Archive For The “News” Category
- New facility is strategically located near the Port of Savannah and will allow Lineage to process up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day
- Facility brings Lineage’s total investment in Chatham County to over $100 million and expands the Company’s growing footprint in Georgia
PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. –Lineage Logistics, Lone of the leading temperature-controlled industrial REITs and integrated solutions providers worldwide, today celebrated the grand opening of its newest facility in Port Wentworth, Georgia.
Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth is strategically located near the Port of Savannah, the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America and the third busiest container gateway in the U.S.
The 220,000-square-foot facility offers cross-docking services for products to enter and exit the facility on the same day if needed, reducing storage time, creating cost efficiencies, and ensuring consumers receive fresh produce faster. The facility has 23 inbound and outbound lanes that can process more than 40 trucks daily, moving up to 1.4 million pounds of produce per day.
“Today, the demand for port-centric temperature-controlled storage has never been greater and our Fresh solution offerings at Lineage have never been more robust. Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth will allow us to expand our Fresh offering to new and existing customers and also provides the needed capacity to improve market conditions,” said Jim Henderson, Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development at Lineage.
“The opening of this new facility is a critical step for Lineage as we continuously work to reimagine the world’s food supply chain. We are honored to further our long-standing partnership with Georgia Ports Authority and look forward to building our presence in the state of Georgia, an essential hub for trade and innovation.”
For the past two years, Lineage has worked closely with the Savannah Economic Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, and the city of Port Wentworth to construct the Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth facility in addition to its port-adjacent facility on Tremont Road in Savannah. The Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth project resulted in a $78 million investment alone that created 65 new jobs, bringing Lineage’s total economic investment in Chatham County to over $100 million. To date, Lineage’s footprint in Georgia spans over 3 million sq. ft.
Savannah Fresh-Port Wentworth was designed to address the overwhelming influx in imports of fresh produce to ports in the Mid-Atlantic that lack the space to keep up with the demand. With proximity to the Port of Savannah, the new facility will enable Lineage to deliver larger quantities of fresh produce more efficiently to serve customers across the Southeast.
“With increasing demand for fresh produce capacity in Savannah, this new, state of the art facility is a welcome addition,” said Griff Lynch, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority. “Lineage Logistics’ suite of services, such as cold-retreatment and onsite CBP inspections, will save time, help prevent loss and, ultimately, bring fresh food to market faster.”
Leaders from Lineage, business partners from the state of Georgia, community leaders from the city of Port Wentworth, and leadership from Georgia Ports Authority attended the facility’s grand opening.
About Lineage Logistics
Lineage is one of the leading temperature-controlled industrial REITs and integrated solutions providers worldwide. It has a global network of over 400 strategically located facilities totaling over 2 billion cubic feet of capacity which spans 20 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Lineage has industry-leading expertise in end-to-end logistical solutions, an unrivaled real estate network, and develops and deploys innovative technology. This helps increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, minimize supply chain waste, and most importantly, as a Visionary Partner of Feeding America, helps feed the world. In recognition of the Company’s leading innovations and sustainability initiatives, Lineage was listed as No. 3 in the 2022 CNBC Disruptor 50 list, named a Deloitte US Best Managed Company in 2022, the No. 1 Data Science company, and 23rd overall on Fast Company’s 2019 list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies, in addition to being included on Fortune’s Change the World list in 2020. (www.lineagelogistics.com)
By Patrick Prior, ALC Los Angeles
The unpredictable weather patterns in California this year have profoundly impacted many industries, particularly the produce industry. Prior to January 2023, 80% of California was listed as having severe drought conditions or worse. Now, the Salinas Valley, known as the “Salad Bowl of the World,” has experienced devastating floods and crop damage, resulting in shortages, increased market prices, and substantial financial losses for growers. The flooding has impacted the readiness of spring produce such as lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and strawberries. Some areas of the Salinas Valley have received 600% above historical rainfall amounts. Additionally, the rainfall has raised many concerns about California’s ability to properly store water. A significant amount of the rainwater gets washed into the ocean. To better enhance water storage capacity, California is investing in projects such as constructing underground reservoirs and replenishing aquifers. Many feel an underground storage system will be a much more effective way to capture water as opposed to existing reservoirs. California will also be looking to promote more effective water conservation policies. A resilient water storage system will provide a huge relief to California growers, not only to protect from flood damage but to have more water resources available during heavy drought periods.
The Salinas Valley holds roughly 450,000 plantable vegetable acres and supplies 80% of the country’s vegetable production from April to July. The total crop and infrastructure damage is estimated to exceed $500 million, per the Produce News. Many planted crops have been lost, and the fields need time to dry out before farmers can replant. This has added significant complexity to operations, and growers still have customer requirements to meet. Many growers have responded quickly to combat these challenges. Some have increased production in other growing regions, including Yuma, Florida, and Mexico. California growers have continued to collaborate and show adaptability to ever-changing conditions.
In the end, many expected that the supply chain would recover, and market prices would drop to normal and we are already seeing progress. While the floods and crop damage in the Salinas Valley have caused a noticeable ripple in the supply chain, the California produce community will adapt and adopt innovative technologies and water management strategies to continue to handle drastic weather issues in the future. This is not the first or the last disruption that California farmers have faced. Whether it’s a drought or a flood, California growers will continue to bounce back and move forward.
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Patrick Prior graduated with a BA from the University of Portland. After graduation, he commissioned as an active duty officer in the US Army. After serving as a Transportation Officer for 4 years, he joined the Allen Lund Company in the Fall of 2019 and currently works in the LA Sales office as a Transportation Broker.
patrick.prior@allenlund.com
The 2022-23 Peruvian table grape season is continuing to show signs of varietal change, with Sweet Globe taking the throne as the most exported cultivar this season, according to Agraria.
With over 16 million 18-pound boxes shipped to date and an almost 40% increase year-on-year from 11.5 million boxes exported in 2021-22, Sweet Globe surpassed the market staple Red Globe by over 2 million boxes.
The Autumn Crisp and Allison cultivars follow, with 6.8 and 5.9 million boxes exported respectively for the 2022-23 season.
Agro exporter company Safco Peru reports this is the first time in 20 years the Red Globe loses its crown, with market trends now pointing to a rise in white seedless varieties.
Additionally, weather, logistic and political issues in late 2022 and early 2023 caused some of the late deals to be lost.
Safco Peru estimates 700,000 boxes were lost due to the blockades in Ica during January and another significant amount -more difficult to estimate- of what was going to be the late harvest in Piura, due to the heavy rains that had been falling in the region for more than a month.
The company expects traditional varieties to continue a downward trend, while green licensed varieties are projected to continue to rise boosted by a major growth in the Autumn Crisp cultivar.
The Peruvian Association of Table Grape Producers and Exporters’ (Provid) second crop estimate for the 2022-2023 season projects exports at 73 million boxes, a 13% increase year-on-year.
Depending on the variety, this avocados can be round or pear-shaped, green or black, and small or large. Avocado skin is usually rough. The flesh, when ripe, is soft and buttery.
It is a climacteric fruit, which means it continues to ripen after harvest. Hass avocado is the most common and is available year-round.
If you are going to use it immediately after purchasing it, choose a ripe one with black skin that yields to a little bit of pressure when squeezed.
Avocados with green skin that are very firm are not ripe and should rest for a few days before eating.
If the skin is dark and wrinkled, or has dents or soft flesh spots, it may be overripe and unpalatable to eat.
Keep them fresh
Avocados are sometimes sold with hard, unripe flesh, which will often ripen in a few days. You can leave the fruit at room temperature or expose it to direct sunlight to accelerate ripening.
You can also place the sealed avocado in a paper bag with a banana; the ethylene gasses from the banana will accelerate ripening.
The flesh of avocados is notorious for turning brown quickly once exposed to air, which is called enzymatic browning.
Although unappetizing to the eye, the brown flesh is perfectly edible. Still, there are tips for slowing or reducing browning after cutting:
- Coat the flesh with lemon or lime juice.
- Wrap tightly with cling film or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator to reduce exposure to oxygen.
- Store an avocado half with some sliced onion in a sealed airtight container, as the sulfur compounds in the onion help preserve the avocado.
Unripe avocados should not be placed in the refrigerator, but once they are ripe it is okay to do so.
Did you know?
According to Harvard University, half of this fruit has more potassium than a medium banana, 487 mg of potassium versus 422 mg of potassium, respectively.
Ripe avocado puree is sometimes used as a face mask because of its high content of moisturizing oils and vitamin E.
By Michael Tanaka, ALC Phoenix
There has been a long foretold narrative that a driver shortage, along with other concerning factors, are leading toward a long term deficit in the truck-to-load market balance. Today it may seem that there is no longer a looming crisis. Due to supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, conflict in Ukraine, fuel rates, inflation, and fluctuations in consumer spending habits, volumes have seen significant decreases overall. For customers and brokers alike, this has led to temporary alleviation, but when the market inevitably stabilizes, we may see that these trends are still problematic. The core issues remain with the driver market: average age, more available/flexible/safer employment options, unpredictable market, legal risks, etc. Experts are predicting that the driver shortage will grow to 160,000 drivers by 2030. There has also been a decline in the ability to keep up with semi-truck production and an increase in carriers leaving the market. While there was a slight ease in 2022, due to raises in driver pay that are not sustainable in this market, we still face an uphill battle and a vacancy of 78,000+ drivers.
One significant way the industry is trying to help close the gap is by adopting and implementing self-driving trucks. While there have been autonomous trucks tested and implemented on the road to some success, we have a long way to go before significant adoption. The majority of self-driving trucks making deliveries are running short, simple, light runs with smaller trailers. Currently, only 24 states allow autonomous semi-trucks (most states do allow testing if a backup driver is present). Interstate usage has yet to be approved by the federal government.
Due to the remaining legal, technological, and financial (cost of production not yet scalable) issues combined with the costs and challenges of replacing and upgrading the fleet, it is hard to see a significant percentage of adoption within the next few years. In 2021, 91.5% trucking companies were made up of six trucks or less. Expecting the hundreds of thousands of small carriers and owner-operators to replace and upgrade their fleets is a big ask. In 2021, there were 4.6 million semi-trucks in the U.S. The nature of the industry, legally and culturally, means major changes are typically implemented and standardized slowly. Lobbyists and unions often curtail progress further. Additionally, there are currently issues in the production of semi-trucks. Even in this extended soft market, a multi-year parts and worker shortage has limited the ability to keep up with orders.
It may be safe to assume that supply chain and consumer patterns will begin to stabilize before the adoption of autonomous trucks are significant. Carriers have had to work with lower rates and higher costs for years, causing an increase in bankruptcies and closures. As volumes increase and the supply and demand paradigm flips, expect to see the remaining carrier market use all of their leverage to offset their losses. While the development of self-driving trucks is progressing, it’s not going to save the day in the near term. Therefore, we must rely on our own preparation to weather the coming storm.
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Michael Tanaka graduated from Arizona State University in 2014 with a BA in Business Communications. Upon graduation, he began working in the transportation industry. He started off as a Business Analyst in the private emergency services sector but eventually pivoted to the OTR freight industry. He has spent time on both the asset and brokerage sides of the industry gathering experience through his roles in Operations, Carrier Sales, and Account Management. He began working for the Allen Lund Company in September of 2021 as a Transportation Broker and is now an Account Development Manager.
To pick a great mango, make sure you learn about the different varieties you can find when shopping.
When choosing a mango, don’t focus on color – it’s not the best indicator of ripeness. Mango varieties come in a multitude of colors, shapes and sizes.
First, squeeze it gently. A ripe mango will yield slightly. A medium-ripe one will be somewhat firm and an unripe fruit will be very firm to the touch.
Flavor varies from tart for green mangoes to naturally sweet for ripe mangoes.
Use your experience with produce such as peaches and avocados to help you easily choose, as mangoes also become milder as they ripen.
Ripe mangos will sometimes have a fruity aroma on their stems. When considering how to choose a fresh specimen, this is one of the nicest ways!
The red color that appears on some varieties is not an easy way to spot a perfect mango, as it is not an indicator of ripeness. Always judge by feel.
DAT Freight & Analytics reports truckload freight volumes declined and national average spot rates for refrigerated loads fell for the fourth consecutive month in April.
The DAT Truckload Volume Index, a measure of loads moved during a given month, was lower for all three equipment types:
- Van TVI was 206, down 15.5% from March and 12.3% lower year over year.
- Reefer TVI fell to 154, a 16.3% decline from March and 12.5% lower year over year.
- Flatbed TVI was 239, 13.7% lower compared to March but 3.5% higher year over year.
It’s not unusual for truckload freight volumes to decline from March to April, according to the DAT report.
The van and reefer TVI numbers were the lowest since February 2021, when a polar vortex and unprecedented winter storms disrupted logistics activity across large areas of the U.S. and Canada.
“May will be pivotal for shippers, brokers and carriers,” Ken Adamo, DAT’s chief of analytics, said in the release. “After a challenging first four months of the year, we expect to see the effects of seasonality on freight volumes and rates. The question is how sustainable those effects will be.”
National average load-to-truck ratios decreased, indicating weaker demand for truckload capacity on the spot market.
The last time van and reefer ratios were this low was in May and April 2020, respectively, during the supply chain shocks of the pandemic:
- The van ratio was 1.9, down from 2.0 in March, and 3.4 in April 2022.
- The reefer ratio was 2.7, down from 3.0 in March and 6.3 year over year.
- The flatbed ratio was 12.1, down from 12.1 in March and 64.5 year over year.
Lower demand for truckload services led to a drop in national average spot van and reefer rates, the report said:
- The spot van rate averaged $2.06 per mile, down 10 cents compared to March and 71 cents lower year over year.
- The spot reefer rate fell 9 cents to $2.41 a mile, 72 cents lower than in April 2022.
- The spot flatbed rate dipped 4 cents to $2.67 a mile, down 70 cents year over year.
Fuel surcharge amounts fell 2 cents to an average of 47 cents a mile for van freight, 52 cents for reefers and 57 cents for flatbeds, the report said. At $4.10 a gallon, the price of diesel was 11 cents lower compared to March.
DAT said the national average rates for contracted freight were lower compared to March, but the spread between contract and spot rates rose to near all-time highs: 62 cents for van freight, 60 cents reefers and 66 cents for flatbeds.
Adamo called the spread between spot and contract rates “an indicator of where we’re at in the freight cycle — the balance of bargaining power among shippers, brokers and carriers.” For the gap to close, two things need to happen.
“One, the supply of trucks on the spot market needs to diminish, which unfortunately means more carriers exiting the market,” he said. “Two, there needs to be higher demand for trucks — in other words, shippers with more loads than they planned for.”
In 2016 and 2019, it was the third week in May when the spot market entered a recovery phase after prolonged declines and stagnation, Adamo said in the release.
“Seasonality kicked in and shippers needed more trucks to move fresh produce, construction materials, imports and summer and back-to-school retail goods,” Adamo said. “If we see an uptick in demand before Memorial Day, it will be a welcome sign for owner-operators and small carriers as we head into the summer and fall.”
The Idaho Potato Commission of Eagle, ID and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) have announced a multi-year partnership making fresh Idaho potatoes the first vegetable to participate in the ADA’s esteemed, Better Choices for Life program.
The purpose of the partnership is to help educate tens of millions of Americans on ways they can add Idaho potatoes to their meal plan.
Diabetes is one of the country’s greatest health crises. Every 23 seconds someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes and 133 million Americans are living with diabetes or prediabetes. With a mission to prevent and cure diabetes and improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes, the number one question the ADA receives is, what can I eat? Many wrongly believe they cannot eat potatoes.
“We want those living with diabetes and prediabetes to feel confident eating potatoes with their breakfast, lunch or dinner as long as serving size and preparation recommendations are followed,” explained Jamey Higham, President & CEO, IPC. “This partnership aims to enhance people’s understanding of nutrition, especially carbohydrates; help build healthy eating habits and debunk some myths about potatoes and diabetes.”
The Better Choices for Life program uses the ADA’s evidence-based guidelines and perspective to help consumers make informed choices about the products they purchase. Participating products prominently display the Better Choices for Life mark on their packaging. In the coming months, consumers will begin to see this well-respected mark on select 5-lb and 10-lb bags of fresh Idaho potatoes.
“The American Diabetes Association’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. One way we do this is to educate on ways to improve nutrition status and overall health using the Diabetes Plate Method,” said Dr. Laura Hieronymus, VP of Health Care Programs for the ADA.
“We are proud to announce that the Idaho Potato Commission meets the American Diabetes Association’s Better Choices for Life nutrition guidelines. Idaho potatoes are a healthy vegetable on the Diabetes Plate, and we look forward to working together to bring awareness of healthful choices and food preparation in our fight to better manage and prevent diabetes.”
The Diabetes Plate Method was introduced by the ADA to help those living with diabetes and prediabetes to prepare healthy meals that can help manage blood glucose (blood sugar). This approach allows individuals to put together a plate that includes a healthy balance of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates, which can include potatoes.
The Diabetes Plate Method
Step 1: Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables.
Non-starchy vegetables are lower in carbohydrates so they do not raise blood glucose very much. They are also high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Step 2: Fill one-quarter of your place with lean protein.
Foods high in protein like fish, chicken, lean beef, soy products, and cheese are all considered protein foods.
Step 3: Fill the last one-quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods.
Foods that are higher in carbohydrate include grains, starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, fruit, yogurt, and milk.
Step 4: To complete your meal, add water or another zero-calorie beverage.
Step 5: Choose healthy fats in small amounts.
One 5.3-ounce potato has only 110 calories and contains no fat, cholesterol, sodium or gluten. Plus, it is loaded with important vitamins and minerals like potassium, vitamin C and fiber. The key to enjoying potatoes is knowing how to prepare them healthfully:
• Be mindful of serving size.
• Combine with heart-healthy olive or avocado oils.
• Prepare with the skins on for added fiber.
• Bake or boil instead of frying.
For diabetes-friendly recipes, click here.
About The Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is a state agency responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered certification mark that assures consumers are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho potatoes. Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation and rich volcanic soil, give Idaho potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance. These ideal growing conditions are what differentiates them from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit idahopotato.com.
The Biden administration recently allowed California to have the legal authority to require half of all heavy duty trucks sold in the state to be electric by 2035.
The rule would apply to tractor trailers, garbage trucks, cement mixers and other heavy commercial vehicles. It comes soon after California passed regulations requiring all passenger vehicles sold there to be electric by the same timeline.
It’s all part of an effort by California to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
According to The New York Times, the legal waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency allows California to step ahead of new federal standards on climate warming truck pollution, which the Biden administration plans to release later this year. In December, the EPA announced a federal rule to cut nitrogen oxide from heavy vehicles, the first time in two decades that it has tightened tailpipe emissions from trucks.
“This is a moment to mark because it’s a preview of the order of magnitude of the change in the industry,” Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, said in an interview with The Times. “There’s a power in these waivers and that power is emulation. We adopt through these waivers the principles and policies that lead to innovation and investment.”
Right now, less than 2 percent of all heavy trucks sold in the U.S. are electric, so the new rule will put stress on the transportation industry if it remains in place.
“A lot of the California truck rules that have been adopted and enacted recently are starting to push truck drivers out of the state,” said Jay Grimes, director of federal affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, which represents truckers, in The Times story. “Drivers don’t want to work in California anymore. They’re skeptical of the rapid timeline on this transition to electric trucks. Can a trucker get a charge that will take them on a highway for two or three days? Is the technology ready for prime time?”
The Times reports that a legal fight is already underway against the rule.
“Republican attorneys general from 17 states are challenging California’s ability to enact state pollution standards that are tougher than federal standards,” the Times writes. “That case, Ohio vs. EPA, is set to be heard in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in May. Regardless of the decision in that case, it is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.”
We’ve all felt the urge to buy a nice juicy fruit for healthy snacking when browsing through supermarket aisles or food stands. However, impulse buys can often lead to a lot of wasted produce.
Methods such as drying and pickling are among the most used by consumers to try to extend shelf life. However, if you want to consume them fresh and uncooked, picking good quality, unbruised fruit and storing them correctly are key.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep your fruit fresh to enjoy for longer.
Bananas
When stocking up on these potassium-charged fruit, storing them correctly is crucial.
Produce behemoth Dole advises to keep them refrigerated at around 53°F (12°C) to avoid browning.
Always make sure your bananas are already ripe before putting them in, as cold temperatures will keep them from maturing.
During colder months, they can be stored in a cupboard to keep them out of the light
Strawberries & blueberries
To make strawberries last for up to two weeks, Berries.com says to put them in a mixture of 1 ½ cups of water and ¼ cup of vinegar for about five minutes.
Then, rinse them with cold water and pat dry. Add a paper towel to your container before putting your strawberries in to keep them even fresher.
For blueberries, freezing them is the best way to go. Simply wash and dry them, and put them in an air-tigh container to avoid freezer burn, which will affect the flavor.
Grapes
To make sure your grapes last for up to three weeks, fruit genetics company Sun World advises first removing any shriveled ones. Make sure to check for any signs of mold or poor stem attachment and get rid of those first before storing them in the fridge.
Avoid washing them before putting them in cold storage and keep the original bag, as the packaging usually has good ventilation and coverage for them.
Temperatures of around 39°F (4°C) work best to preserve grapes for longer.
Apples
While apples can easily last up to three weeks in the pantry, putting them in the refrigerator can extend their shelf life to up to six weeks.
To make them last even longer, you can use a syrup to store them in slices, although this works better for uncooked desserts.
The University of Illinois recommends a mixture of 2-2 ½ cups of sugar, 4 cups of water and half a teaspoon of ascorbic acid to help preserve three pounds of apples with this method.
Watermelon
An undisputed summer staple, watermelons can last up to 10 days while uncut.
Once it’s been cut, you can freeze it in cubes using a zipper bag or similar to avoid freezer burn.
Make sure your watermelon has been left at room temperature until it’s ripe before trying this method, Watermelon.org warns.
Oranges
Wether is to make an energizing breakfast beverage or to enjoy in slices, the University of California recommends to store them at 38° to 48°F (3° to 9°C) to preserve them for up to eight weeks.
When picking them at a store, the publication recommends going for firm, heavy for their size with fine-textured skin oranges and with no bruises.