The year of local produce

Made a couple of calls today to receivers in New York and the New England area for coverage about truck rates and the impact on produce shipments.

With escalating fuel prices, one receiver said this is the year of local produce - particularly local/regional vegetables. With projections for $8,000 trucking costs from the West Coast this summer, West Coast vegetable shippers can't move excess supply to wholesale markets in the East and expect any kind of return at all. I'll look forward to getting more industry input on this pivotal issue in the days ahead....