Breaker 1-9 - Trucker strike

More on the buzz about the truckers' strike, From Bizjournals:

Across CB radios and trucker blogs, news has spread about an independent truck drivers' strike planned for the first week of April. With no central coordination, the potential strike's duration, scope and impact on the Tampa Bay area is unclear. Accounts vary across Internet forums, but most pin the start of the strike to April 1 or April 3.
In Tampa, the port is the most likely place where the effects of a strike would be felt, if it happens, said Thad Pennland, VP of Cypress Truck Lines Inc. in Jacksonville. "You might have some extra freight lying around if the (independent truckers) who haul it don't show up for work," Pennland said.
During the last two weeks, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a trade association based in Missouri that represents roughly 161,000 truckers nationwide, has fielded increased calls from drivers with questions about the strike, said Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman. Threats of strikes among independent truckers are relatively common but usually twist in the wind and fail to materialize, Taylor said. This strike appears to have progressed beyond the usual scuttlebutt. "I have answered a record number of calls this week," Taylor said. "But with so much rumor, it's difficult to pinpoint who is going to participate. I've talked to a lot of members who don't plan to participate."
What striking trucker's hope to gain varies, but the common complaint is the spiraling costs of diesel fuel, which has spiked to $4 a gallon in some parts of the country. Truckers who drive as part of company fleets have all their fuel costs covered by their employer, but independent drivers get reimbursed for their gas costs through a fuel surcharge. The terms of those surcharge programs vary across the companies and do a poor job of covering sudden spikes in fuel rates, Pennland said.
"The word is they're really losing money on the fuel," he said. "Especially the small outfits that don't have much clout and can't demand coverage of a higher percentage (of fuel costs)."
Additionally, some of those truckers never receive reimbursement, Taylor said. OIDA is lobbying for new legislation that would mandate that 100 percent of rising costs on food and other goods caused by hikes in diesel prices be passed along to truckers. Only independent truck drivers have considered striking. Drivers represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are uninvolved, a union spokeswoman said.

National Retail Report - March 28

For retail produce department managers, Cinco de Mayo can't get here fast enough. Below is the summary graph of the USDA's weekly look at national produce promotions from March 28.


Produce Ads Suffer Post-Easter Decline
Retail ads this week lacked a universally common theme. Many retailers were running “10 for $10” and “buy-one-get-onefree” specials. Some retailers were featuring snack items hoping to draw in the March Madness crowd and others ran Spring-themed promotions. A few retailers were even targeting customers for the Passover holiday which will begin in a few weeks. Overall this week, total fresh produce ads were down roughly 18 percent compared to last week. Vegetables were down about 29 percent and fruit ads were down nearly 5 percent. The top 5 featured items were: grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries, mangoes, and zucchini. The most notable post-Easter declines were on pineapple, asparagus, green beans, and sweet potatoes.
As in the weeks before Easter, fruits were once again the most heavily featured and accounted for 52 percent of the total produce ads. Several fruit items saw an increase in ad space including: apples, avocados, grapefruit and melons. Notable declines on fruit were seen on pineapples, blueberries, and stone fruits. In addition, banana ads have been declining in ad space over the last several weeks. This is due to short supplies after the effects of a combination of weather events dating back to this past Fall in producing countries.


Fruits as Percentage of Total Fruit Ads
March 28, 2008
Watermelon,`mini 6%
Watermelon, seedless 1%
Strawberries, organic 1%
Strawberries 11%
Plums 2%
Peaches 2%
Pineapple 2%
Cantaloupe 12%
Clementines 0%
Grapes, green/red 16%
Grapefruit, red 3%
Honeydew 4%
Lemons 0%
Nectarines, yellow flesh 3%
Oranges, navel 4%
Pears, bartlett 6%
Mangoes 10%
Bananas 0%
Blueberries 2%
Bananas, organic 1%
Avocadoes, hass 8%
Apples, red delicious 8%








Vegetables as Percentage of Total Vegetable Ads March 28, 2008
Lettuce, iceberg 2%
Lettuce, romaine 3%
Cucumbers 7%
Carrots, baby organic 4%
Carrots, baby 8%
Cabbage 1%
Broccoli, organic 2%
Beans, round green 4%
Broccoli 4%
Asparagus 3%
Celery 3%
Corn 2%
Tomatoes, grape organic 2%
Tomatoes, grape 5%
Tomatoes on the vine 6%
Tomatoes 7%
Sweet Potatoes 0%
Potatoes, russet 3%
Peppers, bell red 3%
Peppers, bell green 2%
Squash, zucchini 9%
Onions, sweet 9%
Mushrooms, white 8%
Onions, yellow 2%

FDA Cantaloupe Resource Page

Here is a link to the FDA's cantaloupe resource page, relating to the limited recall due to salmonella concerns. From the page;


On March 21, the Food and Drug Administration issued an import alert regarding entry of cantaloupe from one Honduran company, Agropecuaria Montelibano, following an on-going investigation of a salmonellosis outbreak that began in the United States in January.

A combination of epidemiological information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and traceback analysis by the FDA determined that cantaloupes imported from this particular Honduran company were associated with the outbreak.

The FDA is working collaboratively with Honduran Government officials and Agropecuaria Montelibano to investigate the source of the contamination.

All importers have recalled the cantaloupes they purchased from Agropecuaria Montelibano. FDA is monitoring the recalls and continuing to work with other firms that had processed the cantaloupes to remove all potentially contaminated products from the market.

Cantaloupes imported to the United States from other countries and from other Honduran companies may still enter the U.S. as before. Only cantaloupe originating from Agropecuaria Montelibano should be discarded.

Recall - Firm press release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Voluntary Recall on Honduran Cantaloupes Due to Potential Health Concerns

Contact:
William Goldfield
818-874-4647

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Westlake Village, Calif., March 28, 2008 -- Dole Fresh Fruit Company, a subsidiary of Dole Food Company, Inc., has voluntarily recalled all Honduran Cantaloupes grown, packed and shipped by an independent third-party grower, Agropecuaria Montelibano of San Lorenzo Valle, Honduras.

This recall has been initiated based on current information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that fruit from this company appears to be associated with a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada.

Persons infected with Salmonella may experience a variety of symptoms and illnesses. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in more severe illnesses and potentially can be fatal.

The cantaloupes were distributed for sale throughout the United States and parts of Canada in cardboard cartons with the brand "Dole" and "PRODUCT OF HONDURAS" printed on each of the side panels of the carton.

The FDA advises consumers who have recently bought cantaloupes to check with the place of purchase to determine if the fruit came from this specific grower and packer. If so, consumers should throw away the cantaloupes. Consumers with questions may visit the FDA website at www.fda.gov for more information or contact the Dole Consumer Center at (800) 232-8888.

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