Archive For The “News” Category
In a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, agriculture secretary says, “As our youngsters head back to school, USDA is committed to their future. We are taking new steps to expand rural education opportunities, ensure healthy and safe food for young people, and giving parents and teachers the tools and information they need to help our kids grow up ready to lead the world.”
The website is called MyPlate Kids Place, and is designed for children ages 8 to 12, according to a news release from the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
The site also can help parents and teachers make better food choices, according to the release. The website features games, recipes, tips, activity sheets and links to the ChooseMyPlate.gov website, according to the release.
One game offered is a word maze called “Have fun with fruits and vegetables” that includes the names of 14 fruits and vegetables hidden in the maze.
Recipes contributed by students include “Kickin’ Colorful Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa,” zucchini pancakes, passion fruit smoothies and “Garden Stir Fry.”
The Hunts Point Wholesale Terminal Produce Market that has been a dispute with New York will have to withdraw its April lawsuit against the city and refile it since the huge market did not follow the proper procedures, according to a story this week by Crain’s New York Business. The new lawsuit will include additional charges against New York City.
Hunts Points receives thousands of truckloads of fresh fruits and vegetables from around the country and the globe each week. It is the world’s largest wholesale produce market.
“We made the decision to withdraw our [complaint], which we did yesterday, and we will inform the city that we are bringing a new action,” said Sid Davidoff of Davidoff Hutcher & Cinton, the law firm representing Hunts Point. We are essentially starting over with some new causes of action.”
The market’s owners—41 merchants who are part of a cooperative, have been in a standoff with the city’s Economic Development Corp. over a new 30-year lease to redevelop the 113-acre site.
The two sides basically haven’t talked to each other since January,mainly because of the merchants’ rocky relationship with the Business Integrity Commission, a law-enforcement agency that regulates public food markets among other industries.
The merchants sued BIC, which they say hired an unscrupulous security firm to investigate themerchants business and security practices.
“We believe we have a case,” Mr. Davidoff said.
A spokesman for the city agency said, “We cannot comment on the possibility of future litigation. All we know is that they filed a lawsuit, we moved to dismiss and in response to our motion they discontinued their lawsuit,” reported Crain’s New York Business.
Did you ever consider it doesn’t make much sense for some South American produce items to be loaded onto a boat, then set sail for the USA and pass right by Florida, before it arrives at some northern port like Philadelphia, then you pick it up and drive south 1,200 miles to Miami, FL, near where that ship had passed several days earlier?
It may be good for you as a produce hauler being paid for that load, but otherwise it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Bite into an imported grape or blueberry in South Florida and you’re probably eating a fruit that was shipped from South America all the way to the Philadelphia area before being trucked back down to your local supermarket.
A business coalition wants to change that, so those imports can now come directly to South Florida seaports, saving time and money for importers and providing fresher produce to consumers.
A pilot program unveiled at a briefing Tuesday will allow grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay to enter Broward County’s Port Everglades and Port of Miami, starting Oct. 1. If the program works, it could be extended to other fruits and nations currently off limits for direct imports, potentially bringing millions of dollars in business and cheaper fruit to South Florida.
But what seems like a no-brainer for direct imports is tougher than you think, according to Lee Sandler, the attorney representing the Florida Perishables Trade Coalition.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Sun Sentinel
One truck owner Henry Lee has pretty much told the state of California they can take their loads and shove ’em. Well, not exactly. But the old Johnny Paycheck country hit (Take This Job and Shove It) seems to apply here.
Henry is a veteran driver who became an owner operator six years ago and has never looked back. He does what is best for his business, and one of those decisions has been to avoid trucking in California. It’s just not worth it to him.
The trucker owns a 2001 Peterbilt, pulling a 2006 refrigerated trailer.
“The California (Air Resources Board) rules are not fair. My reefer unit works fine and I have no problems with it,” he states. However, California certainly does. Under the state’s CARB rules his seven-year-old refrigeration unit has to be replaced no matter how well it is working.
“My trailer and the motor on my SB-310 (Thermo King) reefer unit are still in good condition. This refrigration unit should be good for another three years. My truck also is in good condition,” Henry says. “To replace the motor on my reefer unit would cost $10,000.”
He had recently spent $14,000 for an overhaul on his 500 h.p. Caterpillar C15 diesel.
“I like Cat engines. They have got power and they are dependable. I call it American power,” Henry says.
The resident of Ellenwood, GA has been trucking since 1997, never has pulled a dry van, and he has always hauled refrigerated loads, including plenty of produce.
“I have quit going to California because of the excessive and unfair rules and regulations there. Now, I am running between the northeast and southeast United States,” he says.
Henry says he never regrets becoming an owner operator.
“If I want to take a couple of days off, I can. If the load does not pay well, I can decline it. There is just a lot more freedom as an owner operator,” he states.
Henry is currently leased to a carrier, but is planning to have his own operating authority within the next few weeks.
For years, health-conscious consumers have enjoyed snacking on pre-cut, pre-packaged, and in portion-controlled fresh fruits and veggies from their local market. Up until now, stonefruits like peaches and nectarines have been absent from the value-added category because of difficulties associated with processing and packaging.
But that’s about to change. On August 5th Fresh Fruit Cuts, launched Woot Froot, a line of expertly selected and artfully processed fresh peaches and nectarines that will be available through October.
“Woot Froot pairs the great taste of fresh nectarines and peaches – one of America’s top-ten fruits – with the ease and convenience of fresh cut and the added benefit of consistent quality and flavor,” said Kim Gaarde of Fresh Fruit Cuts. Gaarde also the research and developer of this new product worked diligently through her company Fruit Dynamics over an 7-year time frame to develop the proprietary process for selecting, processing and packaging the fresh cut peaches and nectarines. Gaarde also says the products will deliver a 15-day shelf life.
After seven years of research and development – and a few relentless doubters – Gaarde said she is proud to be a part of the team that is building new value for stonefruit growers and enhancing consumers’ access to value added stonefruit that is both healthy and convenient.
Gaarde also noted that only certain varieties of peaches and nectarines will make the Woot Froot cut. The company tested more than 500 varieties before finding the select few that provide the desired taste and texture worthy of a Woot Froot label. Retail consumer packs are available in 3 oz and 18 oz trays and bulk packages are available for foodservice.
“Three out of five consumers prefer to purchase ripe fruit,” Gaarde said, “but two out of five don’t know how to go about it. Woot Froot takes the guesswork out of purchasing stonefruit, a category that is loved by Americans, but has been relatively flat for the past several years. We aim to change that and add a little excitement.”
Fresh Cut Fruits will make Woot Froot available through October this year and is preparing for year-round availability in 2014 and beyond.
What does veteran over-the-road driver Rodney Tanner like best about trucking? The money.
What does he like like least about trucking? Not making any money.
It may sound like a contradiction, but if you know Rodney, it’s really not one.
Right now the resident of Asheboro, NC says his income from trucking is “right in the middle.” He’s made more money in the past, but he’s also earned smaller pay checks.
Rodney has been trucking over 20 years and the past two years have been driving for Highways & Skyways of Greensboro, NC. The company describes itself as a full service third party logistics management company on its website. Rodney says the company runs 75 to 80 trucks.
He had picked up a load of mixed vegetables from a distribution warehouse in North Carolina for delivery to Atlanta. The trucker drives coast-to-coast on a regular basis. He pulled a flatbed for about a year, but now hauls mostly produce and other refrigerated freight.
Rodney also has some advice for anyone thinking about getting into trucking.
“If you are married, or have kids, don’t do it,” he stated. “It takes a toll on your marriage, your family, and you don’t get to see your kids grow up. I’m speaking from experience.”
The 44-year-old driver has considered buying his own truck, but just doesn’t see it happening with the current economic situation in the country.
Rodney likes the 2013 Volvo truck he drives that houses a D13 diesel engine. He pulls a Wabash 53-foot trailer with a Carrier Transcold reefer unit.
The majority of shoppers still believe it costs too much to eat healthy and it is difficult to change their eating habits. While some barriers to healthful eating have been lifted over the years, there is a long way to go, according to the latest Shopping for Health 2013 study from the Food Marketing Institute.
The study, conducted as an online survey between Dec. 12 and Dec. 21, surveyed 1,467 primary shoppers in the USA and was published by Rodale Inc.
Consumers felt less confused about which foods are healthful and which aren’t, down 16 points since 2007, but 62% said it “costs too much to eat healthy foods.”
The food retail industry has made significant efforts over the past several years to educate consumers on healthy choices, said Cathy Polley, vice president of health and wellness and executive director of the FMI Foundation, in a news release.
“Consumers are increasingly aware of the health-conscious choices offered to them in the grocery aisles,” Polley said. “The food retail industry also provides multiple channels of nutrition education, witnessed in the emergence of in-store dietitians and targeted programs and healthy meals.”
Shoppers indicated they need more information than just nutrition, said Peter Smith, manager of consumer insights for Rodale, in a news release.
“In addition to education about the benefits of eating healthy, shoppers would benefit from opportunities to sample great-tasting healthy foods to change their negative taste perceptions,” he said.
The report also covered perceptions and efforts consumers put in to healthy eating. While adults know their own weight, parents often do not see the same for their children. Only 10% of survey respondents with children ages 6-18 said they believed their children to be overweight, compared to 33% from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA is tapping into the growing network of food bloggers by hosting a contest which will ultimately result in gaining a new set of brand ambassadors. By hosting a contest specific to food bloggers California Giant hopes to extend their reach to consumers continuing to build brand loyalty and participate in new exciting recipes created by foodies at home in their own kitchens.
The Food blogging universe has become a great way to gain access to amazing home cooks with their own set of fans making recipes that they want to share while providing step by step instructions on how to recreate each recipe in your own home. The casual formats provided by food bloggers today makes cooking interesting, interactive and very inviting to those that might be intimidated by creating recipes in the kitchen.
“Food Blogging has become a great platform for innovative cooks at home to share their recipes, ideas on entertaining, and be part of a larger network, or community of people focused on similar interests,” says Cindy Jewell, Director of Marketing for California Giant. “We are excited about building new relationships with bloggers that want to work with us and help tell our story through their own eyes and their own kitchens”, she adds.
The contest will run between July 10, 2013 and September 18, 2013 with the winner receiving an all expense paid trip to a blogger conference in 2014. In addition, the winner of the contest will be appointed as a California Giant Berry Farms Official Brand Ambassador for six months and represent the company and its products at the blogger conference they attend.
Too often, if not most often it seems, company drivers and leased owner operators have plenty of criticism for the carrier with whom they work.
Driver Rex Criddle of Downey, ID can’t say enough good things about his company, Doug Andrus Distributing LLC of Idaho Falls, ID. It is a family owned carrier that has been around a long time (DOT number is 000234).
“They (Andrus) are a religious, hard working people who treat their people right, plus they maintain good values,” Rex says. He notes the fleet owner drove trucks for 20 years and got a good understanding of the profession before moving into the office. Andrus runs about 250 trucks with flatbed, reefer and bulk divisions.
Rex says even though he is happy working for the fleet operation, he takes nothing for granted.
“They could sell out tomorrow to a Swift (Transportation), and things could change,” he states. “I always tell my kids, the first check that bounces, you get another job. The first fuel card that won’t work, you start looking elsewhere for work.”
He also pragmatically states the DOT may appear at your door one day and shut down your operation. Again, he doesn’t take anything for granted.
One change in trucking Rex likes are the new electronic logbooks. He says they are more simple, plus easier to fill out.
“It’s not worth having logbook violations on your record,” he states. “It seems the DOT is more interested in safety violations than anything.”
For example, he points to the CSA-2010 rules administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which many in transportation view as unfairly rating the safety of motor carriers.
“I seriously wonder how many of the older drivers want to continue putting up with all these rules, while the younger kids want to be home more often,” he says.
At one time in his career Rex was farming, then 12 years ago began driving for a regional carrier. He says both trucking and farming have a lot in common and both provide a lot of independence.
Rex has been driving for Andrus Distributing for 10 years. He had an accident while driving early in his career, but since this time has had a perfect driving record. This also has resulted in Rex receiving his Million Mile Safe Driving Award.
“It always seems to be the (truck) driver’s fault in an accident. These four wheelers don’t seem to realize how dangerous getting hit by an 80,000-pound truck can be. You have to learn how to relax while driving. I learned this driving a farm tractor.”
Rex does a lot of team driving with his wife Lori Criddle, except when she is spending time at home with her grand children.
“I think my wife is a better driver than I am. We make a good pair. Team driving can either strengthen your marriage, or it can ruin it,” he observes. “She’s done a great job of raising the kids. One of daughter just recently got married.”
Rex and Lori have one child, while he has another six children from a previous marriage.
The couple drives a Freightliner Cascadia. It is equipped with an automatic transmission. The truck has a 70-inch sleeper and pulls a 53-foot Utility trailer with a Carrier Transcold reef unit.
Rex had just delivered a load of Idaho potatoes to the Atlanta State Farmers Market. He was then going to pick up a load of beer in Albany, GA for delivery to Vancouver, WA.
Truckers and their families along with everyone else could see retail prices for fresh fruits and vegetables rise between 3% and 5% in 2013.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service in a recent food price forecast estimates retail fresh fruit prices will rise 3% to 4% this year after rising only 1% in 2012.
Fresh vegetable retail prices will climb between 4% and 5% this year, compared with 5.1% deflation in 2012.
The USDA-ERS inflation forecast for both all food and food-at-home prices in 2013 is 2.5% to 3.5%.
“This forecast means that prices are likely to increase more than in 2012, but that overall inflation is expected to be near the historical average for both indexes,” according to a report summary.
Strongest inflation is associated with animal-based food products due to higher feed prices. For most other food products not affected by the drought, inflation for 2013 will be at or perhaps below normal levels.
The USDA notes fresh fruit prices increased 2.4% in May, and the fresh fruit retail index is up 2.1% compared with a year ago. Retail apple prices were 12.4% higher, while banana prices are 1.1% down and citrus prices up 1.2%.
Fresh vegetable prices at retail declined 2% in May, with fresh vegetable prices up 3.3% compared with a year ago. Potato prices are down 6.1%, lettuce prices are up 4.4% and tomato prices were up 11.4% compared with a year ago.