More Matters - the push begins

The buzz builds. Here is consumer press coverage of the More Matters launch next week.
From the Bismark Tribune:

On March 19, a new program, "Fruits & Veggies -- More Matters" will be launched at the national and state level, said Karen Ehrens, consultant to the North Dakota Department of Health.This is a new health initiative, led by the Produce for Better Health Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, designed to help close the "consumption gap," helping people overcome the everyday barriers that keep them from eating more fruits and vegetables.New guidelines recommend that people consume 3.5 to 6.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day, Ehrens said.When the PBH surveyed more than 500 mothers in October, the moms said that they would benefit from fast, simple recipes, tips on fitting various fruits and vegetables into family mealtimes, and tips on including fruits and vegetables in a tight budget.
So the initiative will focus on providing moms with tools to help get more fruits and vegetables into their children's meals and snacks, she said.


TK: I'm looking forward to being in San Francisco in a couple of days for the PBH Board of Trustees meeting, which will run March 16-19. While I leave Sunday, Lynn Morley of Produce Merchandising will stay for the official launch of Fruits & Veggies - More Matters, which will take place at 10 a.m. Monday at a Safeway store at 16th and Potrero Hill.

Looking ahead

Here is the link to the March 12 statement of Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration before the Wisconsin field hearing of the Senate Appropriations, Ag subcommittee.
Perhaps the most significant words he spoke referred to much anticipated public meetings about fresh produce safety.

To seek additional input from the public, we are holding two public hearings (March 20 in California and April 13 in Maryland) concerning the safety of fresh produce. We will share information about recent outbreaks of foodborne illness related to fresh produce and solicit comments, data, and other scientific information about current agricultural and manufacturing practices, risk factors for contamination, and possible measures by FDA to enhance the safety of fresh produce.

Vulnerable underbelly

That's part of the headline of this story from a LA Times writer about the fast food industry and fresh produce. From reading the headline, I would have thought that the vulnerable underbelly of the fast food industry is the biggie sized burgers and fries that are adding to the waistlines of Americans.

No, the angle for this story is how restaurant operators are dealing with the risk of pathogens on produce.
One excerpt:

"Produce is the Achilles' heel of the restaurant industry," said Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, who was hired as a consultant by Taco Bell during the outbreak. "People eat it raw and the produce industry does not have a sure-fire treatment that kills harmful bacteria." Health officials say contaminated lettuce found its way from the California farms to the companies that chop and dice the greens that caused the Taco Bell and Taco John's outbreaks. Lettuce is used in 70% of Taco Bell's food items."This is a serious issue," Taco Bell spokesman Will Bortz said. "We need to identify where there are loopholes in the system and address how to fix them, both for Taco Bell and the industry.

TK: While sorting out the food safety imperatives, operators should remind themselves that produce is more than the "Achilles' heel" of the restaurant industry. It is a vital drawing card that fast food operators shun at their own peril.

It is dark out there

According to severely limited Fresh Talk poll results, there is not much optimism about the prospect of replacing mandatory country of origin labeling law with a voluntary plan. Ten Fresh Talk readers - 90.9% - said mandatory country of origin labeling regulations will become law. Just one person - 9.1% of the respondents - said the industry will convince Congress to put in place voluntary COOL. It should be noted only 1% of our visitors voted this week. I'll keep trying...

New poll question: see right side of page

Will Congress pass immigration reform this year that accounts for the needs of agricultural employers?

Back from Wisconsin

I visited with Tom Stenzel of United Fresh this morning about his trip to Wisconsin to testify before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. He said the event featured a lot of give and take among panelists, perhaps more so than if it had been at DC.

Of, course it wasn't a meeting with a lot of closure, he noted. "There is going to be a large food safety debate in Congress for some time to come," he said. He noted United will be testifying at both FDA hearings on food safety later this month and in April.
Through it all, Stenzel said United will stress a uniform playing field among all growers, mandatory oversight by the federal government and commodity specific guidelines when it comes to farm and field practices.

Stenzel said that the FDA's issuance of guidance documents - such as the final draft on fresh cut safety guidance released yesterday - could be the path toward mandatory oversight.

"I look at (the fresh cut guidance document) as very much in the line of mandatory regulations," he said. Stenzel noted the sprout guidance issued by the FDA sometime back says "guidance" but the message is if you don't (comply with the "guidance") you are considered to be not in compliance.

If I understand Tom correctly, the nuance looking forward is that the government - not industry - will be responsible for issuing the GAP/GHP guidance for growers.

Over the next few months, it will be compelling to see if the industry's call for strong federal oversight can be met with a response from Congress that can restore consumer confidence without unduly burdening growers and the rest of the supply chain with costly regulations. That could be a challenge. Consumers - and the mainstream press - may have a hard time equating "guidance" with oversight. And if strong federal oversight equals enforcement of guidance, what will that look like?