Posts Tagged “feature”
DURHAM, N.C.–Pairwise, a health-focused food and agriculture company, and Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), the nation’s leading nonprofit working to improve the food system, today announced a three-year partnership to support a joint goal of increasing access to healthy, fresh, and affordable food.
For one in six Americans, healthy, fresh food is either too expensive, too far away, or both, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Pairwise is working to change that, through both its support of PHA and its overarching mission to drive change within America’s food system by leveraging CRISPR and other technology to bring tastier, more nutritious, or more convenient produce to market. Pairwise’s first food product, Conscious™ Greens, will launch later this year in both the foodservice and retail channels.
“We are pleased to partner with PHA, whose impactful work aligns so closely with the Pairwise vision of reducing barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption,” said Tom Adams, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Pairwise. “The challenge of ensuring access to healthy food is multifaceted and complex. At Pairwise, we are using technology to reduce barriers to healthy food access. But it is also imperative that we work with other organizations that are tackling key social barriers. PHA is leading the way in innovative solutions to ensuring food equity.”
Pairwise will contribute $75,000 annually to PHA’s Good Food for All program, which provides produce to families facing barriers to accessing affordable, healthy, and sustainable food. The program works with local partners to empower long-term changes in healthy eating behaviors in communities across the country.
Pairwise’s contribution will provide 630,000 servings of healthy fruits and vegetables through the PHA’s Good Food for All program and will support PHA’s commitment made at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to deliver 100 million servings of produce by 2025.
“Every day, too many families around the country struggle to access healthy food. This entrenched problem must be addressed so that good food is available to everyone, no matter their zip code. We are taking the steps to solve it by working with Pairwise to make healthy food accessible for families in-need,” said Noreen Springstead, President & CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America.
PHA and Pairwise’s shared goal of creating greater, sustained access to nutritious food will require innovative thinking and new solutions. Both organizations are focused on finding innovative solutions to persistent problems facing our current food system.
Pairwise is a leading food and tech company committed to building a healthier world through better fruits and vegetables. The company is based in Durham, N.C., with operations in Arizona and California, all locations where Pairwise expects to deepen its relationship with local PHA partners.
“We look at this partnership as the very beginning of what we hope to be a long-term relationship with PHA,” Adams said. “Our shared vision of ensuring healthy food access to all steers our work each day at Pairwise. As we launch our first products this year and mature as a company, we look forward to continuing to grow our meaningful work with PHA.”
Partnership for a Healthier America launched in 2010 and collaborates with companies across the supply chain to increase access to and affordability of vegetables and fruits and to improve the nutritional quality of food and beverages, resulting in more and healthier options for families.
Nogales, AZ – The spring season and warmer weather is upon us, and for Divine Flavor, the grower, shipper will be in full swing with its melon program for the next 7 weeks. With watermelon (regular seedless and mini seedless), cantaloupe, and honey dew, grown both organic and conventional, the company anticipates a strong month of May with volume for their expanded melon program in Mexico.
Divine Flavor’s melon program, which is based in the northern state of Sonora on the outskirts of Hermosillo, normally starts around the first weeks of April but the season was delayed this year by a few weeks due to cooler weather in the late winter. Although the programs were pushed slightly, the company anticipates rebounding quickly for a strong month of May.
Elizabeth Smart, Melon Category Manager for Divine Flavor shares the importance this season will need to continue availability and dependability throughout the next month. “The season started now, and quality looks good and promising,” said Smart.
“We’ve added to all sides of our melon deal expanding our organic and conventional melon commodities which will be essential for breaking new ground with our customers and their needs. Each season we continue to grow with this commodity, and this adds to our ability to be a dependable source of quality melons of each variety all in one shot.”
Shipping continues until mid June.
ELTOPIA, Wash.–From the first spears poking up, to picking and packing, Washington State’s 2023 asparagus season is underway. Consumers can expect the harvest in stores starting this week, carrying into mid-to late-June.
Last year brought a shorter season of approximately 15 million pounds of Washington asparagus, with an economic impact of $27 million. These numbers reflect a tougher year that saw continued pressure from imports, a delayed harvest start, an unusually cool growing season, and increased domestic labor costs. Looking to the 2023 season, however, industry experts remain positive.
“Our growers are optimistic and off to a strong start. The organic asparagus production continues to tick up, currently at about eight percent, and newer asparagus varieties are naturally more resistant to soil disease,” said Washington Asparagus Commission Executive Director Alan Schreiber.
The local asparagus industry faces competition from year-round imports, especially from Peru and Mexico.
Washington fresh asparagus exceeds USDA U.S. Number One standards with Extra Fancy-designated stalks, evident in more tightly and evenly packed bundles. Washington asparagus also means a far smaller carbon footprint with quicker farm-to-market transit times, and more freshness, flavor, juiciness and quality over imported counterparts.
Asparagus also packs in the nutrients. It naturally contains a built-in detoxifier, an amino acid called aspargine, vitamins A, C, K, E, folate, fiber, and glutathione (an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant). It can aid in protection from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease and is fat-free and cholesterol-free.
When shopping, choose odorless, green (or purple) firm asparagus stalks with dry, compact or barely-opened tips. Wrap the bases of the stalks in a wet paper towel, placed inside a plastic bag, then refrigerate. Before eating, rinse the spears under cool water and snap off or cut the lighter stalk base. Find tips and recipes at waasparagus.com/recipes.
Washington Asparagus Commission – Established in 1991, The Washington Asparagus Commission promotes Washington asparagus domestically, monitors and addresses trade issues, and advances environmentally sound production practices through research. The Washington Asparagus Commission represents the growers’ interest in areas and issues relating to the asparagus industry. Learn more waasparagus.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.”
Heavy volumes with avocados are being predicted for the U.S. market this summer.
Mexican avocados shipments are forecast to be big through May when Peru will start to ship some of its fruit. At this time both countries will be joined by the California crop, providing a strong supply of the fruit all throughout summer.
Peru has been experiencing rapid growth in volumes being exported to the U.S., and should peak around June.
USDA statistics show in 2022, 269.65 million pounds of avocados from Peru were shipped to the U.S. The Peruvian Association of Hass Avocado Producers reports in 2023, Peru expects to increase this volume further by 13%.
McDaniel & Chirico Worldwide of Fallbrook, CA reports Mexico and Peru have very large crops, which will compete with the California avocado starting later this year due to the heavy rains.
Mexico continues to expand its avocado production with Jalisco now becoming a new producing region of exported avocados to the U.S.
According to the Association of Avocado Producers of Jalisco, they expect to export, by July 2023, between 80,000 to 100,000 tons of Jalisco avocados to the U.S.
A very rainy winter in California has been especially good for California growers this year.
McDaniel & Chirico Worldwide notes it costs a lot of money to irrigate avocados, but growers’ costs for water were greatly reduced this year because of all the rainfall. Also, high amounts of rain help the trees leach out the salt from the soil and roots, which keeps trees healthier.
These factors have taken the pressure off of growers to pick fruit quickly to pay for their water costs. This means that they are able to hang the fruit for longer, allowing it to size up, which is why the season will start later, as there is no hurry to harvest avocados at this point of the year.
McDaniel & Chirico report they were already 30 million pounds into the crop at this point last season, and this year they are only at around five million.
The California crop will likely run until August this year.
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.
Naturipe Farms is kicking off the blueberry season from its Southeast growing region.
The company began shipping “blues” from Florida in mid-April and is transitioning to Georgia.
Following two years of unfavorable weather events like hurricanes and frost, Naturipe is reporting good volumes of high-quality blueberries for Florida and Georgia of conventional and organic fruit.
Naturipe has a year-round availability of its conventional and organic blueberries through its Globally Local program. The company is among the first to market with Florida blueberries, fulfilling East Coast needs and allowing for a smooth transition from Chile to Florida to Georgia.
Little Bear Produce of Edinburg, TX reports hot south Texas weather – which already had been in the 90s and even reached triple digits – has been good for melon vines. The company is just starting to ship watermelons, honeydew, and specialty melons. The season will last until around mid-June.
Little Bear started shipping sweet Texas 1015 onions in early March as well as Honeysweet onions. The season has been good, with good markets, yields and quality. The firm’s Texas onions loadings are now winding down, with the focus now shifting to Georgia’s Vidalia onions.
While early spring heat has been good for Little Bear’s melon crops, it has taken a toll on the company’s greens and vegetable crops. This harvest started last November and is now coming to an end.
By Sarah Stone, ALC Atlanta
Q&A Interview with Kyle Reinhard, Transportation Manager. The Peach Truck
While preparing for the upcoming season, I reached out to Kyle Reinhard, Transportation Manager at The Peach Truck, for his perspective on the market and their unique business model.
They operate over 60 booths across Nashville, TN, and run a 25-state tour of pop-up markets, plus a mail order delivery service to get you the tastiest peaches you’ll ever have drip down your chin. The peaches are picked in the morning, processed and packed in the early afternoon, and on a truck by early evening. For the past five years, we’ve managed the truckloads from the farm to a designated cross dock location. The pallets are immediately transferred to a branded ‘show truck’ and sent to the pop-up sales locations. We asked Kyle to dig into The Peach Truck’s promise of delivering fresh-picked peaches direct to the consumer.
What are the biggest challenges to this system?
The unknown – from forecasting sales projections to the natural unpredictability that is fresh produce harvest. Building out what our season will look like with so many unknown variables presents a wide range of potential scenarios, and that can certainly be challenging. Our biggest hurdle will potentially be something that is totally out of our control – supply.
When looking for a logistics partner, what are your top three requirements?
1. Price – Cheap doesn’t necessarily equate to good. And, on the contrary, neither does expensive. Ideally, finding that happy medium is where you want to be when identifying quality transportation partners.
2. Performance – How a carrier provider consistently performs is a good indicator of the overall health of their operation. How they react to and resolve these inevitable incidents, then work to prepare themselves to avoid any such incidents moving forward, really shows me how dedicated they are to their performance.
3. Communication – Consistent and reliable communication is key. When it’s really running well, it can be a beautiful thing to witness and partake in – all parties working towards a common, mutually beneficial goal.
ALC’s team is proud to be a dedicated extension of The Peach Truck. The Peach Truck prides itself on delivering high-quality peaches to the customer, and ALC strives to provide the same, quality service to their customers. The key to our success is our partnership with the customer- including carriers as a customer. While we cannot control Mother Nature and how the crops yield, we can ensure that the peaches are delivered fresh and on time. Communication, flexibility, and assessing customers needs keeps it “fresh”, and keeps the relationship growing.
Be sure to order some fresh peaches this summer… www.thepeachtruck.com
*****
Sarah Stone graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing). She started working at the Allen Lund Company in December 2010 after several years in the international air and ocean freight industry.
sarah.stone@allenlund.com
A Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods and seafood, may reduce the risk of dementia by 0.55%, according to a study from the UK Biobank published in the journal BMC Medicine.
The research, which tracked 60,298 people for more than nine years between the ages of 40 and 69 years, showed that people who stuck close to this diet had up to 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not.
Dementia is a group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment.
Symptoms include forgetfulness, limited social skills, and thinking abilities impaired to the point that it interferes with daily functioning.
The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables for every meal, as well as whole grains, beans, and seeds, along with a few nuts.
This is the type of food that experts have been recommending for a long time as the healthiest diet. A balanced diet helps reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as diabetes and helps the heart.
Research has consistently shown that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and overall mortality.
According to information published by Harvard University, research supports the use of the Mediterranean diet as a healthy eating pattern for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, increasing lifespan, and healthy aging. When used in conjunction with caloric restriction, the diet may also support healthy weight loss.