If not produce safety....

In a conference call today, both Peter Goulet, chairman of the Newark, Del-based Produce Marketing Association, and Emanuel Lazopoulos, chairman of the United Fresh Produce Association, expressed strong support for their associations' unified approach on produce safety. Both said the industry will be engaged with the Food and Drug Administration to help put in place science-based standards.

One of them made the comment that if the two groups can't work together on produce safety, then what could they do together....

The clear meaning is that produce safety is of core importance to the industry. The members of both groups desire for PMA and United to be talking with each other - staff and industry leaders - and as unified as possible. Kudos to all concerned for the effort and resolve to make it happen.

The FAS reports

In agricultural attache reports from U.S. embassies abroad:

From Canada...
CANADA SET TO HARMONIZE SOME PESTICIDE STANDARDS TO MATCH U.S.: Canada is getting ready to harmonize some of its standards on pesticide use for fruits and vegetables to match those of the United States. The regulatory change, which is being done on a case-by-case basis, will apply to pesticide limits where it has been determined that no risks are posed by the regulatory change. In some cases this will require lowering the limit, in other cases raising it. Growers on both sides of the border have long complained that the lack of harmonization is a trade irritant. In 1996, Canadian and U.S. regulators formed a technical working group to address how pesticide regulations could be harmonized to eliminate some of the trade barriers. While differences in the ecosystems and patterns of use accounts for many of the differences in the limits between the two countries, the trend is to use
less due to the high costs of pesticides.


From Argentina...

Overall, the pear and apple crop in Calendar Year
(CY) 2007 is forecast at 1.8 million metric tons (MT), slightly above CY 2006 production due to favorable weather conditions in the Southern Valley (i.e., Neuquen and Rio Negro provinces) during Spring 2006, and despite the pact that many plantations have recently been pulled up. Fresh deciduous fruit production for CY 2006 is estimated at 1.75 million metric tons (MT), a five-percent decrease compared with the CY 2005 harvest. This season suffered neither hail nor late frosts, which usually occur, resulting in a much better quality fruit, and better yields at packing.
The CY 2007 apple crop is estimated to increase three percent due to a series of factors including, favorable weather conditions in the Southern Valley, new plantations entering production, and better technology applied to those new plantations. Overall, calendar year (CY) 2007 citrus production is estimated to remain at the CY 2006 level of 2.63 million metric tons (MT). In CY 2007, lemon production is expected to decrease to 1250 MT, seven per cent down with respect to CY 2006 production due to a combination of factors. Sources in the industry state that many small farmers whose fruit quality was suitable only for industrial purposes had to leave the business as a result of the poor industrial prices of the last three years. That land then went to the planting of other corps. Despite the latter, new plantations will enter into production in CY 2007. The same sources state that the higher yield of these new plantations will compensate the production of those that went out of production. The grapefruit crop in Northwestern Argentina (NOA) is forecast to increase in CY 2007 due to better weather conditions. Sources in the industry state that CY 2007 looks better in terms of yields but quality has been severely affected buy unfavorable climatic events. Too much rain in the spring of 2006 and the summer of 2007 resulted in development of cryptogamic diseases as citrus canker. Industrial sources informed that the crushing capacity is being overwhelmed by the larger amount of fruit that is being channeled to industrial usage due to the symptoms of that disease. Also, is the important production area of Province o Jujuy, hail and winds storms in October 2007 damaged fruits. Thetangerine crop is expected to increase 12 per cent in volume in CY 2007. Industrial sources estimate that Clementines and Nova varieties will be the stars of CY 2007. Also, the orange crops look better than in CY 2006. However, production is expected to increase only five per cent to 760,000 MT. CY 2006 production was 400,000 MT for tangerines and 730,000 MT for oranges, seven and five percent less than in CY 2005, respectively, due to unfavorable weather conditions namely, drought and a series of frosts. The most severe frost occurred on 1July 31, 2006, and affected mainly the Murcot variety.

From Japan.....

According to the Nikkei Newspaper’s survey targeting 300 working
mothers 20-40 years of age in Japan, the U.S. and U.K. concerning what they do purposely everyday for their health, the Japanese working mothers’ answers tended toward taking an easy solution, while the U.S. and U.K. working mothers answers tended toward harder ones such as jogging and eating less. Doing a stretch was top, consuming food/drinks that are said to be good for health such as vinegar and soy products was second, trying to lower their total intake calories per day was third, and drinking vegetable juice was the fourth most popular solution in Japan.

A park bench for Kyle

This story is about Kyle Allgood, the two year old Idaho boy who died nine months ago, apparently from eating tainted spinach. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child. Even to see your child sick or injured is a wrenching experience.

From the story:

One project neighbors are working on right now is raising money for a bench to be put in the park across the street from Kyle's house. That kind of support helps the Allgoods, but what helps above all is above all.
Jeff Allgood, Kyle's Father: "That's more where closure comes to me is understanding that this was part of my Heavenly Father's plan for my son. It's not what I would have chosen by any stretch but I have to have faith in him."
Robyn Allgood, Kyle's Mother: "We're more concerned about getting back there too him than holding someone accountable."
That accountability could come in the courts. The Allgoods have never been contacted by the growers responsible for the tainted spinach. They have been contacted by attorneys.
But the Allgoods say for them and their situation, legal action would only prolong their pain.
Robyn Allgood, Kyle's Mother: "We found a lot of peace in just letting go and remembering Kyle and the happy times we had with him."

TK: Let the industry never lag in its genuine commitment to produce safety, and may we all carry a part of the pain borne by Jeff and Robyn Alllgood.