Inside United Fresh

Congrats to the United Fresh Produce Association - Amy Philpott especially - for the first edition of Inside United Fresh, the new member email update. I like greater use of photos and I think midweek Wednesday delivery - as opposed to the Friday delivery of the now retired weekly update - serves members better. I note this interesting tidbit from the report:

Study Shows Fruits and Veggies in WIC to Boost Grower Returns

“With the inclusion of fruits and vegetables now on tap for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) government feeding program, most of us have been focused solely on the consumption increases that will be driven by some $500 million in federal funding,” said Lorelei DiSogra, vice president of nutrition and health at United Fresh. Now, a new economic study by the National Food and Agricultural Policy Project (NFAPP) at Arizona State University projects an additional impact on grower returns, due to the increased market demand. NFAPP examines one commodity – broccoli – to estimate the impact that adding fruit and vegetable vouchers will have in the marketplace. NFAPP’s Broccoli Market Watch builds on United Fresh’s estimate of $32 million in increased retail sales for broccoli, but then uses economic modeling to predict how strengthened market demand will boost grower returns as well. NFAPP estimates that demand will increase 2.2%, leading to a 3.8% increase in retail price, and 2.9% increase in grower price. That price impact alone would generate $21 million in increased returns to broccoli growers. For more information about fruits and vegetables in WIC, contact Lorelei, 202-303-3403.

TK: By the way, Lorelei helped set up an interview yesterday for me with researchers in Wisconsin studying the program effects of the fresh fruit and vegetable program there. More coming on that later....