Chat - John Shelford

Blueberry industry veteran and consultant John Shelford on Feb. 13 took time for a Fresh Talk chat with The Packer's National Editor Tom Karst.



me: Good morning John. Thanks for taking time for a Fresh Talk chat.

berryman21: Good morning Tom.

10:07 AM me: I wanted to ask you about your beginnings in the industry. Where did you grow up and how did you get your start in the produce business?

10:10 AM berryman21: Born and reared in the New York's Finger Lakes on Seneca Lake, about thirty minutes from Cornell University - where many from the produce industry have attended United's training. Entered the produce industry in 1976 from an opportunity listed with Cornell's Agriculture College alumni placement office; graduated from Cornell in '67

10:11 AM me: What has been your proudest accomplishment relative to your work in the industry over the years?

7 minutes

10:19 AM berryman21: A single accomplishment is difficult to discern; but I believe the journey from 1982 becoming the CEO of MBG Marketing, a marketing cooperative of Michigan and Indiana blueberry growers, with $10mm sales, to 2007 being the President of Naturipe Farms, a partnership of grower owned organizations representing berry growers in every significant growing district in the Western Hemisphere, bringing together a team of highly dedicated professionals with a focus on serving customers well to serve growers superbly earning a berry industry leadership position.

10:20 AM me: You saw the ascent of blueberries as a superfood. That was quite a ride. What are you involved with right now? What's a typical week like for you?

6 minutes

10:27 AM berryman21: Today I remind active in the berry industry consulting Berry grower and marketing organizations; serving on United Fresh Produce Association's Board, and on the United Highbush Blueberry Council board. There is no 'typical' week as every week is truly unique. I continue to serve in Biblical teaching and mission ministries in our local church, and serve on the boards of Life Action Ministries and Revive Our Hearts. I also consult organizations on governance design using the "Policy Governance" model. The days are very full.

10:29 AM me: That is a packed schedule. I know you recently returned from a missions trip from India. How long have you served in that way? What makes it rewarding/meaningful to you?

9 minutes

10:39 AM berryman21: Carol and I have been involved in missions since 1969, and have lead teams of teenagers to South Korea, Sweden and Israel. Carol annually serves one week in Dominican Republic, and I have been to Russia a number of times with Fellowship of Christian Farmers, and last week to India, a first, with Big Life Ministries. It is meaningful and rewarding for the message is "good news," the message of a living Savior who arose and lives after having been crucified; a message that God our Creator loves man and provides a way of life that is authentic and true. Think of that in this world - a message that is authentic and true...this is nearly kin to being revolutionary.

10:41 AM me: I can tell that is a passion, and a worthy one. I have taken quite a bit of your time. One last question - you have been in many parts of the world and the country. Where would you like to retire?

10:44 AM berryman21: Interesting question. Unless the Lord moves us from Naples Florida we are not likely to leave here. Carol loves it here, below 70 deg F is cold to her, our grandchildren are ten minutes away, we have many friends here, and a world class airport is twenty minutes from our home.

10:45 AM me: John, it has been great to hear what is going on with your busy life. Thanks for your time.

berryman21: Tom,

10:46 AM Tom, thank you. It is always to pleasure to speak with you, to chat a bit when our paths cross. Blessings on your day!!!!

me: Thanks..talk to you soon

Chat - Don Goodwin

Don Goodwin is president of Golden Sun Marketing, Minnetrista, Minn., and is chief operating officer and partner in Imagination Farms, the licensee for Disney's Garden Fresh label. Don on Feb. 10 took time for a chat with The Packer’s National Editor Tom Karst.

9:58 AM me: Don. Thanks for making time for another Fresh Talk chat. I understand you just returned from Fruit Logistica. What did you hope to accomplish there and were you pleased with the show?

10:00 AM Don: I was very pleased with the show. My goals for this show are much different than the goals I have for PMA. My focus at Logistica is to spot trends; products, packaging, and themes. I look for these on behalf of our clients at Golden Sun Marketing which include seed distributors, grower/shippers, distributors and retailers.

10:02 AM me: Don. did you get a feel on how is the economy impacting the produce trade in Europe? Do you think the challenges are the same, for the most part?

10:04 AM Don: Many people mentioned the economy in our meetings. I suspect that the impact is similar in Europe as it is here in the US. People mentioned a shift in demand to lower priced items. Despite the economic issues, I did spot a fair amount of new or re-emerging ideas.

10:06 AM me: There is a sentiment about consumers trading down. In your discussions with your clients and others, how do you think that will influence both retailers and consumers when it comes to produce brands like Disney and other labels that carry value in the market place?

10:08 AM Don: While I suspect we have been impacted with the Disney program, it has been hard to spot as we continue on a strong growth track. Many retailers are looking for ways to spike sales. Branded programs can do this if deployed correctly.

10:10 AM me: Yes, branded programs can grab attention... just this week HyVee is running Disney oranges at 69 cents/lb in the KC market. Don, how long have you operated Golden Sun Marketing. What's a typical week like for you, and how do you contrast it to the days you were at Target and working for others in the industry?

10:16 AM Don: Golden Sun Marketing(GSM) was formed in November, 2003. We focus on strategy and marketing for the fresh produce supply chain from seed to retail. A typical week usually includes air travel, conference calls and client meetings. It is much different than my days at Target as focus much of my time on strategy while moving from project to project. We are always looking for ways to bring our clients insight. Attending Fruit Logistica is about gaining insight.

10:18 AM me: Where did you grow up? When did the fresh produce/business bug bite you?

10:20 AM Don: I grew up 30 minutes south of Chicago. I started working for Jewel Food Stores at 16 years of age when Jewel was an independent company. After a few months bagging groceries, they moved me to produce. I loved it from the first moment I built a display

10:22 AM me: What's the equivalent challenge for you today - what keeps you motivated and energetic?

10:25 AM Don: I feel I have always had a strong inner desire to achieve and learn. The industry is fast paced and provides many opportunities to learn. I am intrigued by how we can learn something new and implement it with one of our clients to achieve results. How can GSM help their clients implement some of the trends we spotted at Fruit Logistica? It is a fun challenge.

10:28 AM me: Great insights. One last question and I should let you go. As you look ahead to 2009 and beyond, are you optimistic our country can weather this recession? Do you think it will profoundly change the industry?

10:33 AM Don: I am optimistic but cautious. I think this may be the longest and deepest recession that I will ever experience in my lifetime. It will and should change our industry. We need to adapt more quickly to the consumer's needs. They are screaming for value while still expressing an interest in healthy eating. We, as an industry, are capable of leveraging the recession if we can reinforce that healthy eating and value can be synonymous.

Thanks for the opportunity!

10:34 AM me: Don. Thanks again. I appreciate your time.

Chat - Kathy Means

Kathy Means began her produce career at The Packer, spending about nine years at the paper before moving to the Produce Marketing Association. Means, vice president of government relations and public affairs for the Newark, Del.-based PMA, on Jan. 30 took time for a chat with Tom Karst and the Fresh Talk blog.

1:31 PM Tom: Thanks for making time for another Fresh Talk Chat. First of all, I know your roots are from the Midwest/KC area. I like to start off with a question about roots. What do you like about life in the Eastern U.S. compared with your days growing up near KC?
1:35 PM kathy.means.pma: I wouldn't change growing up in St. Joseph for anything, and I love Kansas City. Love getting back there to visit my family and see my favorite haunts (including KU!). And I also love living in Delaware. We do have a few things that are impossible to get in the Midwest — an ocean, for one. We also have the advantage of being within a couple of hours of New York City, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore and more. But ultimately what's most important about where you live is having strong relationships with family and friends. That transcends any geography.
1:36 PM Tom: You bring up Delaware. One question about Newark...what's the favorite lunch spot for PMA staff? What kind of town is Newark, anyway?
1:38 PM kathy.means.pma: Newark is a college town. Great Main Street, wonderful restaurants, college activities -- sports, arts. Probably no single favorite restaurant — we have a lot of employees, so a lot of different tastes. But some of the favorites are Iron Hill Brewery, Daddy O’s, Applebee’s, and the Blue Crab.
1:40 PM Tom: I need to get back there — hopefully in good weather. Something about you that most but not all people know is you spent about 9 years with The Packer. Do you consider that experience helpful to what you do now? If so, how?
1:45 PM kathy.means.pma: Yes, I spent nine great years at The Packer — four in the KC office and five as eastern editor, based outside Philadelphia. My schooling is in journalism — University of Kansas, the best! When I first came to PMA it was to create the association’s communications department. That department expanded to include issues management, and from that we built the government relations and public affairs team. For me, journalism and association work are founded in one of my favorite things — the first amendment: the right to free speech and press, the right to assemble (at the heart of associations — that's what we are, an assembly of like-minded people) and to petition the government. (Freedom of religion is in that amendment as well — but less relevant to this conversation.) Not only is there that constitutional connection, but my work at The Packer built my connection to the produce industry — learning from many of the greats — often in associations (Danny Dempster, Bryan Silbermann, Bob Carey), but also in industry companies and the government.
1:47 PM Tom: It's hard to believe how PMA has expanded its service to the industry over the years. If I'm right, you supervise about 20 in the marketing/communications/customer service arena. In your years at PMA, how do you think the industry has changed in terms of how it engages with the association?
1:54 PM kathy.means.pma: I used to supervise the marketing, communications, and customer service area, and you're right, that's a big group. Now, however, I’m over a smaller group of three — the Government Relations and Public Affairs team — Lee Mannering and Cynthia Clifton. And we work with Tom O'Brien as our Washington DC representative. I’ve been with PMA 19 years (hmmmm, how old does that make me?). And, yes, things have changed a great deal in the past 19 years. PMA has always had a strong supply-chain-wide approach to everything. And that's been a great approach because it builds solutions for the whole industry (think PLUs as just one example). In the past, though, we've been known as a convention and exposition. In fact, for the longest time (and even to some extent today), our name was used in two ways. There was PMA, the association, and there was The PMA, the convention and expo. Certainly Fresh Summit (the convention's real name) is a critically important event for the entire industry. But more and more members are finding year-round value in the services the association provides — training, information, issues management, government affairs, research, other events (foodservice conference, Fresh Connection events). We’re more than five days in October and that value has increased significantly over the past 20 years.
1:56 PM Tom: You have been right in the heart of food safety/regulatory affairs for some time now. As you look ahead to that appears to be a revival of regulation with the Obama Administration, how do you see upside and downside realities for the industry?
2:01 PM kathy.means.pma: It's unusual for an association to call for regulation, but after the past three or four years we find ourselves in a position where we must do that. Though the economy has rightly pushed all other priorities aside, I think we can still expect to see food safety legislation and regulation moving forward. We're already seeing that — the Dingell bill has reappeared and FDA is very active in GAPs and third party certification efforts. Our job is to work with those who are crafting this laws and regulations to be sure they recognize the realities of the marketplace as they improve food safety. And we have definite ideas about how this should be accomplished.
2:02 PM Tom: Kathy, great insights. I appreciate your time and don't like to keep people longer than 30 minutes. One more question. I know you have a Blackberry, er crackberry as it is affectionately called. Do you ever leave it behind?
2:05 PM kathy.means.pma: I do. It’s an invaluable tool, and sometimes I refer to it as a tether. But it actually frees me up. I can be working anywhere — so important when we’re having a crisis or regulators need to find me or we're watching legislation. But it’s just as important to set it aside and remember real life — those relationships I was talking about earlier.
2:06 PM Tom: I don’t have one, but it is hard enough to get away from this laptop. Again, thanks Kathy and hopefully we can chat again soon...

Chat - John Toner

Here is a Fresh Talk chat conducted Jan. 28 with John Toner, who is vice president for convention and industry relations for the United Fresh Produce Association. The veteran of United Fresh of nearly 10 years has key responsibility for the April 21-April 24 United Fresh show in Las Vegas.

8:31 AM me: John, are you there?

john.toner.v: yep

8:32 AM me: Great. Thanks for making time for another Fresh Talk chat. First of all, where did you grow up, and what was your hometown "famous" for?

8:33 AM john.toner.v: I was actually born four city blocks away from our office at the GW Hospital. I grew up in Arlington, VA but trace my roots back to Pittsburgh where my grandparents lived and spent lots of quality time on Southside - Go Steelers! I also grew up spending summers at Lake George in the Adirondacks.

8:34 AM What's Arlington famous for? The cemetery, Pentagon, "inside the beltway"

8:35 AM me: We know your Super Bowl pick then, don't we?

john.toner.v: Yep, although I am a bit nervous. The Cardinals know our offense better than we do.

8:36 AM me: This is sort of an off the wall question, but what would you say are the "words of wisdom" or "words to live by" from your mom or dad?

8:37 AM john.toner.v: It's actually from Calvin Coolidge: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan press on has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

8:38 AM me: I like that. I think Churchill had a quote like that -- keep trying

8:40 AM john.toner.v: Also, I was taught when it comes to business - it's not a quotable quote that I know of - "When doing a deal with that has 4 zeros, shake a hand; when it has 5 zeros, see the office" that's a fundamental part of why we are in the financial mess we are in. Not knowing enough about one's business partners. I am nervous for my generation who thinks everything can be done through the internet. Trust cannot be established through the internet - that has to be face-to-face.

8:45 AM meHow did your career path lead you to United after college?

8:46 AM john.toner.v: How soon did I find United? I was working at Safeway(I worked nights in produce/dairy - double pay for the night shift) and started temping in accounting departments during daylight hours. One of my college fraternity brother's sister friends worked at United and so I knew socially Jeff Oberman. They were looking for help, and one thing led to another and I had a job.

8:47 AM I am a strong believer in joining things for the common good and a trade association seemed like a good fit for me, and so it has.

8:49 AM me: To follow up, you have been at United nearly 10 years by my accounting. What have you enjoyed about working at the association and your interaction with the industry? For the benefit of readers, what is your job title and what does your inbox look like now?

8:54 AM john.toner.v: This is a great industry, it really is a family. I have enjoyed the friends that I have made because for the most part, they dont change. And it's a growing industry - agriculture is part of our roots. And what can be greater than working for grapes, bananas, oranges - things that taste great naturally! My job title? I've had many here over the years but it's now Vice President, Convention and Industry Relations - but I'm not too concerned with titles. My inbox? In actuality it's a mess - I try to stay up on restaurant/foodservice trends, fresh-cut trends, growing trends, expo management trends so it's overflowing with periodicals. As far as email inbox? We have a show coming up in three months so it's full of exhibitor requests, attendance promotion plans, plans for Berlin next week, and alot of emails about how the Steelers are going to win the Super Bowl.

8:56 AM Some of the emails in my inbox right now are about "A penny wise and a pound foolish." You will see our attendance marketing talk about saving pennies. To often our industry is so focused on sales/marketing that they don't realize at trade shows if eyes are open attendees can see ways to save costs. Too often people are looking for the "Red badge" and not looking at other opportunities -it's one of my biggest challenges on a day-to-day basis.

8:57 AM Also, I just got my daily FreshTalk blog update in my inbox.

8:58 AM me: Very nice. You mentioned the show in Vegas. How has the recession impacted what you want to do with the show? It has to be a challenge for anyone responsible for a convention..What are the main selling points you use to convince people of the value of the show?

7 minutes

9:06 AM john.toner.v: Hmm, that's a loaded question. It's a challenge for everyone right now. Obviously people still need to see what's new, connect with trading partners, etc. But at the end of the day it's an economics thing. Sure, in the short run you could costs and cut travel etc. - but that is not a good business plan to long-term profit growth. The economy will turn around an you have to positioned to capture it. Think of it this way: What's 10 sales trips cost a company or someone personally? $1,000 a trip? $500 a trip? Plus the costs of being out of the office. So at a convention you can spend your time and money more efficiently and get a better return on the spend by planning meetings in advance. Too often companies think if I set up a booth, customers will buy from me. That's just not the case. We are investing in exhibitor education to help educated new exhibitors on how to invest their money wisely, as we want them to have an ROI. But at the end of the day, conventions serve a vital role in the economy in the industry, bringing everyone together for a short period of time under one roof. Imagine if you walk away with one idea that can save your company $10,000 it was worth coming...or if you make one new sale it was worth coming.

9:08 AM me: I look forward to what United has planned. Thanks for your time, John.

Chat - Amanda Raster

Below is another Fresh Talk chat conducted on Jan. 20 with Amanda Raster, sustainability standards development manager at the Leonardo Academy, Madison, Wis. Leonardo was recently affirmed by the Washington, D.C.-based American National Standards Institute as the developer of an agriculture sustainability standard.

3:01 PM Amanda: Hi, Tom. I am online if you are ready for the Q&A.
3:03 PM me: Great. Thanks for taking part in another Fresh Talk chat. I've appreciated your help as we've been trying to understand the sustainability standard setting process at the Leonardo Academy..... My first question is about your background. Are you a homegrown Wisconsonite?
3:06 PM Amanda: Yes. I grew up on a small, family-operated dairy farm in northcentral Wisconsin. My father inspired my life-long love of agriculture. Living in Wisconsin all my life has exposed me to a broad range of agricultural operations and growing practices.
3:07 PM me: But you didn't study dairy science at the University. Did you ever consider "going back to the farm" so to speak?
3:11 PM Amanda: Right - I wasn't necessarily interested in being a dairy farmer. I wanted to explore the social, environmental, and political aspects of farming and my cross-disciplinary studies certainly allowed me to do that. However, being part of this process to develop a sustainable agriculture standard is shedding light on the fact that there is much, much more to learn! So before I head back to the farm--which is a strong possibility in the future--I will probably head back for more schooling.
3:14 PM me: I see in your bio that you had two degrees from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. That's ambitious - what did you see in anthropology and conservation that were relevant to what you wanted to do?
3:15 PM Also, what was your career path after University to Leonardo?
3:20 PM Amanda: When I first started school, I -- like many others -- wasn't sure of the direction I wanted to take. I was very interested in rural issues and rural culture, but I didn't want to necessarily focus on that right away. So I pursued anthropology, which is more of a broad analysis of cultural dynamics and people's relationships to their surroundings and to society. I am finding this background knowledge to be more and more useful everyday. As more time went on, I kept hearing my father's voice asking me "What in the world are you going to do with an anthropology degree?" So I started taking environmental science classes, and eventually settled on the double major.
3:22 PM After graduating, I worked for a Madison-based farmers' cooperative, where I managed a community supported agriculture program. It was a true joy to work so closely with farmers who care about the food they grow, how they grow it, who they are growing it for.
3:23 PM me: Now you have been at Leonardo and are project manager for sustainability projects (correct me here if I'm wrong) What's a typical day and week like for you? What's the most rewarding thing about working on the ag sustainability project?
3:26 PM Amanda: You are correct that I manage Leonardo Academy's sustainability standards development program. The sustainable agriculture standard absorbs more of my time than the other projects we are working on, but I don't mind because it's what I am most passionate about.
3:30 PM A typical day really varies depending on what is happening with the standard. I receive emails and phone calls nearly every day from people who are interested in the process and want to know how they can get involved. Which, in my mind, is a very positive indicator that people see the potential benefits of having a sustainable agriculture standard and that our outreach is continuing to reach the people it should be. Working with the Task Forces has brought on a lot of additional work--I sit in on at least 2 to 4 conference calls every week, keep records of the conversations, and work with Task Force members to make sure that they have the materials and resources they need to move forward with their work. A lot of this work is communications-oriented. It's critical to be clear, concise, and efficient when working with such a large group of stakeholders, and I really enjoy the challenge all of this brings.
3:32 PM Of course, we also have to make sure that all of the work we are doing follows our standards development process, as well as ANSI's standard development rules, and that we are able to document a standard development process from start to finish. So there is a lot of administration that happens on a daily basis, as well.
3:33 PM me: That does sound like a big process to manage. One question some readers might have is whether "conventional" growers have equal footing and representation in the standard setting process. At the end of the day, do you think both organic and conventional growers will move ahead with consensus on this issue of sustainability standards?
3:36 PM Amanda: To be honest, both organic and conventional growers are concerned about their representation in this process. The Outreach Task Force recently did a gap analysis of the Standards Committee and determined that both industries do have equal representation on the Committee. And of course, we are encouraging stakeholders from all sectors to participate in the Task Forces and the subcommittees and other working groups that will be formed in the future.
3:39 PM Based on conversations that have occurred thus far within the Task Forces, I believe that both conventional and organic growers will take the opportunity throughout this to air out their issues and concerns and then work to establish principles and metrics that are agreed upon by all. What will likely happen is that the standard will take the form of a continuous improvement model to incorporate the range of sustainability practices utilized in both conventional and organic operations.
3:41 PM me: Very good. I've kept you quite a while so we should wrap up. Thanks for taking part in the chat and do you have a website to direct our readers to the work of your group? Thanks again and we'll have to do it again down the line.
3:42 PM Amanda: Sure. Readers can visit http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/ansi.htm to learn more about the ANSI standards we are developing, including the sustainable agriculture standard.
3:43 PM me: Great. Thanks Amanda
Amanda: Thank you, Tom!