Posts Tagged “feature”
Friesland, WI — Wisconsin red, yellow russet potato harvest is underway at Alsum Farms in Adams, WI with the first potato loads being washed, graded, and packed for fresh market shipments to distribution centers and retail grocers.
“The first harvest of yellow potatoes at Alsum Farm looks promising,” says Larry Alsum, President & CEO of Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, WI.
Alsum Farms russet potato harvest began on August 20th with the Russet Caribou and Goldrush varieties. Both early season varieties will be the first of new crop russets to be harvested off the field and freshly washed, packed and shipped to retail grocers in the Midwest and beyond. In addition, new crop Wisconsin organic russet, red and yellow potatoes were available for shipping beginning August 5th.
Alsum offers a wide variety of pack options from 12 ounces up to 50-pound packs; and in poly, mesh, paper or cartons.
Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. packs potatoes and onions under the Alsum Farms & Produce brand. Organic potatoes are packed under the Alsum Organics and Rainbow Organics labels. Alsum also packs unclassified potatoes under our Family Favorite brand.
For more than 50 years, Alsum Farms & Produce has been a leading grower and shipper of locally grown potatoes and onions and provider of fresh, quality produce.
Alsum Farms grows 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown® Certified Alsum Potatoes along with pumpkins.
Meat was the main ingredient in most Independence Day dishes and a primary driver of high supermarket bills for the recent holiday. An American Farm Bureau Federation report suggests to save money, Americans should focus on preparing mostly side dishes.
The report states hosts feeding a group of 10 will spend an average of $71.22, a record high price that can be first and foremost attributed to inflation. The cost of food for the recent 4th of July holiday was 5% more than last year and 30% higher than in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is the first year that grocery costs have surpassed $7 per invitee, with the total meal costing $7.12 per person.
In 2023, U.S. consumers spent a total of $9.5 billion on food.
According to the World Metrics Report for 2024, approximately 190 million pounds of beef were bought in preparation for the July 4th celebrations.
Two pounds of potatoes cost an average of $1.53, 17% less than last year, recovering from record-high prices due to weather-related production decreases in recent years.
Chicken is the only protein that has decreased in price; 2 pounds of chicken breast will cost an average of $7.83, a 4% decrease since 2023 and down over 13% from the record high in 2022.
The survey pulls prices for a complete, homemade cookout consisting of cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, potato chips, pork and beans, fresh strawberries, homemade potato salad, fresh-squeezed lemonade, chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream.
Meat costs are at an all-time high. According to the report, 2 pounds of ground beef cost an average of $12.77, up more than $1, or 11%, from last year. The prices of pork chops and cheeseburgers are up as well.
Lemonade won’t come cheap either. Lemon production is estimated to fall over 16% this year due to the citrus greening disease outbreak in California, where most U.S. lemons are produced. These supply effects have raised lemon prices by 13% on average from last year to $3.20 for 1.5 pounds.
Strawberries and potato chips are both higher than in the last two years. Two pints of strawberries cost $4.61 on average, less than its high in 2021.
The World Metrics report notes that fresh fruit salads are prepared by 41% of Americans for their celebrations.
Fruit salads are one of the most popular desserts for the occasion, usually including a mix of berries, watermelon, and even bananas, the classic red, white, and blue salad.
Volume is expected to be a little lower than 2023 for Michigan apple shipments.
The Wolverine State, produced nearly 32 million bushels — or 1.34 billion pounds — of apples in 2023, according to the USDA.
The official crop estimate for this year will be announced at the USApple Outlook conference in Chicago on Aug. 16, however, Diane Smith, executive director of the Lansing-based Michigan Apple Committee, said it looks like the state’s growers will have another good-sized crop, “but it likely won’t reach 30 million bushels.”
BelleHarvest Sales Inc. of Belding, MI launched its season about 10 days ahead of last year with early varieties paula reds and golden delicious. Picking started the first week of August, and shipping got underway the following week.
BelleHarvest expects to have a slightly larger crop than last year on most of its 15 varieties.
The harvest at North Bay Produce of Traverse City, MI, started two weeks earlier than usual because of warm weather and more rain than normal.
North Bay ships 18 varieties of apples with gala, Honeycrisp, red delicious, fuji and mcintosh, among the most popular. EverCrisp, the last variety to be picked, is an up-and-coming variety.
The company notes harvest usually continues into mid-October, but likely will finish around the first of the month because of the earlier start.
This season’s apple harvest at Riveridge Produce Marketing Inc., Sparta, MI got underway August 9 and volume should be about the same as last year.
Riveridge is reporting good quality with a normal range of sizes on its Honeycrisp, gala, fuji and other varieties.
A new study shows that storing blood oranges in cool temperatures boosts the fruit’s antioxidants and other health benefits.
The fruit, known for its deep red flesh which contains an antioxidant pigment, is rich in useful health compounds that include anthocyanins, flavonoids, polyphenols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and ascorbic acid. All compounds are linked to several health benefits including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiviral, antiobesity, and antitumor properties.
The study shows that storing the orange at ambient temperatures can degrade the bioactive compounds and shorten its shelf life due to water loss, increased respiration, and fungal decay.
The oranges were harvested from a research plot at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy, FL, and immediately transported to the lab at the University of Florida.
The new University of Florida report shows that storing blood oranges at 40 to 53°F enhances anthocyanin, phenolic content, and antioxidants. When they lowered the temperatures 43 to 46°F, they also preserved fruit firmness, weight loss and sugar content.
The fruit is commonly grown in countries with cold Mediterranean climate like in Italy and Spain. In the United States, blood oranges grow primarily in California.
Florida citrus growers might have a hard time growing the variety in the state, due to its subtropical weather. Anthocyanin develops when the fruit is exposed to cold temperatures for at least 20 days, weather conditions that are rare in the state.
Lead author of the study, Fariborz Habibi says growing the variety might not be viable just yet for Floridian growers.
“Although blood oranges typically command higher prices than other common varieties, such as navel or Valencia oranges, it is unclear if farmers could substantially increase their per-acre income by adding them to their crop selection and then storing them for internal color development,” Habibi explained.
“Improved fruit quality from the storage method presents a promising opportunity for the Florida citrus industry. However, further study is needed before recommending anything to growers.”
Imports of Aspargus from Peru has had steady, consistent volume, but more volume will be arriving soon.
The USDA reported Peruvian asparagus accounted for 37% of the total supply in the U.S. during the week of July 7-13. Other suppliers to the U.S. market in mid-July included Mexico, which accounted for 48% of the total supply, and Canada, which accounted for 4% of the total supply.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami, FL notes there has been less volume this time of the year due to weather factors. To make up for lower volume from Peru, the company has been sourcing product from Mexico.
Although asparagus is imported from Peru 52 weeks a year, peak supply is typically from about mid-September through November.
Crystal Valley Foods receives most of its Peruvian asparagus imports at Miami International Airport (when asparagus is flown in), as well as the port of Miami.
Its primary asparagus customers are in foodservice and retail chains.
Another shipping season of quality red, white and yellow potatoes from growers in Washington and Oregon is expected.
The 2024 harvest started in late July for some growers, but will not get underway until early September for others, which is typical.
USDA estimates that Washington produced 99.7 million hundredweight of potatoes in 2023, about 10% of which was destined for fresh market.
Total potato production this year will be down due to a reduction in acres planted, according to the Washington Potato Commission of Moses Lake, WA.
About 16,000 fewer acres were planted this year. With excellent weather during the growing season yields per acres are expected to increase.
An overall 8% decline in Washington’s potato production is expected by the commission compared to last year.
Total potato acreage in Washington is projected to be down 10% to 12%.
Growers in the state have planted an estimated 144,000 acres of potatoes, of which about 16,000 acres are for fresh market.
Oregon’s growers produced about 27.4 million hundredweight of potatoes in 2023, according to USDA.
The Oregon Potato Commission of Portland predicts about 10% of that volume is for fresh market.
Oregon grows about 43,000 acres of potatoes.
Double-N Potatoes of Burlington, WA ships red, yellow, white potatoes and purple potatos.
Harvest gets underway the first or second week of September, volume expected to be similar to last year.
Double-N Potatoes ships from September until the end of April.
Valley Pride Sales LLC, also based in Burlington, will start its 2024 harvest in early September.
The company, which ships potatoes year-round, has white, red and yellow potatoes and some small potatoes for consumer packs.
Eagle Eye Produce of Iona, ID ships potatoes the year-round potato out of Mattawa, WA. It’s 2024 harvest has just got started.
The company’s acreage will be down this year because of crop rotations and an industrywide oversupply with grower returns below the cost of production.
Potandon Produce of Pasco, WA, expects to have a higher-quality crop of russet potatoes this year as last season had its ups and downs. A more consistent crop is seen this year.
Potandon’s harvest started in late July. The company ships out of Washington the year around.
Guatemala remained the primary exporter to the United States in 2023, reaching a record export value of $280 million.
Most melons consumed in the United States are grown domestically, but imports are capturing a growing share of the fresh melon market.
The market share of imported melons has increased significantly over the decades – from an average share of less than 10% during the 1980s and 1990s to about 37% in recent years.
Melon imports rose for the third consecutive year to a record high of 3.1 billion pounds, with ample supplies from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
In 2023, the estimated domestic availability of melons was 7.54 billion pounds, up 1% from the previous year. But, the import share of domestic availability for all melons reached 41.4% in 2023, the highest on record.
Increases in watermelon and honeydew supplies helped offset a decline in domestic cantaloupe production, and watermelon continued to account for over two-thirds of per capita melon availability.
Cantaloupe imports increased 6% in 2023. Over the last three years, 65% of fresh cantaloupe imports have come from Guatemala, the rest of the variety imports come from Honduras and Mexico.
Between July 2023 and January 2024, over 90% of U.S. honeydew imports came from Mexico, 48%, and Guatemala, 45%. The remaining 7% came from Honduras.
Watermelon import volume also increased in 2023. Most watermelon imports are seedless varieties from Mexico and Guatemala. While watermelon makes up 58% of melon import volume, the import share of domestic availability for watermelons is lower than cantaloupe or honeydew.
Ontario may be known for its bustling greenhouse industry, but growers of field-grown vegetables in the Canadian provience have made their own mark and are providing good volume this summer.
Ontario Potato Distributors Inc. of Alliston, Ontario launched its 2024 season with yellow potatoes the week of July 15, which were soon followed by white potatoes.
Ontario Potato ships year-round mostly to retailers but also has some foodservice and wholesale customers.
Procyk Farms (1994) Ltd. of Wilsonville, Ontario began harvesting in early June, a little earlier than usual because of warmer-than-normal weather.
The firm’s product line includes tomatoes, roma tomatoes, sauce tomatoes, red and savoy cabbage, sweet corn, zucchini and red, yellow and green bell peppers. All commodities were shipping by the second week of July.
Procyk Farms will ship until the first fall frost, which usually occurs by the Canadian Thanksgiving, which will be October 14 this year. Volume will be similar to last year.
Sweet corn is the major crop grown by Rouge River Farms in Gormley, Ontario. The company, which started in Ontario with a few acres in the late 1980s, now may be the largest fresh-market sweet corn grower on the East Coast.
Rouge River also has 8,000 acres of green beans, making it one of the largest growers of green beans on the East Coast. This will be the first year the company is growing green beans in Ontario.
The firm also has sweet corn and green bean programs in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.
Exeter Produce of Exeter, Ontario will have an extensive line of field vegetables this summer. Some of the items include broccoli, sweet corn, hard squash, garlic, rutabagas, green beans, cabbage, wrapped cabbage and wrapped broccoli as well as its new napa cabbage product and several new kinds of chili peppers.
The company grows on about 6,000 acres. Most of the local summer items from Exeter Produce will finish by early October, then the company will turn to squash, cabbage, rutabagas and heartier items until Christmas.
The fourth-generation grower ships most of its product to retailers and foodservice operators, 60% of which are in Canada with the remainder in the U.S.
Scotlynn Group of Vittoria, Ontario kicked off its sweet corn season the second week of July.
The company will ship pumpkins from Labor Day weekend through the end of October.
Sweet corn shipments should continue until mid-September.
The company grows 15,000 acres of vegetables in Ontario, Florida and Georgia and ships to retailers on the East Coast and West Coast of Canada and mostly to customers east of the Mississippi in the U.S.
According to a research published by Concordia University’s Department of Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology in the Physical Activity and Nutrition journal, consuming cranberry can improve running speed and aerobic performance in trained runners thanks to faster muscle reoxygenation rates.
The trials monitored the performance of 14 trained distance runners that ingested a cranberry supplement for 28 days.
The research found that constant supplementation led to noticeable improvements in their performance, running speed improvement, and muscle recuperation, thanks to faster reoxygenation rates.
Athletes ran two times trials over three separate visits, one 1,500-meter and the other a 400-meter, in the second test they were given a cranberry supplement and then told to continue ingesting it for 28 days.
This is due to the fruit being rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant which protects the body from free radical effects caused by strenuous exercise.
According to Concordia university’s paper, the fruit is also easily accessible for others who might want to try for themselves since “they’re indigenous to and a major industrial crop for Quebec.” According to Statistics Canada, the province produces roughly 60% of Canada’s cranberry yield.
By Kenneth Cavallaro ALC Boston
Some of my earliest memories involve fresh produce – watching cardboard crates of plump tomatoes and glistening peppers being unloaded at the docks of my family’s wholesale produce warehouse, sampling sweet berries, and vigilantly checking for damaged products beside my grandfather, father, and uncle. As the third generation of a produce family, fresh produce was a major part of my childhood.
At the time, I simply enjoyed the deliciousness of fresh fruits and vegetables and thought little of where they were grown or how they reached my kitchen table. As an adult, I now find myself fascinated by the process. How long does it take to pick a crop and get it from the farm to a customer’s table? What practices utilized during transport best preserve product quality? A great majority of our country’s produce comes from California and Mexico, with their ideal growing climates and lengthy growing seasons. In 2022 alone, 590,906 truckloads of imported produce were shipped from Mexico to the U.S. in 40,000-pound loads. How can so much perishable freight remain fresh when traveling across the country?
Danny Mandel, founder and former CEO of SunFed in Nogales, Arizona, has over 30 years of experience in the produce industry and was able to answer these questions. Mandel reports that it takes one day to pick, pack, and load a fresh crop and another two to five days to reach its final destination. What keeps fragile produce so fresh after this transport time? It requires growers to harvest produce at the optimal time and package it in sturdy containers that allow air to circulate while preventing bruising. Refrigerated van drivers and transport companies further extend product longevity with stringent adherence to temperature requirements – which vary by fruit and vegetable variety. Following temperature requirements on bill of lading instructions and carefully monitoring temperature gauges extend freshness and prevent the formation of mold. Furthermore, practices such as loading and unloading quickly help keep any adverse outside weather conditions or drastically different temperatures from damaging the product.
According to the USDA, Postmaster General Albert Burleson launched the Farm to Table program in 1914. The program consisted of picking up produce and other farm fresh items and delivering the goods as quickly as possible to retailers, ultimately reaching America’s kitchen tables with healthy products still as fresh as possible. Previously, unconsumed produce was destined for the compost heap. Now, growers could sell farm goods for financial gain to more consumers. The advent of temperature-controlled freight further made it possible to deliver products in a timely manner.
With the high demand for fresh produce, consumers can expect the industry to continue to advance in delivering produce as quickly as possible. Greenhouses could allow produce to be grown in colder states to lessen the stress of relying on warmer areas to support our heavy produce consumption and further decrease the transport time from farm to table. There will always be a need to transport the product, but more growing areas across the country would mean increased product freshness by reducing transport time.
Getting produce from the farm to your table as quickly as possible makes for a healthy and enjoyable meal. After 110 years, Postmaster Burleson’s Farm to Table idea continues to make great strides and improve consumer culinary options. The next time you stop by your local grocery store for salad fixings, keep in mind the growers who cultivated a beautiful crop, the dedicated drivers who quickly and safely transported thousands of pounds of product, and even the transportation broker who monitored the delivery of your load.
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Kenneth Cavallaro, Jr. is a carrier manager in the Boston office. He began his career at the Allen Lund Company in February of 2019. Kenneth has been in the transportation industry since May of 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Salem State University.
kenneth.cavallaro@allenlund.com