Posts Tagged “feature”
While most reports on Ontario vegetable shipments seem to focus on greenhouse-grown products, Canadian government statistics show the province has plenty of field-grown produce.
There were double digit increases in 2017 over 2016 with Ontario-grown beets, Brussels sprouts, green onions, radishes, parsnips and celery.
Additionally, Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Rural Affairs reported double digit acreage declines for carrots, cauliflower, sweet corn, field-grown tomatoes, squash and zucchini, field-grown cucumbers, pumpkins and squash, bell peppers, and lettuce.
The Holland Marsh muck region, located about 30 miles north of Toronto, grows about 75 percent of vegetables produced in Ontario and 65 percent of vegetables grown in Canada.
The region produces nearly four pounds of carrots for every Canadian per year.
Shipments begin in May with lettuce, and carrots follow in June and while vegetables will continue through November. Root vegetables from the region are marketed year-round.
Located on about 7,000 acres, the muck soil of the region grows 66 commodities and is the second largest carrot producing region in North America region. Onions, celery, herbs, lettuce, cauliflower and cabbage also are among the top crops. In addition to the muck soil, there are about 6,000 vegetable acres in the surrounding highlands.
The region has about 126 growers and 10 packing facilities.
The region was settled by the Dutch and still includes many family businesses and small companies. Asian vegetables have found traction in recent years.
The government reported the top acreage crop for Ontario vegetables in 2017 was sweet corn, with 19,003 acres reported. That was down 15 percent from 2016 acreage and off 18 percent from 2015, according to government statistics.
Ranking second among commercial vegetables for Ontario in 2017 was green peas, with 14,450 acres harvested, 7 percent lower than last year and 13 percent less than 2015.
Ranking first in sales among field-grown crops, field-grown tomatoes were No. 3 in acreage among Ontario vegetable crops in 2017.
Tomato acreage last year was 13,408 acres, down 13 percent from 2016 and off 2 percent from 2015.
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THIS PAST WEEK A FEW CALIFORNIA PRODUCE LOADS TO THE EAST COAST WERE GROSSING $10,000 AND MORE!
Examples: Desert vegetables to Baltimore – $9700 – $10,000; Kern District and Ventura County vegetables to Boston – $9400 – $10000; Salinas Valley vegetables to Boston – $9700 to $10200; and Santa Maria vegetables to Philadelphia – $9200 to $10000.
By Ted Kreis – NPPGA Communications
Truck shortage cause shippers lost sales.
Marketers in the Red River Valley held the base price for #1 size A reds at or above $15 per hundredweight (cwt.) from September through February but a chain of events this spring sent the market on a big decline with some loads being sold as low as $8.00 per cwt. in mid-April. That is a 14-year low.
- 1. Big Crop – The Red River Valley had a big red potato crop, perhaps the largest since the 1970’s. Shippers knew it would be a challenge, but there was hope it may turn out okay like another big crop year, 2015-16. But one key event happened that year that baled the Red River Valley out; a crop disaster in Florida. That didn’t happen this year. With both regions having a large red crop, the late winter market became very competitive.
2. Transportation Shortage – There is a well-documented shortage of truck drivers in the U.S. for various reason. Areas outside busy shipping lanes, like us here in the Red River Valley, have been hit particulary hard. Finding trucks to move loads out of the valley has been exasperated by this year’s big crop.
3. Lost Business – Because of the inability to get trucks earlier in the season, ads with large retailers had to be turned down because shippers could not promise on-time deliveries. Multi-load sales opportunities for Thanksgiving and Christmas ads were lost. This likely led to the loss of return business for the remainder of the season. Retailers began running fewer red potato ads; statistics from AMS’s National Retail Report confirm this. A year ago, grocery retailers ran 96,201 red potato ads nationwide from October through February. This year they ran only 68,019, a 29 percent decline, or the loss of over 28,000 promotions!
The Northern Plains of North Dakota and Minnesota is the 3rd largest potato growing region in the country. Over 250 growers produce over 40 million hundredweight of potatoes a year. The region is the home of famous Red River Valley Red Potatoes, three french fry plants, two potato chip plants, several refrigerated product producers, and over 60 certified seed growers.
By Black Gold Farms
Grand Forks, ND – Black Gold Farms will be harvesting fresh red potatoes in the boot heel of Missouri starting the middle of June. With ideal planting and growing conditions and plenty of moisture, this year’s crop looks to be one of the best yet.
Black Gold Farms will be harvesting, packing and shipping their own red potatoes out of Arbyrd, MO farm and packing facility until the middle of July. Yellow potatoes are also available to ensure a full product offering.
“We’ve been growing red potatoes nestled in the bootheel of Missouri in the Mississippi River Delta for over 10 years, and every year we see the quality get better. This year is no different.” commented John Halverson, COO of Black Gold Farms. “We’ve been able to learn a lot about growing potatoes in the summertime heat from over 30 years of chip potato experience in warmer climates. We’ve been able to transfer those leanings to the fresh market. While there are many differences, the principles are the same: use the right variety, get the timing correct, push them through the wash line and into the cooler as quickly as possible, and then, ship to our customers while they are still at their freshest” Halverson concluded.
Keith Groven, Fresh Sales Manager of Black Gold Farms states, “Our customers really find value pulling fresh reds out of Arbyrd, MO as the quality is consistent and we are geographically central to many of the major cities which provides locally grown opportunities that only we can offer. Customers recognize that Black Gold Farms is the red potato expert, especially this time of year, in this particular geography.”
Black Gold Farms’ Indiana red potato crop will be ready at the end of July for a smooth transition and keeping customers supplied with the freshest red potatoes available. This allows for Black Gold Farms-grown product to be supplied to customers year-round. “Each of our farms has their own unique characteristics, but what’s really valuable is that our customers know that the red potatoes they’re getting and the service they’ve come to expect is all Black Gold Farms” remarked Groven.
By Stemilt Growers
Stemilt’s apricot shipments will start around June 20th and run through the month of July, with the best volume occurring from June 25 and running through July 15.
“Sizing has done a complete reversal from last year,” states Brianna Shales, Stemilt communications director. “While last year brought smaller sizes and increased bag promotions, this year bulk is in. Sizing is going to be large with apricots in panta packs.”
Approximately 60 percent of Stemilt’s apricot crop is grown and certified organic. Stemilt’s Artisan Organics™ volume is heavy to the beginning of the season with the Robada variety.
After July 4th, focus shifts to the Rivals and Perfections apricot varieties.
According to the Organic Trade Association, organic produce has been holding its position as the largest organic food category, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all organic food sales in 2016.
“Organic share will continue to rise,” states Shales. “Apricots offers a great summertime organic offering to support organic category growth.”
Stemilt’s Artisan Organics™ stone fruits, which also include peaches and nectarines, come from the Douglas family orchards in the southeastern region of Washington State. The Douglases transitioned to organic more than a decade ago, citing the arid climate with cool nights as the main reason why they can grow dessert-flavored fruit organically.
“Summer is fast approaching and we are optimistic that the sizing, dessert flavors, and high percentage of organic apricots coming from the ideal Washington locale will make for a great season,” Shales says
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing bout $7000 to New York City.
By the Washington Apple Commission
Wenatchee, Washington State, USA – In response to the Trump Administration’s tariffs on aluminum and steel, Mexico has announced effective immediately imports of apples from the U.S. would be subject to a retaliatory tariff of 20 percent. Under WTO rules, countries hit with unilateral tariffs are allowed to levy tariffs equivalent to the amount of injury. Apples are just one item on the list of U.S. products that Mexico is targeting.
Washington State, home to over 1,300 apple growers, is the source of almost all apple exports to Mexico. The state produces approximately 65 percent of all apples grown in the US and over 90 percent of U.S. fresh apple exports. Mexico is the top export market for Washington apples, and during the 2016-17 season Washington growers shipped 13.7 million 40 lb. bushel cartons valued at more than $215 million to the market. During the current season, shipments have been ahead of last season by 13 percent and were on track to exceed 15 million bushels, worth an estimated $241.8 million. This new tariff now puts that goal in doubt.
“Any tariff is clearly going to have economic impact to our industry – especially when you consider its cumulative effect along with the tariffs imposed by China and expected within the next few weeks from India, also major Washington apple export markets, in retaliation to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs” stated Todd Fryhover, the President of the Washington Apple Commission. “The economic impact to individual growers will vary depending on the strategic importance of Mexico to their sales, but collectively Washington apple growers will see a decrease in what they are paid for their crop due to the 20 percent duty.”
The Washington Apple Commission is the international marketing arm of the Washington apple industry and conducts promotions in foreign markets to drive consumer demand for apples from Washington State, USA. Washington Apple Commission provides promotional support to international retailers, wholesalers and importers with innovative marketing programs and activities to grow consumer awareness and brand loyalty.
Another normal volume shipping season is seen for Ohio vegetables, while a double digit decline is seen for Northwest cherries. Meanwhile, Arkansas produce shipments get underway in July.
Ohio Vegetable Shipments
Michael Farms of Urbana, Ohio will begin shipping cabbage and green beans in by late June, sweet corn in mid-July and potatoes in early August.
Holthouse Farms of Willard, Ohio has been shipping radishes and cilantro since late May, lettuces since early June, and just started squash. Chili peppers will come on in early July. The company also ships bell peppers and eggplant and will have hard squash in the fall.
Buurma Farms of Willard, Ohio has been loading radishes since Memorial Day, and has since added mustard greens, collard greens, kale, dill, cilantro and other items. The company has just started shipping red leaf, green leaf and romaine.
NatureFresh Farms of Leamington, Ontario starts shipping from its Delta, Ohio, greenhouse at the end of September and goes through the beginning of July 2019.
NatureFresh grows beefsteak, cherry, grape, roma and cocktail tomatoes, as well as tomatoes on the vine.
Northwest Cherry Shipments
The crop estimate for Northwest cherries is for 22.6 million 20-pound cartons, down 15 percent from a year ago.
In 2017 there were shipments of 26.5 million cartons. An average crop size is 22 million boxes.
Stemilt Growers Inc. of Wenatchee, WA picked its first cherries about a week ago.
California is wrapping up cherry shipments and the crop will be down significantly from last year — about 3 million boxes compared to a record 9.6 million boxes last year. Normal is about 6 million boxes.
Arkansas Produce Shipments
H.C. Schmieding Produce Co. LLC of Springdale, AR expects to start watermelon shipments around the 4th of July and go through the first week of August. The company expects to have light volumes of corn the first week of July, running through the end of the month.
Gem Tomato & Vegetable Sales of Boca Raton, FL is now shipping Arkansas tomatoes and will continue for another month.
Arkansas has roughly 1,200 acres of watermelons, 800 acres of tomatoes.
South Africa citrus is arriving at Philadelphia on the East Coast. Meanwhile, the latest Florida citrus crop report shows another decline.
Seven Seas Fruit of Iselin, NJ received it’s initial clementines the last week of May, is expecting higher volume for late mandarins this season as more orchards come into production, and is looking forward to its first arrival of navels the week of June 11th.
While initial arrivals will be light in volume, significant increases are expected during the last two weeks of June. Arrivals also will include easy peelers, cara cara oranges and grapefruit.
The USDA Foreign Agriculture Service Global Agricultural Information Network December reports South African citrus, soft citrus (tangerines/mandarins/clementines) production will drop 8 percent this season from last season because of drought.
However, exports to the U.S. have increased more than 10 percent each of the past four seasons, and should again this season.
South African clementines should arrive just as California is finishing, and navels should see a two- or three-week gap from when California navels end and South Africa gets into the market.
Florida Citrus
by Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam has a statement today after the USDA released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
“Today’s citrus crop forecast is another reminder of the continued struggles of Florida’s iconic citrus industry since Hurricane Irma inflicted unprecedented damage last year. But thanks to the collaborative efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture, Florida’s agriculture industry and our elected leaders, a much-needed disaster relief package is on the way to help growers get back on their feet.”
The USDA’s forecast of 44.95 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 season is 50,000 boxes down from the April estimate and 9 million boxes down from the 54 million boxes predicted at the start of the season. The forecast represents a decline of more than 80 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes during the 1997-98 season.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam announced that Florida citrus sustained more than $760 million in damages. In February, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a spending bill that included more than $2.3 billion for agricultural assistance.
Chocolate Peppers from Canada and tree tomatoes from Equador are two unique items coming to America!
by Zing! Healthy Foods
Leamington, ON – As summer approaches and people are entertaining more, why not impress your guests with a healthy dose of chocolate? Chocolate Bell Peppers that is. Zing! Healthy Foods has a great line up of specialty peppers, but the most unique is the Chocolate Bell.
“It’s not something you see every day in the produce aisle,” said Jordan Kniaziew, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Zing! Healthy Foods. “We are trying to turn more people on to this variety to add some Zing! to their meals and snacks.”
Zing! Healthy Foods gourmet Chocolate Bell Peppers are remarkable and sweet. The flesh inside is crisper and sweeter than a traditional bell pepper.
“Any pepper that looks so different from your classic bell pepper colours should have a unique taste and flavour profile. This pepper doesn’t disappoint,” adds Jordan. “The sweet taste and deep colour is ideal for those adventurous foodies who want to impress their guests with something unexpected.”
About Zing! Healthy Foods™
Zing! Healthy Foods is brought to you by Orangeline Farms, an award-winning, boutique grower of specialty greenhouse products. The family-oriented business operates year-round in Leamington, Ontario. They are committed to promoting active living and delivering healthy, nutritious produce to our communities.
Tree Tomatoes
By USDA, APHIS
Washington, D.C. – The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will allow fresh tree tomatoes from Ecuador into the continental United States. After careful analysis, APHIS scientists determined that tree tomatoes can be safely imported under a systems approach.
A systems approach is a series of measures taken by growers, packers, and shippers that, in combination, minimize pest risks prior to importation into the United States. In this case, the systems approach requires the importation of commercial shipments only, orchard pest control, post-harvest safeguards, registration of orchards and packinghouses, and shipment identification. A phytosanitary certificate must also accompany each shipment stating that it meets these conditions.
This rule will be effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, or on July 5, 2018.
by Stemilt Growers
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Stemilt’s 5 River Islands™ cherry brand and premium Rainier cherries are returning to grocery stores soon with large sizes and dessert qualities to offer consumers a memorable eating experience before the California cherry season wraps up in mid-June.
“While the volume of the 2018 California cherry crop was underwhelming for growers and retailers alike, both fruit size and qualities have made for overwhelmingly positive shopper experiences,” said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt marketing director. “That will continue in the final weeks of the California season because of two special offerings now available from Stemilt: California-grown Rainier cherries and 5 River Islands™ brand dark-sweet cherries.”
Harvest is underway now for Stemilt’s Rainier cherries, with a premium pack available now through June 9th. Pepperl said the company’s Rainiers were peaking on large sizes with nice color and exceptional flavors.
“Carrying our California Rainier cherries in stores the next two weeks will bring incremental sales to the produce department,” said Pepperl. “Opening shelf space now with these incredible eating fruits will also help in a seamless transition to Washington State’s Rainier cherry crop. It’s a great experience to offer your stores and your shoppers.”
This is the second year of availability for 5 River Islands™ cherries, which come straight from the California Delta, a well-known region of islands and waterways that are all connected by five rivers. Stemilt only packs large sizes and high-quality Lapins, a dark-sweet cherry variety, from the Delta region in this brand.
About Stemilt
Stemilt Growers is a leading tree fruit growing, packing and shipping company based in Wenatchee, Washington. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt is the leading shipper of sweet cherries and one of the nation’s largest suppliers of organic tree fruits. Stemilt has also demonstrated a commitment to sustainable agriculture and social responsibility since 1989, when founder Tom Mathison launched the company’s Responsible Choice program.
By Larry Oscar
As things finally begin to heat up, and after a long cold winter caused by global warming, I’m sure all the nut cases will be out in full force. Especially because this is an election year.
Some politicians are already promising government handouts for votes paid for by your tax dollars. I’m sure it will only get worse when the politicians start honking like a flock of geese. This nation is a far cry from when our forefathers founded it.
Our government is one big bloated expensive mess and the self-reliant people that founded this country have been replaced by people found in safe rooms of emotional quality at Berkeley. I was going through some old family documents a few weeks ago when I found my grandfather’s deed to the farm he bought in 1916. The farm was just west of Cushing, Oklahoma. He was born in 1891 and married Mary Permilla Powell.
My grandfather, Earnest Alvin Hetherington, was a father of eight children. He lived during WW1 and WW2, and fed his family throughout the Great Depression and Oklahoma Dust Bowl. Grandpa was just about as self reliant as they come. I never remember him complaining about anything. Not even the weather. He faced life as it was dealt to him and he expected his children and everybody else to do the same. There was no crying at the farm.
Earnest was a tough minded individual. He had a high bar for good behavior and would not tolerate whiners. The family farm house was heated with wood and light was provided by a kerosene lantern or candle. The water was drawn from a spring and with that large of a family they had a two hole outhouse of course. One day grandpa was cutting firewood with a buzz saw and the wood slipped. He lost his thumb, but he just wrapped up his hand and finished the job.
When you stop and think about how life was 100 years ago you can understand just how far our strength of character has fallen. You had to be self-reliant to survive back then. Today our nation’s people need to have everything done for them. We have become a nation of mooching emotional wimps. More and more of our children are growing up depending on government or special interest groups for everything in their lives. They don’t think for themselves.
This just may be the major factor in our nation’s deterioration of character. Instead they let the group think for them. This is very dangerous for our nation. From this type of thought you will hear the cry, “We are all in this together and I need to be in charge.” This is how all the brutal dictators throughout history have come to power. Today over half of this nation goes into emotional meltdown over a simple election loss. Some of our states have gone so far off the rails that they will probably never get back on track. Their state government will have to be bulldozed over like an old rotting abandoned house and a new one built.
Our ancestors of just 100 years ago were self thinkers and self doers. My grandpa was a carpenter, farmer, plumber, lumberjack, and tradesman of every kind. He tilled soil with a horse drawn plow, grew crops, raised chickens and pigs, and even assisted in childbirth. In the late 1940’s he bought a brand spanking new Ford tractor under protest. He was overruled by his children as he now was getting too old to plow fields with a horse.
It wasn’t until the late 1950’s that my mother and her siblings convinced him to switch from firewood to propane heating. When my grandpa was in his early 80s he could not take care of the farm anymore and had to move to town. He protested again, but his family insisted. I’m not sure if he would have been better off if he had just stayed on the farm. He passed away a few years after moving to Cushing. Losing his self-reliance was like losing part of his soul.
I have never forgot his strength of character and the tough determination he faced his life’s challenges with. He was an inspiration. Will the youth of today regain the ability to think and do for themselves, or will they continue to descend into reliance on the collective? That question has yet to be answered, but reading the tea leaves of today don’t bode well for our future.
(Larry Oscar is a graduate from the University of Tulsa and holds a degree in electrical engineering. He is retired and lives with his wife on a lake in Oklahoma where he brews his own beer, sails, and is a member of numerous clubs and organizations.)