Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Friday, March 27, 2009

Cornucopia Institute: Sounding the alarm

The Cornucopia Institute is happy with legislation that would impose food safety rules on "corporate agribusiness," but isn't sold on the prospect for organic and small farms. Read on.. From the inbox today, an action alert from Cornucopia:


The blogosphere has sounded the alarm warning that Congress and agribusiness and biotechnology lobbyists are conspiring to pass legislation that will force organic and local farms, and even home gardeners, out of business. What are the threats and opportunities, and how should we gear up to communicate with our congressional representatives?


A Food Safety System That Is Out Of Control
There is no question that our increasingly industrialized and concentrated food production system needs a new regulatory focus. Contamination of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peanuts and other foods are an indictment of a food safety system that is out of control and has become dominated by corporate agribusiness and powerful insider lobbyists. Regulators at the FDA, USDA and other agencies have fallen short in their public safety responsibilities.

The public outcry over this situation has finally led some in Congress to propose remedies—and we should support strict oversight of the runaway industrial farming and food production system that is responsible for illnesses and deaths among our citizenry.

Although stakeholders in the organic community need to be on-guard, the flurry of e-mails and Internet postings suggesting that HR 875 will end organic farming as we know it seem to grossly exaggerate the risks. Here's what we know:

Some level of reform is coming and we must work diligently to make sure that any changes do not harm or competitively disadvantage organic and local family farm producers and processors who are providing the fresh, wholesome and authentic food for which consumers are increasingly hungry.

Several bills aimed at fixing the broken food safety system have been proposed. Of these bills, the FDA Globalization Act (
HR 759) appears most likely to be voted on, with elements of the other bills, including the Food Safety Modernization Act (HR 875) and the Safe FEAST Act (HR 1332) possibly incorporated into the bill. A vote on a final bill shortly before Memorial Day is likely.

All three bills would require new food safety rules for farms and food processing businesses. Therefore, as with most legislation, the real battle will be in the rule-making process that follows the passage of the bill. We must stay engaged.


A Tempest in a Teapot
Anyone with an interest in food safety issues has probably seen or received emails charging that backyard gardens and organic farming would be outlawed by new food safety laws. We have closely read the proposed legislation, done extensive background research, and talked with the chief staff member responsible for the drafting of HR 875. Some have argued that this is a conspiracy promulgated by Monsanto and other corporate interests in conventional agriculture. It is our conclusion that none of these bills would “outlaw organic farming.” Other groups, such as Food and Water Watch and the organic certification agent CCOF have reached similar conclusions. But as we just noted, we need to be engaged in this process to protect organic and family farmer interests.

Also, concerns have been raised that these new laws don’t examine meat safety concerns. The USDA is responsible for much of the nation’s meat safety regulations. It does not appear that Congress, at this time, is prepared to address deficiencies involving meat.


Dingell Bill Has Momentum in the House
HR 759, authored by John Dingell (D-MI), the House's most senior member, is the bill that will be given priority by the House as they weigh food safety legislation. It proposes that all food processing facilities register with the FDA and pay annual fees, evaluate hazards and implement preventive controls of these hazards, monitor these controls and keep extensive records.

HR 759 would give authority to the FDA to establish "science-based" minimum standards for the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. These food safety standards would address manure use, water quality, employee hygiene, sanitation and animal control, temperature controls, and nutrients on the farm.

Such one-size-fits-all food safety rules, especially preventative measures, created with industrial-scale farms and processors in mind, would likely put smaller and organic producers at an economic and competitive disadvantage. A similar voluntary set of regulations in California have damaged the environment and hurt organic and fresh produce growers.

These high-quality, owner-operated, and often "local" farms are an important part of the solution to our nation's food quality problems—not the cause—and they must be protected!


Protecting the Nation's Farming Heroes
It should be noted that unlike conventional farms, organic producers are already highly regulated in managing manure by composting and other requirements that dramatically reduce pathogenic risk. Spinach, tomatoes, peppers, almonds, and peanuts are in no way inherently dangerous. These fresh and nutritious foods pose a risk only after they are contaminated, which is why new food safety legislation must address the underlying causes of food safety hazards.

Whatever the final legislation looks like, it must make clear that it is the intent of Congress to ensure that ensuing regulations will not disproportionately burden small-scale family farm producers and farmstead businesses that are the backbone of the local, sustainable and organic food movement.

Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!
We must tell Congress to protect high quality organic and local food production


TK: It could be that the influence of Cornucopia and other small farm advocates will tend to temper the expectations of food safety legislation this year. Certainly, the sensitivities of this community will create challenges to lawmakers in trying to exactly define what growers, if any, should be excluded from the impact of food safety legislation.

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Decofruit news

Priscilla Lleras of Decofruit wrote a gracious email today about Fresh Talk and asked me to pass on news from their company. From the release:

Expordata Full Cargo, the only official on-line figures of the Chilean fruit industry provided by the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association (ASOEX), has announced a redesign and new image of its user-friendly website. This information tool, provided by Decofrut of Santiago, Chile, covers all Chilean fruit statistics for all markets and is now even easier and more effective to use under the redesigned format. The new image celebrates Decofrut’s 20 years in business.

TK: Decofruit has been helpful to The Packer over the years in providing complimentary export data to our reporters doing stories on Chilean fruit exports. Check out the company's Web site at www.fruitonline.com.

Jay Martini and Mike Shamberg hired by Russet Potato Exchange

Our very creative guest blogger Jay Martini (if you are new to the blog, Jay had a string of powerful guest posts during the salmonella outbreak last year) has a new day job. Congratulations, Jay. Here is the press release about the recent developments at Russet Potato Exchange.



Bancroft, WI; March 26, 2009 – With sales and account presence all over the United States, Russet Potato Exchange (RPE) decided their offices no longer needed to be confined only within the borders of Wisconsin and opened their first satellite office in Chicago with the help of Mike Shamberg and John (Jay) Martini, Jr., formerly of The Art Kramer Company.

RPE’s interest in expanding their locations is based on their corporate goals to be a category leader and offer all their customers expanded services. Russell Wysocki, President of RPE commented, “Our new Chicago office allows us to offer greater customer service levels and touch points within the Chicago market, as well as extended Midwest markets by expanding our sales staff with experienced professionals like Mike and Jay.”

When asked about the transition, Shamberg remarked, “RPE presented Jay (Martini) and I with an opportunity to utilize our collective business experience and expand our customer base. Our close working relationship with RPE over the years has been based in trust and respect. Their continued growth in the industry was a testament to their vision and we wanted to be a part of that.”

Wysocki went on to note, “RPE’s relationship of over 30 years with Mike (Shamberg) provided us with a high degree of confidence in his ability to lead our new effort and bring valuable assets that help the new office quickly get up to speed and continue to deliver on our corporate initiatives for quality execution. Additionally, Jay’s experience with products like tomatoes gives us new areas of growth to explore.”“I am excited about the opportunity to work for a proactive company that is well positioned to take advantage of market opportunities. RPE’s willingness to bring Mike and I on board and expand their customer base and product mix speaks to their commitment to growth,” concluded Jay Martini.

RPE Chicago will be based in Skokie, IL and officially opened for business on Monday, March 23. In addition to handling potatoes, onions and tomatoes, RPE Chicago will be available for short service and will occasionally handle a variety of additional items including cabbage, carrots, melons and mixed root vegetables.

Russet Potato Exchange (RPE), a second generation family farm, is a category leader and key grower/shipper of year round potatoes and onions. RPE prides itself on maintaining a high level of business integrity that includes commitments to environmental sustainability, as well as category innovation and retail solutions.

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Gardening is golden and other headlines

One has to wonder - will the increase in backyard gardening be statistically significant? And if so, what will it mean for commercial growers? Yet another endorsement of gardening today. Find the article here. From the piece.

The trend is so hot, even the White House is doing it, with first lady Michelle Obama on Friday breaking ground on the first kitchen garden there since Eleanor Roosevelt's World War II victory garden. Obama told the grade-schoolers at the groundbreaking that whole point of the garden was to make sure her family had access to fresh vegetables and fruits.

More headlines this morning...


Grain growers rebuff Obama's plan to cut subsidies EO.now

Grain industry leaders from Oregon, Washington and Idaho sent an open letter to President Obama Tuesday, expressing outrage over his proposal to cut payments to farmers in order to ease the national deficit


Organic foods in demand despite recession Stock and Land

World demand for organic foods is expected to grow by 46pc over the five years endin 2012, despite the world economic crisis. This bullish outlook is contained in a United Nations Trade and Development Agency (UNCTAD) report. World sales from certified organic products are expected to reach $67 billion in 2012, up from $46 billion in 2007 and about $23 billion in 2002.


Red meat linked to risk of earlier death Star Tribune

Eating red meat increases the chances of dying prematurely, according to a large federal study offering powerful new evidence that a diet that regularly includes steaks, burgers and pork chops is hazardous to your health.The study of more than 500,000 middle-age and elderly Americans found that those who consumed the equivalent of about a small hamburger every day were more than 30 percent more likely to die in the following 10 years, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Processed meats also increased the risk.The new study is the first large examination of the relationship between eating meat and overall mortality.In contrast, routine consumption of fish, chicken, turkey and other poultry decreased the risk of death slightly, the study found

Roubini on home buying: beter to wait International Business Times

Economic uncertainty due to job losses means potential home buyers should hold off as prices are set to drop up to 20 percent in the next 18 months, economist Nouriel Roubini said on Thursday.

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