Understanding the organic consumer is focus of panel at SPC conference
TAMPA, FL -- As the trend toward organic produce continues to grow, produce suppliers and retailers are well served to gain a better understanding about what drives consumer decisions to buy organic produce. A panel discussion held here Feb. 24 during the Southeast Produce Council conference set out to examine some of the buying habits of organic consumers.
House panel airs concerns about specialty crop issues
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's farm bill proposal that would pump a wide array of expanded marketing and research funds into specialty crops got its first airing at a Feb. 28 hearing before a U.S. House Agriculture subcommittee.
At the hearing, members of Congress raised concerns plaguing their districts' specialty crop growers, from needing help in combating foreign crop pests to the potentially high cost of lifting planting restrictions to comply with World Trade Organization rules.
FDA picks California and Maryland for produce safety meetings
WASHINGTON -- The produce industry will have two opportunities starting in about two weeks to share real-world experiences in food safety and explore options that the federal government is considering in revamping handling rules throughout the produce supply chain.
FDA has announced two public hearings on produce safety: the first will take place March 20 in Oakland, CA, and the second April 13 at FDA's headquarters in College Park, MD.
Wal-Mart's Pam Kohn named senior VP of perishables
Wal-Mart executive Pam Kohn has succeeded Bruce Peterson as senior vice president of perishables of the nation's largest chain.
A spokesperson for Wal-Mart confirmed the appointment but said that Ms. Kohn was not available for comment and that no further information was available at this time. Ms. Kohn had been senior vice president of Wal-Mart's Southeast division and leader of the chain's Neighborhood Markets.
Potato promoter Bill Schwabe was 83
William Henry Schwabe, who for 12 years worked as potato promoter for the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, died Feb. 17 in Pueblo, CO, following a three-year battle against lung cancer. He was 83.
According to CPAC Board Chairman Tom Ford, Mr. Schwabe was respected for his contributions to the potato industry during his period as "man on the road" for the committee in the 1980s.
"Bill visited retailers for us, promoting our potatoes. He was very personable and very good at what he did," Mr. Ford said.
Leafy greens board names executive committee
The California Leafy Greens Products Handler Marketing Agreement Advisory Board elected an advisory board at its first meeting held Feb. 23 in Woodland, CA.
Joe Pezzini, vice president of operations for Castroville-based Ocean Mist Farms, was elected chairman, and Eric Schwartz, president of Salinas-based Dole Fresh Vegetables, was elected vice chairman. Both are from the Salinas- Watsonville-San Joaquin Valley-Kern County district.
D.J. Forry partners with Alliance Fresh to provide full-service program for retailers
John Forry, vice president of D.J. Forry Co. Inc., which is headquartered in Novato, CA, and has a regional office in Reedley, CA, has announced an agreement with Ray England of Alliance Fresh Produce Solutions, a produce consulting and marketing company in Birmingham, AL.
Mr. England, who has a strong retail background, "will work with the Forry team to develop and implement marketing strategies designed to enable D.J. Forry to achieve its long-range goal of building a direct-to-retailer business," according to a company press release.
NWPB recommends assessment increase
ASHEVILLE, NC -- The National Watermelon Promotion Board recommended a 50 percent increase in its assessment during its spring board meeting, here, Feb. 24 during the National Watermelon Association convention.
Mark Arney, executive director of the board, told The Produce News that "the board voted to recommend a rate of six cents per hundredweight," up from the current four-cent rate.
As part of the new assessment, watermelon producers and handlers would see their assessments rise to three cents from two, while importers would see a rise to six cents from four.
Attorney links E. coli outbreak in spinach to Natural Selection grower
Bill Marler of the Seattle-based law firm Marler Clark has identified Mission Organics -- a company with direct partnership ties to Natural Selection Foods -- as a grower that grew spinach involved in last year's E. coli 0157:H7 outbreak that sickened more than 200 people and killed at least three -- and possibly five -- others.
Mission Organics is a partnership among Mission Ranches; Drew and Myra Goodman as Earthbound Farm Inc.; and Otto Kramm. Mission Ranches, Earthbound Farm Inc. and Tanimura & Antle are partners in Natural Selection Foods.
Acquisitions strengthen mid-level retail chains
In the past couple of weeks, several mid-level chains have announced their intention to jump higher within their level through acquisition. The moves by A&P, Whole Foods and California's Save Mart supermarket should make each player stronger in its own particular niches. In the late 1990s and as the 21st century dawned, the larger national chains got bigger through consolidation, and it appeared as if the supermarket industry was heading toward a situation where the top four or five chains would control a dominant share in the marketplace.