Check out some new links

I've added some links to the blog in the past week, notably the FAO Trade Flow Map. Check it out under the Government and Market Links. Also, I've been featuring wholesale prices from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles at the bottom of the blog. Reaction welcome....

Finger pointing and little else

Tara Smith of the American Farm Bureau reports little or no progress with farm bill talks. "We have this $10 billion number floating out there, with no list of how (Congress) will pay for it and questions about jurisdiction," she said. Smith also said the lawmakers haven't divided up the money up between the farm bill titles. So, more waiting and watching - and a possible short term extension until April 18. Smith said she doesn't believe the House and Senate Agriculture Committees are seriously considering the White House "requirement" that the f/v planting restrictions on program crop acreage be removed from the farm bill. Farm Bureau continues to maintain that any farm bill outcome should fall within the parameters of the farm bills passed by the House and the Senate.

U.S. Watermelon Industry

Here is a link to an ERS report on the U.S watermelon industry. The report includes data on U.S. and state acreage, yield, production, prices, and value; per capita consumption; U.S. trade; world production and trade, grades, varieties, and other data on truck freight charges, irrigation and characteristics of watermelon farms.

Wal-Mart on sustainability

When Wal-Mart talks about sustainability, the world listens. Here are a couple of Youtube videos referencing the company's ambitions,and here is link to Wal-Mart's home page about their environmental initiatives.

On loyalty programs

Tesco's loyalty program is hailed as one of their competitive advantages. This 2004 powerpoint looks at the loyalty club concept and identifies some of the promises and pitfalls.

Money where the mouth is

This story describes the gifts that Dole owner David Murdock has made to the University of North Carolina. If I am reading the story right, Murdock has pledged about $1 billion to the campus. From the story:

Billionaire David Murdock will fund the creation of new professorships at North Carolina State University with a $2 million gift.

That gift will be matched by a $1 million grant from the North Carolina Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund.

The $3 million will be used to create three endowed professorships named after Murdock, who is building the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. Murdock is also the owner of Dole Food Company and is investing more than $1 billion in the research project.

The new faculty will work in Kannapolis and will be part of NCSU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The positions are expected to be filled in time for the 2008-2009 school year.

NCSU is establishing a Fruit and Vegetable Science Institute as part of the mammoth Murdock project. The 100,000 square foot building is under construction and is expected to open on Aug. 1.

"Nothing is more exciting that having the knowledge of how to accomplish the things you want to accomplish,” Murdock said during a ceremony announcing the gifts.

Murdock is a tireless advocate of improved health through nutritional food.

The Research Campus also has partnerships with N.C. A&T, UNC-CH, Duke, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro and N.C. Central.


TK: Perhaps more than any person in the U.S. produce industry, Murdock is a believer in fruits and vegetables. His investment at UNC shows that he wants his legacy to show just that.