million lb. in 20055.
The USHBC aims to increase industry export figures substantially in the coming years by expanding existing export markets and opening new markets where fresh blueberries from the U.S. aren’t currently available, including Australia, Chile, China, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea and Vietnam.
About the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
One hundred years after the first commercial crop of highbush blueberries was sold at a New Jersey farm stand, blueberry demand continues to keep pace with supply due to promotion efforts led by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, an agriculture promotion group, representing blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States. The blueberry industry is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments.
The coloring of Kalettes® is stunning in its raw state. These “kale sprouts” are a colorful combination of purple stems and green leaves with a purple hue. The size of Kalettes® will vary due to the way they grow on the plant stalk and because they are hand harvested. Look for Kalettes® with hydrated leaves that have no yellowing or browning. The stems should look freshly cut; this is a great way to gauge the age of product.
Preparing Kalettes
HOW TO STORE
Kalettes® must be kept refrigerated at all times until they are ready to be used. Refrigerate in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. To refresh, trim ends and submerge in ice water for a few minutes to re-crisp.
HOW TO PREPARE
Always rinse Kalettes® before using under cool water. Similar to how to prepare Brussels sprouts, trim the end off of each Kalette® to re-fresh the stem.
WHOLE
Kalettes® can be cooked and served in their whole state. Sauteing or steaming is the ideal application for using whole Kalettes®.
CHOPPING
What makes Kalettes® unique is that you get both the kale leaves and soft stems all in one vegetable, creating a medley of texture. Chop the entire Kalette® including the stem when preparing to cook. The smaller the stem pieces, the faster they will soften when cooked.
Cooking with Kalettes
How to Cook
Kalettes® are very versatile and may be sautéed, roasted, grilled or eaten raw. Here are a few ideas of how to use Kalettes® after rinsing.
The ways to cook Kalettes® are endless. Below are a few ideas of how to use Kalettes® after rinsing.
Roasting
To roast, place Kalettes® (either whole or chopped) in a roasting pan or baking sheet, coat with olive oil and bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes.
Sautéing
Sauté chopped Kalettes® in a large pan for 5-7 minutes, covering for increased tenderness.
Grilling
Grill whole Kalettes® in a grill basket over medium heat for 10 minutes or until
slightly charred.
Raw
For extra texture, flavor and color add chopped Kalettes® to any salad blend.
As An Additional Ingredient
For extra texture, flavor and color add chopped Kalettes® to any recipe you would normally add a vegetable to (i.e.: green onions or bell peppers.) The sweet flavor of the Kalettes® pairs well with tomatoes. Add chopped Kalettes® to eggs, quiche, stuffing, pasta sauces…the uses are endless.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood
The United States is the only country with a known birthday. ~James G. Blaine
My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ~Thomas Jefferson
The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation. ~Woodrow Wilson
Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have. ~Harry Emerson Fosdick
Let freedom never perish in your hands. ~Joseph Addison
You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck
Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower
In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. ~Lyndon B. Johnson
For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail? ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~Author unknown, sometimes attributed to M. Grundler
Liberty is the breath of life to nations. ~George Bernard Shaw
America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact – the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality. ~Adlai Stevenson
May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! ~Daniel Webster
We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. ~Robert J. McCracken
If our country is worth dying for in time of war let us resolve that it is truly worth living for in time of peace. ~Hamilton Fish
I prefer liberty with danger to peace with slavery. ~Author Unknown
I love my freedom. I love my America. ~Jessi Lane Adams
By Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) announced that Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association will conduct a feasibility study to determine the best way to upgrade the facilities at the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market, in the Bronx, to remain competitive in the region and comply with federal food-safety standards.
“The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market has been putting food on our tables and creating jobs in the New York City region for decades,” said ESD President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky. “With upgraded facilities, it will continue to provide a marketplace for local farmers for years to come. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State is working to upgrade vital infrastructure from Buffalo to Long Island.”
“For the past 50 years, the Hunts Point Produce Market has been a vital engine of commerce in the South Bronx – generating nearly $500 million in annual impact,” said Hunts Point Produce Market Cooperative Association Co-Presidents Joel Fierman and Joseph Palumbo. “Thanks to ESD, we will have a realistic look at how best to ensure we remain competitive, retain and expand our employment footprint, and evolve to meet the needs of New Yorkers for the next fifty years. It is our intention to keep the Market here in the Bronx. Much like the Yankees, this is our home – and with the State’s help we can remain here.”
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. said, “My office welcomes this much needed study made possible by Empire State Development. The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market is one of our largest employers and an economic development engine that drives the entire region. It is important that we take a strong look at the market and plan for a stronger, safer and more fruitful future for the businesses and the thousands of workers employed within. I commend Governor Cuomo and ESD for committing considerable funding to take a serious look at the infrastructure and redevelopment needs of perhaps the largest food market in the world.”
The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Market will conduct the necessary engineering studies to determine the feasibility and cost estimates of renovating its existing buildings vs constructing new buildings and infrastructure at its Bronx location. The work will be necessary to keep the market competitive with others in Philadelphia and Boston and will ensure that the Market complies with current and future federal food regulations.
The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market employs 10,000 people and generates $2.4 billion in sales annually. The market operates as a cooperative, with an elected board of directors. It receives 210 million packages of fruits and vegetables each year, from 55 countries and 49 states, catering to the most ethnically diverse region in the world, with an estimated population of 23 million people.
To encourage the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association to proceed with this feasibility study ESD is providing it with a $250,000 Regional Economic Development Council grant. The study is expected to be completed by September 2016.
About the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market:
Located in Hunts Point region of Bronx, NY, the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market is the largest wholesale produce market in the world, sitting on 113 acres of property comprising of 1 million square feet of interior space. We offer an amazingly diverse selection of fruits and vegetables from around the globe. Our produce is delivered fresh daily via plane, boat, train and tractor trailer from 49 states and 55 countries. Through the years, we at Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market maintain the traditions of our predecessors. We uphold traditions of excellence, quality, hard work and family. Some of the Market’s business proprietors are second and third generation businesspeople whose roots trace back to Washington Market. The market operates as a cooperative with an elected board of directors.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.nyworks.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.
U.S. blueberry production could approach 1 billion pounds in the next three years.
A projected 940 million pounds will be grown in 2019, up from 750.2 million pounds in 2015, according to the Folsom, Calif.-based U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
Production in 2016 will likely surpass 750 million pounds again, and worldwide production could top 1.4 billion pounds, according to a news release.
Soaring demand for blueberries will continue to mean increased U.S. production, according to the council. From 2010 to 2015, per-capita consumption in North America increased by almost 50 percent.
Also, Americans polled in 2013 said they were almost twice as likely as they were in 2004 to buy blueberries in the coming year, and 84 percent said they were aware of blueberries’ health benefits, up 115 percent from 2004.
In 2015, fresh retail sales of blueberries in the U.S. totaled nearly $1.5 billion, up 7 percent from 2014 and making them the No. 2 berry seller behind strawberries.
As U.S. blueberry production grows, exports will continue to grow, according to the council. About 10% of the U.S. crop is exported, with more than 79 million pounds shipping to other countries in 2015, up 60 percent from 2005.
The council said it will work hard in coming years to expand exports to existing markets and to open access to countries where U.S. blueberries currently can’t be shipped, including Australia, Chile, China, the Philippines, South Africa, South Korea and Vietnam.
California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington are the top blueberry-producing states in the U.S.
Health benefits of blueberries
- Blueberries are very low in calories. 100 g fresh berries carry just 57 calories. Nonetheless, they possess notable health benefiting plant-nutrients such as soluble dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and pigment anti-oxidants that contribute immensely towards optimum health and wellness.
- Blueberries are among the highest anti-oxidant value fruits. The ORAC value of 100 g fresh blueberry is 5562 TE (Trolex equivalents). Their antioxidant value largely comes from poly-phenolic anthocyanidin compounds such as chlorogenic acid, tannins, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol.
- Additionally they compose of other flavonoid anti-oxidants such as carotene-ß, lutein and zea-xanthin.
- Altogether, the phyto-chemical compounds in the blueberry help rid off harmful oxygen-derived free radicals from the human body, and thereby, protect it against cancers, aging, degenerative diseases, and infections.
- Further, research studies suggest that chlorogenic acid in these berries help lower blood sugar levels and control blood-glucose levels in type-II diabetes mellitus condition.
- Fresh berries carry small amount of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E. Altogether, these vitamins work as potent anti-oxidants which help limit free radical mediated injury to the body.
- The berries also carry a small amount of B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine, folates and pantothenic acid. These vitamins are acting as co-factors that help in metabolism of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
- Furthermore, they contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.
The citrus greening disease has infected as much as 90 percent of Florida’s citrus acres.
According to a report from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, citrus greening, also known as HLB and huanglongbing, has also infected 80 percent of Florida’s citrus trees.
The survey, conducted in March 2015, represents the first grower-based estimates of the level of infection in Florida and the effect it is having on the state’s citrus operations.
About 200 growers to estimate their losses from the disease in a survey by Ariel Singerman, an assistant professor in the Gainesville-based university’s food and resource economics department, and Pilar Useche, an associate professor.
The researchers obtained about 76 completed surveys and the growers surveyed operate approximately 30 percent of Florida’s citrus acreage.
The growers also estimate greening has reduced their yields by 41 percent, according to a news release.
On average for any given Florida citrus operation, greening has affected 90 percent of acreage and 80 percent of trees, according to the survey.
“Even though the industry acknowledges that greening has reached epidemic proportions across the state, estimates of the level of infection and its impact on citrus operations are scarce,” the researchers wrote in the paper.
Greening was first detected in Florida in 2005 and the disease has caused the state to lose about $7.8 billion in revenue, 162,200 citrus acres and 7,513 jobs, according to the report.
Nearly two dozen members of Mexico’s produce industry were recently in Philadelphia to observe firsthand what this port has to offer in handling and distributing Mexican cargo arriving by ocean.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority hosted the Mexican Inbound Trade Mission. Also in attendance were government representatives and regional industry members who have been active in the Ship Philly First effort to create an ocean link between the east coast of Mexico and Philadelphia, which is a seaport specializing in the fresh and vegetable produce trade.
SeaLand, a refrigerated container steamship company stepped up to link Mexico and Philadelphia through its new SL Atlantico Northbound weekly service, which began in late January. While there is certainly room for growth, all indications are that the route has a strong start.
Fresh Mexican produce is the primary target for the northbound service, but frozen meats and chilled foods are other key products that suit Atlantico Northbound. Dry goods, such as auto parts and many other commodities have access to the service. In broad numbers, Pennsylvania and Mexico have two-way trade with one another with a total value of $8 billion.
This new ocean freight option gives Mexican exporters a less-expensive alternative for reaching the populous eastern United States and Canada. Forty percent of the U.S. population is within a one-day truck delivery of the Port of Philadelphia.
The Mexican produce exporters located south and east of Mexico City have been tagged as having the most to gain through this ocean freight vs. trucking through Nogales. AZ or the state of Texas.
SeaLand sails from Veracruz on Tuesdays to make a stop in Altamira, which is another port further north on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the state of Veracruz. The ship then departs for Philadelphia and arrives the following Wednesday, six days later.
by Tanimura & Antle
S
ALINAS, Ca. – Tanimura & Antle has been a leader in the Hydroponic category for nearly 10 years with distribution all throughout the East Coast. In order to increase distribution, T&A has recently expanded the East Coast operation. This resulted in a state-of-the-art clear glass greenhouse, bringing the total growing area to nearly 16.5 Acres in a protected agricultural environment. In addition to the expansion, T&A is excited to announce a new West Coast Hydroponic farm, It will allow for national distribution of Hydroponic Boston Lettuce from Tanimura & Antle. Hydroponic product will be available year around from Salinas, CA and Yuma, AZ.
“Having a West Coast operation will allow us to provide a nationwide solution for our foodservice and retail partners and grow only the best products that protected agriculture has to offer,” says Ryan Mazzuca, Hydroponic Manager, Tanimura & Antle.
With the added growing capacity, T&A is excited to continue growing Hydroponic Boston Lettuce. As they explore new leaf items in the category, “Hydroponic Boston is just a start for the West Coast! We continue to find new, innovative and sustainable ways to grow the category and we can’t wait to see how this technology will shape the future of farming!” continues Mazzuca.
For more information about the latest happenings with Tanimura & Antle, please visit the Family Farming blog ( www.familyfarming.taproduce.com ) or find T&A on social media @taproduce.
About Tanimura & Antle:
Tanimura & Antle is an industry leader whose commitment to premium quality produce has remained strong since its formation in 1982. The Tanimura & Antle families combined more than 50 years of experience and knowledge. This has established a produce company unrivaled in its quality products, innovation and dedication to growers, customers, consumers and employees. T&A is one of the largest independent lettuce growers in the United States. The company farms more than 30,000 acres of rich, fertile farmland and ships a full line of premium fresh produce products throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement recently after the U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its citrus crop forecast for the 2015-2016 season:
“Today’s updated citrus forecast reflects a nearly 70 percent decline in the production of our state’s signature crop since the late 1990s. The long-term future of Florida citrus, and its $10 billion annual economic impact, depends on a breakthrough in the fight against greening.”
The USDA’s forecast of 76 million boxes of oranges, up from 71 million boxes last month, represents a decline of nearly 70 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes during the 1997-98 season.
This past legislative session, Commissioner Putnam helped secure more than $24 million in state funding to continue critical research and support Florida’s citrus industry.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com. 