Posts Tagged “feature”
Fresh cranberry packing and shipping started the week of September 17th from Central Wisconsin for the Cranberry Network LLC, which markets fruit grown by Habelman Bros. Co. of Tomah, WI. Wisconsin cranberry shipments are expected improve this season, although it will not be a bumper crop. The 2017 season was off from normal shipments.
Cranberry shipments for the fresh market got underway the week of September 24th in very light volume from bogs in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Quebec, Washington, and British Columbia by Ocean Spray and Oppy. Organics produced in Quebec will begin shipping next week.
Only about 5 percent of cranberries are harvested and shipped for the fresh market, with the remaining 95 percent of cranberry volume going to the processors. The majority of cranberries are harvested during October.
Today is the Canadian Thanksgiving and U.S. shipments have received a bump to provide for that demand. Thanksgiving in the U.S. is November 22nd and cranberry shipments will increase in the weeks leading up to that holiday.
Wisconsin continues to be the leading producer and shipper of cranberries.
While fresh cranberries are grown in Canada, Chile, Mexico, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, Wisconsin shipped by far the most fresh cranberries of any state or country, according to the USDA.
Wisconsin accounted for 13.83 million pounds of conventional fruit in 2017, down from 14.2 million pounds in 2016.
Wisconsin shipped about 70,000 pounds of organic fruit in 2017.
- The second largest producer and shipper of fresh cranberries in 2017 was Massachusetts, which the USDA reported shipped 4.21 million pounds, up from 3.84 million pounds in 2016.
- Washington fresh cranberry shipments in 2017 were 2.2 million pounds, up from 1.87 million pounds in 2016.
- 2017 U.S. imports of Canadian cranberries, according to the USDA, were 2.67 million pounds.
- The USDA reported that Michigan fresh shipments of cranberries in 2017 totaled 340,000 pounds, down from 420,000 pounds in 2016.
- New Jersey fresh shipments in 2017 were 90,000 pounds, down from 170,000 pounds in 2016.
- Mexico and Chile shipped light volume of fresh cranberries to the U.S. in 2017.
Cranberry Overproduction
Over a year ago a group representing growers known as the Cranberry Marketing Committee sought approval from the USDA to issue a rule limiting what growers can sell in 2018-19 in an effort to prop up prices. It was recently approved by the USDA.
The rule permits growers to sell only 75 percent of their historical sales volume, with the balance of the crop donated to food banks or other charities, used as a soil amendment, used to expand under-developed foreign markets, or otherwise disposed.
“With volume regulation, returns are expected to be higher than without volume regulation,” the USDA said recently. “This increase is beneficial to all growers and handlers regardless of size, and enhances total revenues in comparison to no volume regulation.”
The USDA said establishing an allotment percentage allows the industry to help stabilize supplies. The regulation could remove a potential 2 million barrels from supply, reduce industry inventory, and increase industry returns.
The marketing order volume control regulation, issued Sept. 12, applies to cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the state of New York.
News has been sketchy so far, but The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and consumer estimates Hurricane Florence inflicted over $1.1 billion in damage to crops and livestock in North Carolina. Of that, about $27 million is damage to sweet potatoes, other vegetables and horticultural crop losses. North Carolina ships more sweet potatoes annually than all of producing states combined.
The numbers easily top the $400 million seen following Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
“We knew the losses would be significant because it was harvest time for so many of our major crops and the storm hit our top six agricultural counties especially hard,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in the release. “These early estimates show just what a devastating and staggering blow this hurricane leveled at our agriculture industry.”
According to the state’s agricultural department:
- Row crop losses are estimated at $986.6 million
- Forestry losses are estimated at $69.6 million
- Green industry losses are estimated at $30 million
- Vegetable and horticulture crop losses are estimated at $26.8 million
- Livestock, poultry and aquaculture losses are estimated at $23.1 million
- Livestock losses are 4.1 million poultry and an estimate of 5,500 hogs.
The state did not make damage estimates by individual commodities.
Sweet potato growers and shippers report it could be months before the full extent of losses may be determined. Sweet potato harvest in the state continued September 27th after Florence, with more than half of the crop remaining in the field.
Prior to the massive Hurricane and flooding, Nash Produce LLC of Nashville, NC expected sweet potato acreage to be down.
Southern sweet potato shipments has been declining in recent years primarily due to overproduction and poor markets.
U.S. sweet potato acreage in 2017 was down 2.45 percent compared to 2016, although yield per acre increased 16 percent. No official estimate has been made for acreage or volume for 2018.
J Roland Wood Produce Co. of Benson, NC expects a 10 percent reduction in yields this year as a result of a decrease in acreage after last year, plus several weeks of dry weather before Florence. The company had a 20 percent cut in yields from last year, totaling a 30 percent reduction in yield rate from 2017.
Ham Produce Co. Inc. of Snow Hill, NC had been harvesting a few weeks when Florence hit. SMP Southeast/Edmonson Farms of Vardaman, MS started harvesting in the last half of August. While quality was described as having very good quality, volume still wasn’t expected to equal last year. However, total shipments by the company were expected to be adequate to fill customer demand.
Bland Farms of Glennville, GA was expecting the company’s volume to be similar to last year.
Red delicious apples most likely will lose its Number one ranking in the U.S. after being the most popular apple for decades. It is expected to be replaced by the gala variety.
Final tabulations will not be available until the fall’s harvest is complete. However, the U.S. Apple Association reported last summer at its Annual Crop Outlook and Marketing Conference in Chicago, pre-season estimates point to the change, ending an era that began more than half a century ago.
Other apple varieties making up the largest crops are granny smith, fuji and Honeycrisp, according to a news release.
U.S. Apple Association’s annual Production and Utilization Analysis puts gala production for the upcoming season at 52.43 million 42-pound cartons (up from 49.57 million cartons). Red delicious is forecast to drop from 57.91 million to 51.69 million cartons.
“The rise in production of newer varieties of apples aimed at the fresh consumption domestic market has caused demand for red delicious to decline,” Mark Seetin, director of regulatory and industry affairs, said in the release. “However, red delicious is important in the export market, where it makes up roughly half of our apple exports.”
That includes important markets like Mexico and China, where U.S. apple exports now face higher tariffs in response to Trump administration tariffs on steel, aluminum and other products from those countries sent to the U.S. How exports of red delicious and other apples will fare in the coming season remains to be seen.
The pre-season top-five ranking is notable for another change: golden delicious has ceded its position to relative newcomer Honeycrisp. In a testament to how the old guard of popular apple varieties is quickly changing, Seetin said Honeycrisp production and sales trends put it within striking distance of the third-largest variety crop within two years. Honeycrisp production was 19.32 million cartons for the 2017-18 marketing year, and numbers from the Outlook conference put this year’s production at 23.57 million cartons.
Greater mango import volumes year-on-year in the U.S. over this fall are expected because of overlapping seasons from two exporting South American countries.
Total mango shipments to the U.S. from early October to mid-November are expected to be 92 pecent higher year on year. The National Mango Board is projecting an increase due to a later season for Brazil and an earlier season for Ecuador. This would be a significant overlap compared to past years.
Mexican volume projections for the remainder of the season are 8 percent less than a year ago, while Brazilian exports to the U.S. projected to be one percent lower and Ecuador is forecast nine percent higher.
The Brazilian season began in August and will run until the first week of December with a projection of approximately 8 million boxes, while Ecuador’s season began in the first week of September and will run until the end of the year with a projection of around 13.4 million boxes.
Koru Apple Shipments
Koru apple growers in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania are expecting their largest and best harvest this fall.
The branded apple variety originated in New Zealand and is imported to the U.S. from May through September. U.S.-grown Koru apples are marketed from October through March, according to a news release.
Koru apples are managed by Coast to Coast Growers, which has exclusive rights to import and grow Koru in the U.S.
The Koru variety is a cross between fuji and braeburn and was first discovered in New Zealand in 1994. The apple cultivar is Plumac and is registered as Koru after the Maori word that symbolizes “new life, growth, strength and peace,” according to the release.
Coast to Coast uses Chelan Fresh Marketing of Chelan, WA, Wenatchee, Oneonta Starr Ranch of Wenatchee, WA and New York Apple Sales Inc. of Glenmont, N.Y. to market U.S. Koru apple sales.
The first season for U.S.-grown Koru to be harvested and sold in the U.S was in 2015.
by American Pecan Council
FORT WORTH, Texas — Pecans have been hovering below the radar for most Americans – often dismissed as an ingredient just for holiday pies. Even though pecans are the only major tree nut indigenous to America, many people in the country are unaware of the versatility, health benefits, American heritage, and year-round availability of pecans. That’s all about to change.
Today the pecan industry launched its first-ever national consumer campaign to help America’s native nut proudly claim its spot as a super nutritious, super versatile and super local nut. American Pecans, The Original Supernut™ is a brand positioning for pecans and a consumer education initiative to get Americans to think about pecans in a new way.
“The American pecan industry has a rich history dating back centuries and a powerful story that is largely untold – our goal is to change that,” said Mike Adams, a Texas pecan grower and chairperson of the American Pecan Council – a new organization formed as a result of a Federal Marketing Order (FMO) for pecans approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2016. “Other nuts, to their credit, have benefited from large consumer campaigns for decades. Now, we want to shine a light on our industry that has come together to share the story of the American Pecan.”
The campaign will help change America’s perception of pecans, focusing on three major reasons they truly are The Original Supernut.
- Pecans are super nutritious: Even though pecans are typically considered a dessert nut, they are extremely nutrient dense and nearly two decades of research document their heart-health benefits.* Pecans are among the highest in “good” monounsaturated fats, and contain plant protein, fiber, flavonoids and essential minerals, including copper, manganese and zinc.
- Pecans are super versatile: They are an easy snack right out of the bag or mixed with dried fruit for a fast trail mix. They can be tossed onto morning oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and salads. And while pecan pie is a holiday favorite, pecans can be used in many savory recipes such as pasta, dips, and even tacos – the possibilities are endless.
- Pecans are super local: Of all the major tree nuts eaten in the U.S., pecans are the only ones indigenous to America. Once grown wild and enjoyed by Native Americans, pecans are now harvested in 15 states across the pecan belt.
The U.S. annual pecan harvest averages about 300 million pounds, which is a large portion of the global pecan supply. However, pecan production is significantly lower than other major tree nuts that have benefited from Federal Marketing Orders for decades, such as 2 billion pounds for almonds and 1 billion for walnuts. Pecan growers have planted thousands of acres of new trees in the last few years in anticipation of the expected increase in demand.
About the American Pecan Council
The American Pecan Council (APC) is a group of passionate pecan growers and shellers whose life work is dedicated to growing, harvesting and processing America’s native nut. Founded in 2016 through a Federal Marketing Order, the APC’s mission is to promote the many benefits of the American Pecan and help tell the story of this truly unique nut. With oversight by the USDA, APC aims to build consumer demand, develop markets and establish industry standards. APC is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and funded by pecan handlers in 15 pecan-producing states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
The shipping of Michigan apples should make a major rebound this season over a year ago.
Both volume and sizing of Michigan apples should be up as the USDA predicts 1.18 billion pounds, a 40 percent increase from the 840 million pounds produced in 2017.
While it may be a large volume crop, total shipments are not expected to set a record. In 2016, Michigan apple shipments set a record of 1.28 billion pounds.
The Michigan Apple Committee reports a favorable crop to good springtime weather and no major weather incidents such as summertime hail.
The apple harvest in Michigan is underway and BelleHarvest Sales Inc. of Belding, MI is reporting a “great” crop that has size, sugar and color.
North Bay Produce of Traverse, MI launched its season with the paula reds variety on August 17th describing the growing season a pretty good, with great pollination and a really nice crop.
Glei’s Inc. of Hillsdale, MI kicked off its primary early summer varieties around Labor Day with galas city growing conditions as being much better than a year ago when there was frost damage. The company normally has apple shipments lasting 10 months, but the season in 2017 was shorter with poor quality.
Envy Apple Shipments
The Oppenheimer Group of Vancouver, B.C. is forecasting a 50 pecent increase in shipments of its Envy apples this season. The Envy apple is now shipped year around with the combination of its domestic loadings from Washington, as well as being imported from New Zealand. The variety has been described as large, red, very sweet and crisp.
Oppy also is expecting a 10 percent increase in its shipments of the Jazz variety. A big difference from last season is the company is expects good sizing for Jazz apples.
The Pacific Rose variety of apple will also receive emphasis this season, which has been sold out of Washington for 15 years. It is know as being very popular in China and in Vietnam. The taste of the Pacific Rose has been compared to that of the fuji apple.
Oppy also will be shipping Ambrosia apples in larger volume, whose originals are from British Columbia. The Ambrosia comes from BC Tree Fruit of Kelowna, B.C.
Oppy did not cite volumes for any of these varieties.
by Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board
Aurora, Ore. – Consumers want more hazelnuts and Oregon hazelnut growers have answered that request with the industry’s largest crop yet. The Oregon hazelnut crop is forecast to be 52,000 tons, according to the objective yield survey conducted by the Oregon Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is 63 percent higher than last year (32,000 tons) and the previous record-sized crop was in 2001 coming in at 49,500 tons.
“Our growers have doubled their acreage over the past five years and continue to increase it by at least 8,000 acres each year to meet consumer demand,” said Meredith Nagely, manager of the Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board (OHMB). “There is a strong consumer preference for U.S.-grown hazelnuts and considerable interest in trying them in a variety of products, so we’ve invested in a communications campaign aimed at increasing domestic awareness and demand.”
In the past, Oregon’s hazelnut haul was predominantly for export to Asia. However, with the larger crop comes more opportunities and OHMB is working to broaden awareness and understanding of Oregon hazelnuts’ benefits and versatility while maintaining a premium price for its growers. This includes cultivating new demand in the foodservice, manufacturing, retail and consumer markets.
This fall, top Portland chefs including Cathy Whims of Nostrana and John Gorham of Tasty n Alder will feature Oregon hazelnuts on their menus, among many others. OHMB has also partnered with Guittard Chocolate Company as part of its industry supply channel program to educate chocolatiers and confectioners on how to work with hazelnuts and why Oregon’s hazelnut varieties are superior in flavor.
A 2017 consumer survey funded by OHMB found that 47 percent of people thought hazelnuts were “very healthy,” which was nearly twice the number from the previous year. The survey also found people don’t view hazelnuts as being as expensive as some other nuts. Food manufacturers have taken note and hazelnuts are gradually starting to appear in more SKUs, according to the survey, growing from 63 products in 2013 to 93 in 2015, when data was last available.
Oregon boasts an ideal climate for producing the world’s highest quality hazelnuts and it is where 99 percent of the U.S. crop is grown. It’s in this special corner of the world where temperate ocean, mountain and river climates meet with rich volcanic soils to create prime hazelnut-growing country.
About Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board
The Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board was established in 1949 by the growers and handlers of hazelnuts. The purpose of the board is to set quality standards for the industry, ensure all imported product meet U.S. standards and provide funding for promotion of hazelnuts through research, education and promotion programs.
by The American Chemical Society
BOSTON — Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a set of painful conditions that can cause severe diarrhea and fatigue. Treatments can include medications and surgery. But now researchers report that a simple dietary intervention could mitigate colonic inflammation and improve gut health. In this case, a strawberry — or rather, less than a cupful of strawberries — a day could help keep the doctor away.
The researchers are presenting their results recently at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the world’s largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 10,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.
“The sedentary lifestyle and dietary habits of many people in this country — high-sugar, high-animal-fat, but low-fiber diets — may promote colonic inflammation and increase the risk of IBD,” says Hang Xiao, Ph.D., who led the study.
In 2015, 3 million adults in the U.S. reported being diagnosed with IBD, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. IBD includes both Crohn’s disease, which can infect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, and ulcerative colitis, which is characterized by inflammation of the colon and rectum. People with IBD also have a higher risk of colorectal cancer.
The dietary consumption of fruits and vegetables has been associated with a lowered risk of IBD. To establish an effective and practical approach to decrease colonic inflammation in both IBD patients and the general population, Xiao and his team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst focused on strawberries due to their wide consumption. According to Yanhui Han, a Ph.D. student who conducted the study, most of the previous reports focused on the effects of purified compounds and extracts from strawberries. “But when you only test the purified compounds and extracts, you miss out on a lot of other important components in the berries, such as dietary fiber, as well as phenolic compounds bound to the fibers, that can’t be extracted by solvents,” he says. He adds that it also makes sense to study the effects of whole berries because people mostly consume the whole fruits rather than their extracts.
In their experiment, Han and Xiao used four groups of mice — a group of healthy mice consuming a regular diet, and three groups of mice with IBD consuming a regular diet, a diet with 2.5 percent whole strawberry powder or a diet with 5 percent whole strawberry powder. Xiao says they tried to feed the mice doses of strawberries that would be in line with what a human could reasonably consume.
The researchers found that dietary consumption of whole strawberries at a dose equivalent to as low as three-quarters of a cup of strawberries per day in humans significantly suppressed symptoms like body weight loss and bloody diarrhea in mice with IBD. Strawberry treatments also diminished inflammatory responses in the mice’s colonic tissue.
But decreased inflammation wasn’t the strawberry’s only conferred benefit during this study. Colonic inflammation adversely impacts the composition of microbiota in the gut. With IBD, the abundance of harmful bacteria increases, while levels of beneficial bacteria decrease in the colon. Following the dietary treatments of whole strawberries, the researchers observed a reversal of that unhealthy microbiota composition in the IBD mice. Xiao’s team also obtained experimental data that indicated strawberries might impact abnormal metabolic pathways in the IBD mice, which in turn could lead to the decreased colonic inflammation they observed.
Next, the team will try to validate their findings in IBD patients. While eating three-quarters of a cup of strawberries a day could be beneficial for those looking to enhance their gut health, Xiao advises patients to consult with their doctors before changing their diets. He also suggests avoiding this type of nutritional intervention if one is allergic to the fruit.
The researchers acknowledge funding from the USDA.
The American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
The harvest of red and yellow potatoes in the Red River Valley is underway by Black Gold Farms of Grand Forks, ND, according to a press release. In the southern hemisphere, Uruguay is looking to increase blueberry exports.
The grower-shipper has production in numerous states, but “this is our backyard,” Black Gold CEO Eric Halverson said. The company will be harvesting the potatoes in the region for a month, and will store and ship them into April.
“The early quality samples that we’re seeing look fantastic, and we’re ready to get them on the road,” Black Gold Farms’ fresh sales manager Keith Groven said in the release.
Uruguayan Blueberries
The Uruguayan blueberry industry is expecting a significant increase in exports this coming season.
The Union of Horticultural Producers and Exporters of Uruguay (Upefruy) estimated exports will increase 65 percent year-on-year to 2,000 metric tons (MT), up from 1,210 MT last year.
The small South American country has been hit by numerous hail storms over the last couple of years, which have at times destroyed 100 percent of production on some farms.
Exports started in August, with volumes to peaking in September and October and winding down in November.
Last season 45 percent was exported to the U.S. and 35 percent to Europe, all via airfreight. This year, the country expects to see 40 percent shipped to the U.S., 45 percent to Europe and 15 percent to the U.K.
Uruguay officials point out that the Chinese market access had been finalized in late 2016, but the market remained unattractive due to a 30 percent tariff.
So for now the country is going to maintain and develop existing markets like the U.S. and Canada, Europe and the U.K., Hong Kong and Malaysia.
The Uruguayan blueberry industry is exploring new ways related to packing and transportation that the industry can become more competitive.
The country is looking develop the industry, putting emphasis on the taste and color of the fruit, and trying to be more rational in the use of resources to be more competitive on price.
Organic fruit dollar volume and dollar sales rose 12.6 percent in 2017 compared to 2016.
Organic Produce Network and Nielsen data show items leading the list were berries, experiencing a 22 percent sales increase. Berries are followed by bananas and apples.
Sales of organic strawberries, blueberries and blackberries exceeded $586 million in 2017, with volume up 22 percent.
Organic apple volume increased 11 percent and banana volume was up 17.5 percent.
Organic fruit suppliers say they’ve got plenty of product to go around this season.
CMI Orchards LLC of Wenatchee, WA is reporting its biggest tonnage year on organics this season with apples. The company markets the Daisy Girl Organics brand.
Most of the increase is attributed to acreage transitioning from conventional.
The Oppenheimer Group of Vancouver, B.C. reports its imported organic apple program is winding down as it is preparing for its fresh-crop organic Envy, Jazz and Pacific Rose from Washington.
Oppenheimer also is currently handling organic Zespri green kiwifruit and the increasingly popular SunGold kiwifruit.
Stemilt Growers Inc. of Wenatchee, WA is shipping organic versions of all the fruit the company grows. This includes organic cherries and apricots during the summer, as well as an entire crop of organic peaches and nectarines.
Other times of the year, Stemilt ships organic apples and pears.
Homegrown Organic Farms of Porterville, CA notes some growers have left the organic business since the could no longer meet the size, color and flavor requirements and still receive organic certification. The company reports consumers still will pay a premium for organic tree fruit, but the bar has been raised from when they would pay more for a product simply because it’s organic. An organic product has to look just as good as conventional now.
Another popular organic item are bananas.
Dole Food Co. of Westlake Village, CA is seeing its strongest growth in demand for organic bananas.
Organics Unlimited Inc. of San Diego offers plantains and coconuts, but its bestseller by far is organic bananas and the company is expecting sales increases to continue.
The company currently is adding acreage.