Fresh Produce Discussion Blog

Created by The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

National Restaurant Association Registers Support for Tax Extenders

( Washington, D.C.) In a statement for the record for today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing, “Extenders and Tax Reform: Seeking Long-Term Solutions,” the National Restaurant Association’s David Koenig, Vice President of Tax and Profitability, called for the extension of several tax provisions that are critical for the restaurant industry, the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer.

“Tax reform presents an opportunity to provide taxpayers with certainty, simplicity, and fairness, while encouraging economic growth and job creation,” said Koenig. “Done properly, a comprehensive and nuanced review of the tax system would eliminate those tax policies that detract from these objectives, while promoting those that advance them. Specifically, the U.S. economy would benefit from reform efforts that make permanent the 15-year depreciation schedule for leasehold improvements, restaurant improvements and new construction, and retail improvements, which would advance these goals. We also urge continued support for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the deduction for donations of food inventory, and an increase in the deduction for business meals. These provisions provide significant benefits to the economy and should be continued as permanent aspects of the tax code. Moreover, we urge immediate and seamless extension of expired tax provisions, which is essential to continuing the tax relief and access to capital that is critical to our nation’s economic and financial

Friday, January 27, 2012

Architect Robert Nicol pledges $2 million to advance Deaf Studies at Fresno State

Architect Robert Nicol pledges $2 million to advance Deaf Studies

(January 27, 2012) – Robert Duncan Nicol has never heard the sound of his own voice. He did not speak until he was 10 years old. But since Nicol found his voice, he has dedicated his life to proving that deafness, while limiting, would never deter him from achieving his dreams.

Now a retired architect and vineyard-owner, Nicol has committed to helping individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing by pledging $2 million to Fresno State’s Department of Communicative Disorders & Deaf Studies in the College of Health and Human Services. His gift establishes the Robert Duncan Nicol Endowed Chair in the Silent Garden.

A celebration will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27, at Fresno State’s Kremen Education Building, Atrium 54/58. University President John D. Welty will formally announce the gift and Nicol will speak to members of the Deaf community, hoping to improve their lives not only through his generosity, but also through his personal story. 

“I’m able to prove that deaf people indeed can do many things,” Nicol said.

Nicol has been overcoming stereotypes about deaf and hard of hearing people from a young age. He attended the Army and Navy Academy of Carlsbad before graduating from University of California, Berkeley with a degree in architecture. In 1993 Nichol was named a Fellow of the American Architects, one of the most prestigious professional designations for architects in the nation.

In 2005, Nicol purchased 20 acres of vineyards in Napa, where he established Robert Nicol Vineyards, growing pinot noir and chardonnay grapes for nearby wineries.

Known for his adventurous nature, Nicol leads an active life with diverse interests. By feeling the vibrations of music he learned to play the piano and guitar. His passions also include horseback riding, sailing, parachuting, skiing and co-piloting small airplanes.

Nicol credits his parents for opening doors of opportunity to him at a young age. He says children who are deaf or hard of hearing need special educational support to unlock their individual talents. “That support was pretty obvious to me when I visited Fresno State,” says Nicol. “Other schools may or may not have it, but I found it in Fresno and I am more than happy to support them.”

The gift will benefit The Silent Garden, a project to cultivate communication for the deaf and hard of hearing community of Central California.

The Robert Duncan Nicol Endowed Chair in the Silent Garden will bring experts from across the nation to teach at Fresno State and conduct outreach with the community. A new guest lecturer will be invited each year to teach and provide free workshops, seminars and counseling services for teachers, parents and professionals.

The Silent Garden was established by Fresno State professor emeritus Dr. Paul W. Ogden. “In the past two decades, most research in the deafness-related fields has been done by experts on the East Coast. The West Coast suffers from this lack of research and support from experts,” Ogden said.

Ogden has known Nicol since 1972. The two men share a passion to change the landscape of deaf education.

“The Silent Garden is a community oriented program focused on sharing knowledge and training families,” Ogden says. “The deaf population can often be invisible, but Silent Garden will help us bring awareness to the community.”

He has published numerous papers and articles about educating deaf and hard of hearing children. Ogden’s book “The Silent Garden: Raising Your Deaf Child” was first published in 1982 and translated into Spanish in 2002.

The Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Studies in the College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State trains professionals in speech-language pathology, audiology, deaf education and interpreting. Alumni of the department work to provide education and opportunities to deaf and hard of hearing children and adults, helping them to grow, flourish and thrive in our community.

The $2 million gift from Nicol is the largest commitment in the history of the College of Health and Human Services. 

ALG: Annual GDP grew just 1.7 percent, debt nearly larger than economy

Jan. 27, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement reacting to the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) release by the Bureau of Economic Analysis:

"In 2011, the economy slowed down considerably to a tepid snail's pace of 1.7 percent for the year.  The housing bubble popped in August 2007, and the economy contracted in its aftermath.  Here we are, four years later, and the economy is still very weak, unemployment remains unacceptably high, consumer inflation is still rising, and the cost of doing business in America remains among the highest in the developed world. Have we really turned the corner?

"Interestingly, the Bureau points to a slowdown of government spending in 2011 as leading the drop in GDP, even though at the federal level spending still increased last year.  This proves that the 'stimulus' of 2009 and 2010 merely created some artificial demand for goods and services, which, once it ran out, did not create a virtuous cycle of growth as promised.  The only thing that was apparently accomplished is that now the debt is nearly larger than the economy.  Obama has failed.

"The Obama administration said 'stimulus' needed to be 'timely, targeted, and temporary,' and then all would be well. But because the underlying government-created problems in housing, the financial and monetary system, the burdensome regulatory environment, the restrictions on capital creation, and the highest corporate tax rate in the developed world remain unaddressed, all the spending, borrowing and printing produced was a temporary sugar high.

"This is the 1930's all over again, when, no matter how much borrowing, spending, and printing the government did, the economic doldrums persisted through the decade, and meanwhile, government has gotten considerably larger.  It is time for a new way forward that will address the supply side of the equation and reduce the cost of doing business stateside, which is the only long-term solution to sustainably grow the economy and create new jobs.  We need real growth, not more debt."

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Farm Bureau: Farmers Get Trendy

By Stewart Truelsen

According to Phil Lempert, best known as the Supermarket Guru, “Farmers are becoming the latest food celebrities.” He goes so far as to predict that celebrity chefs are out, celebrity farmers are in.
Lempert is an astute food industry observer, journalist and trend watcher. He created a virtual grocery store and consumer information center, Phil’s Supermarket, on Second Life, a rapidly growing online world. If you have time for a second life you might want to check it out. Otherwise there is his website, www.supermarketguru.com. 
The notion that farmers are becoming celebrities is one of Lempert’s Top Ten Food Trends for 2012. He may have gone a bit too far with this one. Most farmers don’t have time to be celebrities, but they do recognize the value in opening lines of communication with consumers.
Lempert believes the “farm to fork” journey has become increasingly important. Shoppers want to know where their food comes from. “We’ve seen ‘buy local’ become one of the most important supermarket offerings; now we get to meet the people who are the producers, farmers and ranchers,” he said in describing the trend.
The American Farm Bureau Federation has facilitated this trend with an emphasis on social media.  AFBF’s FBLog has opinions and perspectives from the nation’s top producers. Want to know what cold-climate farmers do all winter? It can be found there at www.fb.org/blog. 
Farm Bureau also reaches out to consumers with Foodie News, an electronic newsletter that appeals to those most passionate about food and food trends. Individual farms and ranches are represented on Facebook and Twitter and are eager to have friends and followers.
For many years farmers have wanted to tell their story to consumers, but it was always hard to reach an urban audience. Print and broadcast media just didn’t get the job done. The only time consumers paid much attention was when food prices were rising or a drought, freeze or some other calamity affected farmers.  
The growing consumer interest in the “farm to fork journey” and how it is promoted through social media and the Internet is a huge breakthrough for the farming and ranching community, and the trend is only just beginning. 
Lempert isn’t the only one noticing the higher profile or celebrity status of farmers and ranchers. One of The Food Channel’s top trends for 2012 is the rise of the agri-chef, a new breed of chefs who like to grow their own food. TFC expects this trend to evolve from gardens to full-fledged farms. One thing we know for sure is that growers have reached out to renowned chefs, and they are almost as likely to be on the agenda for a major farm convention as an economist.
It’s no secret that people like to visit farmers and ranchers and see firsthand how their food is grown, but it is impossible in today’s world for everyone to do that. Social media connections help make the farm to fork journey possible for more people.

Center for Food Safety Calls on EPA Not to Backpeddle on Its Agreement to Track U.S. Animal Factories

Center for Food Safety Calls on EPA Not to Backpeddle
on Its Agreement to Track U.S. Animal Factories

Much needed inventory would identify animal factories’ locations and manure management practices, allowing EPA to begin assessing scope of national threat to water and food supplies.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Center for Food Safety (CFS) submitted comments strongly criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) disappointing failure to implement a 2010 settlement agreement it reached with environmental groups and called on the agency not to capitulate to industry pressure and weaken its much needed action.  CFS’s comments were also joined by Friends of the Earth. 

In 2010, EPA agreed to conduct an inventory and profile the largest animal factories by requiring reporting of very basic operational information such as geographic location, ownership, quantity of manure produced, and use of manure.  Despite widespread animal factory farming in the U.S., EPA never previously tracked this data, and thus has no understanding of the scope of the manure problem that is polluting our nation’s waters and placing our food supply at risk. 

EPA recognized years ago that it has absolutely no handle on the billions of gallons of manure annually entering the nation’s waters and food supplies from U.S. animal factories.  A 2008 Government Accounting Office report entitled “EPA Needs More Information and a Clearly Defined Strategy” sharply criticized the agency’s lack of action.  However, EPA’s late 2011 draft rule only required reporting of less than half of the information required by the agreement, without explanation.  Under the EPA proposal, the animal factory industry would be allowed to continue mismanagement of manure and would leave to local communities the burden of enforcing environmental laws. 

“EPA’s proposal is a misguided, head-in-the-sand approach to an issue that the government has recognized as a significant problem for many years,” said Elisabeth Holmes, CFS Staff Attorney.  “EPA’s draft rule is contrary to the Court Settlement, the GAO Report, the Pew Commission recommendations, as well as EPA’s overarching duty to protect the public and the environment.”

Most of the dairy, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and egg products sold in U.S. grocery stores – and served at institutional facilities such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons – comes from animal factories.  Animal factories raise hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of animals destined for human consumption in large-scale, high-density confinements and as a result produce large quantities of meat, dairy or egg products at a low economic cost.  Animal

factories also produce too much manure to fertilize their own fields, and the manure is so laden with pharmaceutical products, animal feed additives and heavy metals that it can actually kill crops instead of promoting soil fertility and moisture.  Animal factories frequently disregard restrictions on applying manure as a fertilizer so over-applications and mis-applications result in manure, pharmaceutical products and additives escaping and flowing into drinking water supplies and rivers.  Manure management is a major operational concern and a constant source of water pollution for every animal factory.  Annually, a single animal factory can produce 1.6 million tons of waste, or more than 1.5 times the sanitary waste produced by the 1.5 million residents of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  One cow can produce 20 times the amount of waste as a single human.  Animal factories store millions of gallons of manure usually in “lagoons”, which are susceptible to breakage and leakage. 

The federal government claims that approximately 20,000 animal factories exist in the U.S., but other data suggests there may be as many as 238,000 animal feeding operations.  Without an inventory and data tracking system the EPA cannot estimate the number of animal factories in the country or their environmental effects. 

Under the current Clean Water Act permitting structure, EPA only requires certain animal factories to report limited information.  The information reported for permitting purposes does not correspond to that required by the 2010 agreement, which was designed specifically to begin meaningfully assessing the scope of the nationwide pollution problem.

“The Center for Food Safety is just as concerned with security issues facing our nation’s food supply as farmers,” said Holmes.  “As the GAO Report and Pew Commission Report on Industrial Animal Farm Production demonstrate, this problem is an immediate threat to our waters, our health, and our food supply.  EPA must require animal factories to report basic operational information that other industries have had to declare for decades, and EPA must make this information available to the public.”

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Key themes in the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 supporting programme

Key themes in the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 supporting programme

Berlin, 25. January 2012– Along with a complete market overview of products and services from across the fresh produce value chain, FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 (8-10 Feb.) includes a first-class conference programme. It offers representatives from the international fresh produce trade in-depth information in a series of seminars and panel discussions focusing on current market issues, problems and industry trends. The 31st Fresh Produce Forum taking place at the ICC Berlin on the day before the trade fair opens (7 Feb.) will kick off the world's leading fresh produce industry event. This year's theme: "Sourcing 2020".

Six Hall Forums will be presented in Hall 26 during the three days of the trade fair. The topics of the lecture series organised by Fruchthandel Magazine (Düsseldorf) include: Optimising urban retail logistics (8.2.), How to handle crisis management (8.2.), The global citrus market (9.2.) The new banana business (9.2), Regional sourcing on an international scale (10.2.) and Innovation in the fresh produce business (10.2.).

The Andalusian Minister of Agriculture Clara Aguilera and Dr Robert Schaller from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection have confirmed their participation at the Hall Forum “How to handle crisis management“.

Outstanding achievements in the fresh produce trade will be honoured with the following industry awards: "FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE Retail Award 2012" (7.2.) and the FRUIT LOGISTICA INNOVATION AWARD 2012 "FLIA" (10.2.).

Overview of FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 supporting programme

31st FRESH PRODUCE FORUM
TUESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2012
15.30 – 19.00 HRS, ICC Berlin, Saal 15.2

Sourcing 2020

The sourcing of high quality fresh produce will become a whole new challenge over the next decade. The food retail sector is making an effort to become more involved in the procurement process in order to ensure long-term supply, optimise costs and gain more influence on the products and specifications. In the face of a rapidly-growing world population, global production will be reorganised to some extent. At the same time, the role of conventional fruit suppliers is changing and they will need to once again demonstrate their expertise as providers. The focus of discussion will be on the following issues:

•    What effect will direct sourcing by the retail sector have?
•    How should producer organisations and fruit trading companies position themselves?
•    What impact will demographic trends and the expansion of economically powerful markets in Russia, the Middle East and Asia have on sourcing and trade flows?

International experts from the research, production, wholesale and retail sectors will analyse the situation and take a look into the future: 

•    Cindy van Rijswick, Industry Analyst Fruit, Vegetables and Floriculture, Rabobank International, Netherlands
•    Bernd Schröder, tegut, Germany
•    Dietmar Bahler, BayWa, Germany
•    Andrew Sharp, Fresca Group, UK
•    Andreas Allenspach, van Rijn Group, Netherlands

The Fruchthandel Magazine Retail Award 2012 will be presented by Fruchthandel Magazine in conjunction with this year's Fresh Produce Forum. One of the special features of this award is that consumers get to choose the most popular fruit and vegetable department in the German food retail sector. On behalf of Fruchthandel Magazine, consumer researchers at GfK Nürnberg surveyed 7,500 households across Germany to find their opinions about fruit and vegetable departments in the German retail sector. What opinion could be more significant than that of consumers, the target audience for all quality and marketing efforts? Following the award ceremony, Helmut Hübsch from the GfK will talk about the survey results – and offer interesting insight into the consumer mindset.

The Fresh Produce Forum will be simultaneously translated into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish. The participation fee is 85.00 Euro and includes a permanent pass for FRUIT LOGISTICA and FRESHCONEX. Registration and information updates are available on www.fruitlogistica.com/ Events. 

HALL FORUM PROGRAMME

WEDNESDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2012
11.00 – 12.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

Optimising urban retail logistics
Urban areas suffer from increasing traffic congestion, noise and exhaust emissions. Delivery vehicles struggle to meet deadlines. Local supply logistics are in dire need of optimisation. The project presented here aims to save costs, reduce noise and CO2 emissions and optimise deliveries. One of the unique features: cooperation between competitors.
Speakers: Klaus Schnorr, DOEGO, Germany; Christiane Auffermann, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics , Germany; Stefan Grubendorfer, Rewe Grubendorfer, Germany.


WEDNESDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 2012
15.00 – 16.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

How to handle crisis management
Addressing a topic that is as timely today as it will be tomorrow, this Hall Forum presents strategies for exploring the right answers, approaches and solutions ahead of time in order optimally prepare for the worst-case scenario. What needs to be accomplished at the various trade levels? How should communications with consumers be organised?
Speakers: Clara Aguilera, Andalusian Minister of Agriculture, Spain; Dr. Robert Schaller, Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Germany. Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago, Freshfel Europe, Belgium.


THURSDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 2012
11.00 – 12.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

The global citrus market
This Hall Forum presents the current status and future trends in global citrus production and consumption in Europe, the southern hemisphere and other key supplier countries. The market is rapidly changing. Where will production increase? Where will it be cut back? What are the determining factors? What is the outlook for the future? How can trading companies adapt to the situation?
Speakers: Egle Eimontaite, International Trade Advisor, Freshfel Europe, Belgium; Francisco José Martínez Serrano, Comité de Cítricos, Spain; Betina Ernst, Top Info Marketing SA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Justin Chadwick, Citrus Growers Association, South Africa.


THURSDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 2012
15.00 – 16.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

The new banana business
Bananas are among the most popular consumers products. Keeping them fresh involves a number of unique challenges. The market is highly competitive and consumer approval sometimes comes with a high price. What is the main focus today? How can products and services be improved? How can consumption be increased?
Speakers: Dr. Ulrike Bickelmann, Federal Office for Agriculture and Food / Head of Department, Department 413:  inspection procedures for plant products and marketing standards, Germany; Jörg Nürnberg, Univeg, Germany.


FRIDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2012
11.00 – 12.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

Regional sourcing on an international scale
Regional sourcing is one of the key issues in the trade. The focus is on familiarity and trust between products, consumers and the POS. Many suppliers label their products sold on foreign and domestic markets with the country of origin and use this as a marketing focus. How can this successful concept be further expanded? How can cooperation be optimized across the entire supply chain? How can the fresh produce trade become more directly involved? Speakers: Emmanuel Descloux, Prince de Bretagne, France; Gerhard Dichgans, VOG South Tyrol, Italy; Hans-Jürgen Kirsch, Head of Product Management fruit & vegetable / flowers/ plants, Globus-SB-Warenhaus Holding, Germany.

FRIDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2012
13.00 – 14.00 HRS, FRUCHTHANDEL MAGAZINE HALL FORUM, HALL 26

Innovation in the fresh produce business
What has become of the previous FRUIT LOGISTICA INNOVATION AWARD "FLIA" winners? Are these products successful in the market? Are they popular in the eyes of consumers? What can be learned from this? What makes an innovation successful?
Speakers: Jörg Werner, Rijk Zwaan, Netherlands; Dr. Hans Renia, Nunhems,  Netherlands.


FRIDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 2012
14.30 – 15.00 HRS, FLIA-STAND, PASSAGE HALLS 20/21

Presentation of the FRUIT LOGISTICA INNOVATION AWARD 2012 "FLIA"

All events will be simultaneously translated into English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

This press release and information updates for the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 supporting programme are available on the Internet: www.fruitlogistica.com

Friday, January 20, 2012

Beginning Farmer Land Contract Program Launches

Washington, DC January 19, 2012 – As of January 3, 2012, the Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Program is available nationwide.  USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) issued the final rule for this farm bill program in December 2011.  Today FSA published a press release and a fact sheet on the program.
“The Land Contract Guarantee Program offers a good option for retiring farmers looking to work with new farmers directly, and helps beginners access the land they need to grow a viable farm,” said Juli Obudzinski, policy associate with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC).  “We applaud Secretary Vilsack for his support of this program and FSA for helping to get the word out to the farm community.”
NSAC developed the policy proposal for this program, and fought for its inclusion in the 2002 and again in the 2008 Farm Bill.  To read more about the program, visit NSAC’s Grassroots Guide.  “We want to especially thank Senator Tom Harkin and Representative Tim Walz, along with all of their co-sponsors, for working for the program’s inclusion and expansion in the last farm bill,” said Obudzinski.  “We are very hopeful that additional provisions to assist beginning farmers, including those in the recently introduced Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act (S.1850, H.R.3236), will be incorporated into the upcoming farm bill.”
Today FSA also announced implementation of a new rule to provide additional flexibility in determining whether a new farmer has sufficient experience to receive an FSA loan, providing a greater recognition of on-the-job training. 
“The number of young people starting new farm businesses is exploding, often starting through apprenticeships and on-the-job training programs” according to Lindsey Lusher Shute, Director of the National Young Farmers' Coalition, an NSAC member organization.  “As a result of the rule change, the Farm Service Agency will be better able to work with this important new constituency, provided the loan officers in the county offices are properly trained.  With good implementation, new farmers will be better able to access the credit they need to purchase land and operate their farms.”
Land Contract Program
Two primary barriers for beginning farmers and ranchers are access to land and capital with which to begin farming.  This program, initially launched in 2002 as a pilot program in 9 states, is intended to help.  It reduces the financial risk for retiring farmers who sell their farmland to a beginning or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher by providing a federal guarantee of three years of “prompt payments” in case the beginning farmer runs into trouble making their payments.  There is also a second option of a standard 90 percent guarantee of the outstanding principal on the land contract.  The retiring farmer has the option of choosing the prompt payment guarantee or the regular guarantee on the value of the asset.
In order to be eligible for this program, the seller needs to self-finance the sale of their land, and sell to either a beginning or socially disadvantaged farmer.  The buyer of the farm or ranch must a) be a beginning or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher, b) be not larger than a family farm (in which most of the management and labor is provided by family members), c) be the owner or operator of the farm when the contract is complete, and d) have an acceptable credit history and be unable to obtain sufficient credit elsewhere.
Interested parties should contact their local FSA office.

Monday, January 16, 2012

FRESHCONEX Business Forum 2012

Berlin, 16 January 2012 – The FRESHCONEX 2012 Business Forum on 8-10 February offers fresh produce convenience experts a top-notch platform with information and discussions focusing on current industry trends. The featured topics over the three days of the trade show range from "New opportunities in marketing for fresh produce convenience" (8.2.) to "Food safety" (9.2.) and "Technology and new product development" (10.2.). The FRESCONEX Business Forum offers excellent opportunities to share in-depth information and exchange ideas with guest speakers and international industry representatives.



The FRESHCONEX Business Forum is staged in Hall 7.2b and is fully integrated into the exhibition area which means that it is included in the FRESHCONEX admission price. The Business Forum presentations will be simultaneously translated into German and English.



"New opportunities in marketing for fresh produce convenience" is the key theme on the first day of the trade fair (8.2.). In a series of half-hour presentations, international industry representatives focus on the market opportunities resulting from special marketing strategies in the fresh convenience sector.



In many European countries, including the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands, fresh convenience products are now an established part of daily eating habits. In his presentation, Tony Walsh, Category Manager at Florette, talks about which markets still offer potential for the development of fresh produce convenience products (11-11.30: New markets for fresh produce convenience products).



Johan Halvorsen from SydGrönt AB in Sweden outlines the Nordic markets' special demands on fresh convenience product suppliers. He describes what buyers in these countries expect and what consumers want (12-12.30: Market solutions for fresh produce convenience in Nordic markets).



Private label products play an important role for European food retailers. Peter Hostens, Managing Director at UNIVEG Legumex Trade, shows how sales can be increased through the development of private label brands in the convenience category (14-14.30: Opportunities for developing the convenience category at retail)



A growing number of fresh convenience brands are being sold through non-traditional sales channels. In his presentation, Hans Liekens, Operating General Manager at Chiquita Brands International, Inc., talks about the size of the potential gains in these new markets, the success stories taking place at the traditional retail level as a result of these new opportunities, and how consumers perceive and respond to the new purchasing options (15-15.30: Beyond retail: building your brand for a total consumer experience).



"Food safety" is the main topic of the forums on the second day of the event (9.2.). The German market and international suppliers are still feeling the impact of the E-Coli crisis last summer. This situation clearly demonstrated the importance of food safety and traceability. In his presentation, Frédéric Rosseneu, Food Policy Advisor at Freshfel Europe, explains what lessons need to be learned and what special challenges the convenience sector is facing (11-11.30: Learning the lessons of the food safety crisis).



Food safety audit harmonization represents a key challenge for the business. Dr David Gombas, Senior Vice President, Food Safety & Technology from the United Fresh Produce Association, and Dr Kristian Moeller, Managing Director of GlobalG.A.P., discuss the current situation and assess the steps needed to achieve harmonization (12-12.30: Next steps to food safety audit harmonization).


Information and available communication channels are crucial in the debate about food safety. Close cooperation with the media makes good sense when it comes to ensuring public awareness. In this forum, Mike Knowles, Managing Editor of Market Intelligence Ltd. und Michael Barker, Editor of Fresh Produce Journal discuss the role of the press and social media, and address the issue of whether they should be more involved in the information flow (14-14.30: Using the media for food safety).



New technologies can play an important role in improving food safety, from extending shelf life and product preservation, to washing and cleaning. The presentation by Marc Benarie, Export Manager at Bioconservacion S.A., focuses on how these technologies can support food safety for fresh convenience products (15-15.30: The role of new technologies in food safety).



The focus on the third day of the trade fair (10.2.) is on "Technology and new product development". New seeds, innovative varieties and continuously updated technologies have resulted in changes across the entire supply chain. Daniel Kretzschmar, Produce Chain Manager at Nunhems for Europe and the Middle East, introduces the latest innovations, and describes the development of new varieties (11-11.30: Fresh produce convenience and new seed technology).



New products and product mixes are generating new sales potential. Robert Verloop, Senior Vice President Marketing at Naturipe Farms, LLC, presents the latest industry trends and offers an assessment of future trends (12-12.30: New product mixes in the fresh convenience market sector).



Shelf life is a key factor in the future growth of the fresh produce convenience sector. Simon Matthews, General Manager at AgriCoat NatureSeal Ltd., and Sayandro Versteylen, Director of Product Technology at Paper Pak Industries, discuss new technological solutions along with what to expect in the future and what impact these technologies will have on product quality (14-14.30: New technologies to improve shelf life and product quality).



The FRESHCONEX Business Forum is presented by Fresh Convenience Magazine (London) and the United Fresh Produce Association (USA). Information updates for the FRESHCONEX Business Forum and its speakers are available online: www.freshconex.com / Events.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Poll: Forty-three Percent of Americans Credit Divine Intervention for Tim Tebow’s Success


Forty-three Percent of Americans Credit Divine Intervention for Tim Tebow’s Success

Atlanta, Ga. – January 12, 2012  – As Tim Tebow-mania rages, Poll Position wanted to know how many Americans believe divine intervention is at least partly responsible for the phenomenal success of the controversial Denver Broncos quarterback.

Tebow is a devout Christian who often prays on the field during games.

After Tebow led the Broncos to an overtime playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last weekend, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh attributed the victory to divine intervention in favor of Tebow, triggering a discussion about whether God took sides in the game.

Poll Position asked Americans in a nationwide scientific survey if they are aware of the success of Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow and (Among those aware of Tebow’s success) if they believe that any of Tim Tebow’s success can be attributed to divine intervention.

Seventy percent of respondents said they knew of Tebow’s success, 15% said they hadn’t and 16% expressed no opinion on the question.

Among those aware of the Tebow phenomenon, 43% said they believed divine intervention was at least partly responsible for his success. Forty-two percent disagreed, and 14% expressed no opinion.

See a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation in crosstabs for these polls at:



Poll Position’s scientific telephone survey of 1,076 registered voters nationwide was conducted January 10, 2012.  Among the 1,076 respondents to the Tebow awareness question, 756 answered yes, with only that 756 responding to the second question.  The margin error for each poll question is +/- 3%.  Poll results are weighted to be a representative sampling of all American adults.

What do you think? Do you believe that any of Tim Tebow's success can be attributed to divine intervention? Vote in our online companion poll and comment at http://pollposition.com/2012/01/12/43-god-helps-tebow-win/.

The online companion poll in which you can vote provides unscientific results, meaning it’s a tally of participating Poll Position users, not a nationally representative sampling.

Poll Position is committed to transparency and upholding the highest professional standards in its polling, explaining why we provide you with the crosstabs of our scientific polls. Crosstabs provide a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation.

Learn more about Poll Position’s polling methodology at http://pollposition.com/2011/09/26/our-polling-methodology/.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Farm Bureau: Foundation for Agriculture Announces Book of the Year

HONOLULU, January 9, 2012 – The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture presented its fifth annual “Book of the Year” award to Chris Butterworth for “How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? The Story of Food.”  The book shows young readers how each ingredient made its journey to their lunchbox. Illustrations, by Lucia Gaggiotti, highlight many aspects of farming and include information on food safety and nutrition.

Butterworth, a native of England, is the author of more than 70 nonfiction books for children, covering a diverse range of issues.

“There's always something else to find out about, and writing about a thing is the best way to find out about it,” said Butterworth. “I started writing information books when my own children were little. I couldn't find the sort of book I wanted them to read, so I wrote one of my own.”

This spirit clearly resonates in How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? In the book, Butterworth shows her enthusiasm for food and for instilling in young readers an appreciation for our food’s journey. The book has received numerous accolades. The School Library Journal called it “a great springboard to units on food and nutrition.” The Library Media Connection said, “Results of reading this book include a greater understanding of the farm-to-table methodology.”

The Book of the Year award springs from the foundation’s effort to identify “accurate ag books,” a collection of more than 400 books for children, teenagers and adults that accurately cover agricultural topics. In addition to their accuracy, Book of the Year selections are educational, reflect farmers’ and ranchers’ love for the land and what they do, create positive public perceptions about agriculture, inspire readers to learn more and touch their readers’ lives as well as tell the farmer’s story. The Accurate Ag Books database is available at: http://www.agfoundation.org/.

The foundation has created an educator’s guide and classroom poster as companion pieces to How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? which takes elementary students through various learning activities.

In honor of Butterworth’s recognition and the host city of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2012 Annual Meeting, the foundation has teamed with the book’s publisher, Candlewick Press, to donate hardcover copies of How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? to Jefferson Elementary School near Waikiki and the Hawaii State Public Library System. Additionally, the foundation is making a $1,000 contribution to the library system’s reading program.

Farm Bureau: Climate Change Not Likely to Harm Ag

HONOLULU, January 9, 2012—Record yields for staple crops in the United States and globally in recent years seem to contradict fears that agriculture will be negatively affected by increasing climate temperatures, according to James Taylor, senior fellow for the Heartland Institute and managing editor of Environment and Climate News. Taylor spoke today at an issues conference at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 93rd Annual Meeting.

Beyond debating the issue of whether global climate change is actually taking place and whom is to blame, Taylor addressed the issue of any potential impacts on agriculture and what effect any legislation or regulation could have.

“Since 2007 we’ve seen record yields in production per acre in edible beans, cotton, alfalfa, sweet potatoes, canola, corn, hops, rice, wheat and more,” said Taylor. “This is a long-term trend, and it applies globally, too, as global grain harvests have nearly tripled since 1961. Climate is not the only factor, but even if we accept global warming as a problem, it’s clearly not inhibiting crop production.”

According to data presented by Taylor, computer models have incorrectly accounted for certain climate patterns over recent decades, and data has shown fewer and less severe periods of drought and less severe flooding on a global scale. Taylor conceded that there would certainly be regional exceptions, but on a larger scale, climate patterns could prove to be quite suitable for agriculture.

Referencing research done by the International Journal of Climatology, Taylor explained that increases in precipitation would occur more frequently during the hotter and drier seasons of the year—rather than during the spring—thus avoiding the time of year more prone to flooding.

While potential increases in temperature were not believed to be detrimental to crops, Taylor suggested that the greater threat to agriculture could come in the form of federal or state regulations regarding livestock production.

Farm Bureau: High Volatility, ‘Fierce’ Acreage War Ahead for Growers

HONOLULU, January 9, 2012 – Solid risk management “has never been more important” for producers of the nation’s major commodities, given a range of volatility factors, North Carolina State University Extension specialist Nicholas Piggott told producers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 93rd Annual Meeting.

During AFBF’s session on the outlook for corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton, the Australian-born ag economist said that he anticipates “another fierce acreage-bidding war” this season. “This is fantastic for you farmers out there,” Piggott argued, citing producer reaction to strong market signals.

However, “acreage is not limited,” and tight corn stocks and continued high prices should translate to a significant boost in nationwide corn acreage, likely at the expense of cotton, and possibly soybean, production. Piggott noted 2011 was a “great year” for corn, cotton, and wheat but only a “moderate year” for soybeans, and this season’s U.S. bean market outcome may depend largely on South American weather and its impact on foreign supply.           

“Unless the corn price comes down, which I doubt it will with the tight corn stocks,
we’re going to need soybean prices to rally significantly to beat those (soybean-to-corn) acres back,” Piggott advised. “I think the balance sheets will look stronger for corn.”

Continued ethanol profitability also weighs in favor of increased corn plantings, he said, especially if the biofuels industry can overcome current regulatory and logistical obstacles and opposition from the small equipment sector to new 15 percent ethanol/gasoline blends. Hearty retail “E15” adoption could mean a 50 percent boost in ethanol market growth, Piggott projected.

Given a significant increase in cotton ending stocks for 2011 and concurrently healthy crops out of Australia, Pakistan and India, corn or wheat likely will grab more southern cotton acres in 2012.

Piggott sees growers weathering 2012 in good stead if they can manage anticipated high price volatility, particularly if they can sell crops in the top third of the market. That suggests reliance on crop insurance to provide a “base,” informed use of options, and aggressive forward contracting of “small parcels”—ideally, crop increments of no more than 5 percent.

“Volatility can be their friend, as long as they’re not greedy,” Piggott maintained. He chided growers to “spend far more time on your marketing.”

Monday, January 9, 2012

Stallman Outlines Agriculture’s Successes; Challenges

HONOLULU, January 8, 2012—America’s farmers and ranchers are more productive than ever and are providing a solid economic foundation for our nation, according to Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“We are the 1 percent that is producing food and fiber for the other 99 percent,” Stallman declared in his annual address to the approximately 7,000 Farm Bureau members gathered for AFBF’s 93rd Annual Meeting.

Farm and ranch families are growing more food with fewer resources than ever before, Stallman said.

“Over a 20-year period, corn yields are up 41 percent. Per bushel soil loss has fallen by 70 percent. Water use per bushel of corn is down 27 percent. All major crops show similar trends,” said Stallman.

He also extolled the record-breaking growth in U.S. agricultural exports over the past year.

“We sold $42.5 billion more in agricultural products than we imported in 2011,” he added. “That number will stay strong into this year and, I am convinced, into the foreseeable future.”

American agriculture’s successes have come in the face of challenges, Stallman said, including droughts, and doubts about the future of agricultural policy, floods, and a deluge of government regulatory actions, storms, and an often tempestuous public conversation about the farmer’s role in feeding our nation.

Stallman discussed Farm Bureau’s Systemic Risk Reduction Program proposal, which he said would help protect farmers from catastrophic losses while recognizing today’s budget realities. He called on Farm Bureau delegates, who will debate farm policy and other issues Jan. 10, to put the organization on a solid footing.

Stallman said the cost of federal regulations falls the hardest on small businesses such as family-owned farms and ranches. He commended Farm Bureau members for their grassroots engagement to push back against government overreach.

Just as important as these policy concerns is the conversation with consumers, he said.

“We must engage directly with the consumer as an industry in ways we haven’t before,” Stallman said. “And while we must fully engage in this ongoing national dialogue about food and the devoted care we take when we grow it, we must also never ever forget to listen.”

He said the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, a group of 77 agricultural organizations and companies including Farm Bureau, is doing just that by listening to and answering Americans’ questions, as well as giving farmers and ranchers an opportunity to raise their voices.

“From the environment to the economy, trade and jobs, we have a great story to tell,” Stallman proclaimed

Friday, January 6, 2012

ALG: Obama's lost labor force

Obama's Lost Labor Force

By Bill Wilson

Since Barack Obama assumed office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the total population over age 16 has grown by 5.845 million to 240.5 million, and yet, since then, the civilian labor force has actually shrunk by 349,000 — from about 154.2 million to 153.8 million. 

This is a startling contradiction, and it is at the heart of why the unemployment rate is much higher than the 8.5 percent being reported.

The problem is that the measured civilian labor force participation rate has fallen from 65.7 percent to 64 percent since Jan. 2009, reflecting people who have lost hope and simply stopped looking for work.  If those people were still counted, the actual civilian labor force would be 4.176 million higher than is reported at about 158 million.

Based on this analysis, the number of unemployed is actually closer to 17 million instead of the 13 million reported jobless.  That is simply astounding.

Instead of 8.5 percent, the effective unemployment rate should be closer to 10.9 percent, and the underemployed closer to 17.4 percent, or 27.3 million.  This is what we mean when we say that the unemployment rate is no longer a valid economic indicator.

Propaganda is not going to get the real unemployed into jobs.  It's not going to help families keep their homes.  It's not going to help college graduates to enter the work force.  We're nowhere near where we should be, and it's Obama's fault.

It's his regulatory burdens that are being imposed through the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) carbon endangerment finding and through Obamacare.  It is he who is insisting on raising taxes on job creators, and playing class warfare to cobble together a constituency that wants to apparently take from their employers' purses.  It is Obama who has refused to get the nation's crushing debt load under control, where the $15.2 trillion national debt is nearly larger than the entire economy. 

To get the economy moving again, the government needs to slash corporate tax rates, which are the highest in the world of advanced economies.  It is imperative that the regulatory overkill come to an end.  The dollar needs to be strengthened to lower costs and stabilize energy and food costs.  The debt needs to be paid down and retired, and the budget balanced. Onerous federal securities laws and state-by-state blue sky laws need to be repealed that make it cost-ineffective for new businesses to raise capital.

In short, it must become competitive to do business here in America again.  And that will probably not happen so long as Obama is in office.  It is clear the nation needs new leadership that is intent on actually creating jobs and restoring hope, instead of ignoring the despair of Obama's lost labor force.

Bill Wilson is the President of Americans for Limited Government.

Majority of Americans Say Penalty for Texting While Driving Should Be Loss of Driver’s License


Majority of Americans Say Penalty for Texting While Driving Should Be Loss of Driver’s License

Atlanta, Ga. – January 6, 2011 – The new year ushered in new laws in some states banning texting while driving.

A Poll Position national scientific telephone survey found that the majority of Americans (50%) said people who are caught texting while driving should lose their driver’s license for a period of time, 38% said you should not lose your license for a period of time and 12% did not have an opinion.

Age groups differed by a large margin on the question. Young Americans in the 18-29 age group were not in favor of license loss with 52% against that kind of punishment, 39% were in favor and 10% offered no opinion.

In the 65 and over age group, 67% said you should lose your license for a period of time for texting while driving, 17% said you should not, 16% did not have an opinion.

Men and women also differed with 53% of women versus 47% of men said you should lose your license for texting while driving. Among women, 32% said you should not lose your license, 15% had no opinion. Among men, 44% said you should not lose your license for texting while driving and 9% did not have an opinion.

See a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation in crosstabs for this poll at http://media.pollposition.com.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Poll-Position-Crosstabs-Texting-and-driving.pdf.

Poll Position’s scientific telephone survey of 1,094 registered voters nationwide was conducted January 03, 2012 and has a margin of error of ±3%. Poll results are weighted to be a representative sampling of all American adults.

What do you think? Do you think that people who are caught texting while driving should lose their license for a period of time? Vote in the online companion poll and comment at http://pollposition.com/2012/01/05/lose-license-for-texting-while-driving/.

The online companion poll in which you can vote provides unscientific results, meaning it’s a tally of participating Poll Position users, not a nationally representative sampling.

Poll Position is committed to transparency and upholding the highest professional standards in its polling, explaining why we provide you with the crosstabs of our scientific polls. Crosstabs provide a breakdown of survey participants by age, race, gender, and political affiliation.

Learn more about Poll Position’s polling methodology at http://pollposition.com/2011/09/26/our-polling-methodology/.