PMA, along with many member associations and specialty crop industry allies, are urging Congress to move a new farm bill forward, not just an extension. Here’s the statement from the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance:

“The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance strongly supports congressional efforts to reauthorize the Farm Bill this year. Both the House and Senate have made significant progress in this endeavor by making critical enhancements and reforms to key programs important to specialty crop producers in this country. We urge Congress to continue moving forward with a legislative process that best achieves those objectives this year.

“We are concerned that a one-year extension falls short of that goal and hinders access to key programs for our producers directly related to research, value-added producer grants, and important programs that enhance domestic production. An extension of the current law would be a missed opportunity to enact federal agriculture policy that increases access for specialty crops and fosters competition for our industry both domestically and globally.”

Please let your elected officials in Washington, D.C. know how important this is to you, your company, and our industry. Take action today via the PMA Advocacy Action Center.

Last week, I read an article on the Food Safety News website that discussed the yet-to-be-published Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) proposed produce safety regulation. You’ll recall that the produce safety proposal – along with proposed rules for preventive controls and foreign supplier verification – have been under administrative review at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) since late last year.

In the article, FDA’s Jim Gorny remarked that a possible reason for the lengthy review involves “lining up FDA’s newly proposed regulations with USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative.” Regarding the produce safety rule, he started that the draft “is intended to be the ‘rules of the road’ for the produce industry with three overall goals: reducing the public health burden of produce-related foodborne illness, eliminating disruptions for farmers and shippers and increasing consumer confidence.”

He added that the produce regulations will be flexible and focus on setting standards in a structure much like that used by the USDA Organic program. There will also be some focus on specific commodities, in part to exclude some low risk produce from oversight.

While there seems to be little momentum in the proposals being made public, PMA remains engaged with FDA on FSMA issues. Last week we met with FDA officials to share our and our members’ views about how imports will be affected by changes brought on by FSMA, as well hear FDA’s ideas on how to expedite product across the border.

In the meantime, PMA members can discuss FSMA in the FSMA Community on PMA Xchange and ask questions of PMA staff experts and engage other members in FSMA discussions. We’ve also updated our FSMA resource page to include FAQs on the law, PMA’s comments on rules, FDA resources, and more.

Just prior to last week’s Foodservice Conference & Exposition, I read an abstract of a menu labeling study available in the August issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In the study, researchers examined menu labeling’s effect on improving the nutritional content of foods in King County, Washington. King County was one of the first jurisdictions to implement menu labeling in January 2009.

Investigators audited menus at 11 sit-down restaurants and 26 quick-serve chains. They evaluated the nutritional levels of entrées that were on the menu six months after the regulations went into effect and remained on the menu 12 months later, to determine whether individual menu items had been reformulated to improve their nutritional profiles. They also looked at whether all entrées had a better nutrition profile.

While there was evidence of product reformulation and more healthful alternative availability among entrees, the study found that the majority of entrées were still very high in energy, saturated fats, and sodium when compared to the daily intakes as recommended by the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Last year’s PMA Identifying Consumer Trends in the Produce Category study found that the majority of consumers are looking at specific labels within a restaurant’s menu though about four out of ten consumers are not interested in labels at restaurants. Thirty-six percent told us they seek calorie labeling on restaurant menus, 31 percent said they look for nutritional value labeling, and 28 percent said fat content labeling. About half of all consumers (48 percent) said would be more likely choose an item that included fruits or vegetables, and another 46 percent mentioned that it makes no difference to their item selection. Not surprisingly, flexitarians are more likely to choose an item containing produce.

To learn more about our study, visit the PMA Consumer Research Center. We also talk about consumption issue in the Increasing Consumption Community on PMA Xchange.

With the U.S. Department of Agriculture celebrating the one-year anniversary of MyPlate last month with events around the U.S. highlighting these dietary recommendations, I found some research on consumer awareness of MyPlate and thought I’d share it here; the highlights below come from our friends at the Produce for Better Health Foundation and their Primary Shoppers/Moms with Kids 10 & Under report.

• While the vast majority of primary shoppers believe that 50 to 75 percent of their plate should be fruits and vegetables, actual consumption is considerably lower.
• About one-third of primary shoppers said they have definitely seen or heard of My Plate, and an additional 21 percent say they may have.
• Two-thirds of primary shoppers familiar with MyPlate said they saw or heard about it on TV or the Internet.
• Female primary shoppers said they are more likely than their male counterparts to see or hear about MyPlate from magazines, whereas male primary shoppers said they’re more likely than females to see or hear about MyPlate from food packages.

The PBHF study has much more valuable consumer trend information in it, and I’ll be sharing additional highlights in the coming days as I work through the study.

PMA also has a number of consumer research studies available for members. You can learn more about these in the Consumer Research Center and join the discussions in the Increasing Consumption Community on PMA Xchange.

Last week I attended the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-U.S. Customs and Border Protection industry stakeholder meeting outside of Washington, DC. This meeting focused on pest and animal disease pathways as well as partnerships with industry to protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and disease. It was the first joint stakeholder conference since 2008 and it was apparent by the number of success stories shared by APHIS and CBP officials that the outcomes from the 2008 meeting bore much fruit.

While at the meeting, I learned the distinct responsibilities of each agency: APHIS is responsible for making regulations and procedures, providing pest identification expertise, and prescribing remedial measures. CBP implements policy and oversight of examinations, makes regulatory decisions, and intercepts pests/animal diseases and safeguards U.S. agriculture.

Since a number of PMA members are engaged in global trade, here are some interesting trends presented at the conference:

• From 2001-2006, there were 75,000 pest interceptions per year (largely in the passenger arena, i.e. aircraft and cruise lines). In 2007, that number increased to 145,000. In 2011, the interceptions reached 175,000; however, a large percent of those were interceptions in the trade environment.
• The general philosophy of APHIS and CBP is to mitigate plant pests and animal diseases overseas rather than wait until they arrive here in the U.S. During the breakout sessions, it was suggested that the agencies continue to work with regulatory bodies, plant pathologists, and veterinarians in other countries on expectations and to identify emerging threats.
• APHIS and CBP are seeking to expand its Cargo Release Authority program, which is based on an inspector’s ability to identify lookalike pests up to a certain proficiency. Once the pest is identified as being harmless, that inspector can release the cargo and not delay trade/movement through the supply chain.
• The Agriculture Quarantine Inspection program is using country of origin for aircraft flights, past interception data, seasonal trends, and passenger manifest data (specifically those passengers who’ve had prior violations) to develop profiles of potential pest/animal disease entry points.
• There was general agreement that the consumer/general public presents a critical link in protecting U.S. agriculture. It was recommended that the agencies continue work with leaders in the travel industry to help educate the public on why they cannot bring in agricultural products from outside the U.S. Based on lessons learned, another key link in preventing invasive pest infiltration is the homeowner.

It was recommended that the National Agricultural Release Program be expanded; NARP provides a methodology for evaluating high-volume agriculture imports that are low-risk for the introduction of plant pests and plants into the United States. Other recommendations included better training of inspectors so they handle product better; formation of a trade-industry group that is focused on trade facilitation and extending the border; periodic re-evaluation of and better industry access to pest risk assessments; communication with industry on changes to the treatment manual when changes are forthcoming; and access to appropriated funds when user fees are low.

You can learn more about APHIS and CBP programs by visiting our navigating regulatory agencies page. You can also discuss issues in the Global Trade Community on PMA Xchange.

Sell it or smell it. Rotten produce has no value. Assets disappear when produce is unsalable.

These common phrases illustrate why produce sellers need protection from slow-pay, no-pay, and insolvency from buyers. In the United States, that protection is derived from the PACA Trust, and extends to all companies that sell to PACA licensees (provided they follow the rules, including invoking trust protection). In Canada, no comparable protection exists, and we would like to see that change. I’ve been dealing with this issue throughout my 30+ years in the produce industry, and I was encouraged by the outcomes of a recent meeting of government and industry from both sides of the border.

Positive energy and real progress ruled the day at the July 18 Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council’s (RCC) meeting to develop financial risk mitigation tools in Canada for the produce industry. Understanding that Canada has a different governance model that would not allow for a duplication of the PACA Trust that exists in the United States, the goal is to work within Canada’s system, including legislative and regulatory paths, to echo trust-type protections/tools.

This effort is every bit as important to U.S. companies as it is to Canadian firms. If successful (no – when successful), it will protect sellers, including those outside Canada, from buyer slow- and no-pay situations as well as bankruptcies by providing similar provisions and protections under Canadian law. This is a top priority for the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC), created by Canada and the United States more than a year ago. The RCC has several work groups, including the one addressing Financial Protection for Produce Sellers, through a work plan.

Kudos to co-chairs Bob Keeney of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (PACA falls under AMS) and Susie Miller of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for their leadership and commitment to a swift resolution, as well as the sub-work groups on legal framework, data and analysis, payment security models, and licensing. The groups presented their findings at the July 18 meeting and will present preferred options and recommendations to both governments in advance of the next meeting, currently set for late September.

PMA has seen this as a critical need for some time and has worked with our friends through the North American Trade Committee to explore options and raise the volume on this issue. We were thrilled that this became a priority for the RCC and we’re committed to helping reach the goal. Once a preferred option is selected, we will work through the Canadian government on those necessary legislative and regulatory changes to put a system in place. This is hard work, but it is worthwhile work and will benefit PMA members on both sides of the border, facilitate produce trade between the U.S. and Canada, and strengthen the relationships between the two countries. I look forward to the September meeting and continued progress.

Let’s talk about this program in the Global Trade Community on PMA Xchange.

Yesterday, the 2012 PMA Foodservice Conference & Exposition wrapped up out in Monterey, California, and judging from the Twitter traffic during the weekend, it was another successful, high-energy and high-value event. One of my colleagues, Dave McGurgan, was at the conference and shared these observations (via several blog posts on PMA Xchange):

• The Behind the Scenes Field and Plant Tours gave nearly 75 attendees a unique insider’s perspective on growing and shipping trends as well as food safety and technology. Many thanks to our friends at Ocean Mist Farms, Santa Cruz Berry Farming Company, and Taylor Farms for co-sponsoring the tour.
• During the stop at Ocean Mist, Chef Tony Baker demonstrated artichoke preparation and cooking ideas for both consumers and the foodservice industry, followed by a delicious artichoke appetizer.
• While at Santa Cruz Berry Farming Company, attendees took to the field where berry specialists discussed the production challenges involved in harvesting organic produce, their picking and packaging techniques and exporting to foreign markets.
• At Taylor Farms, participants got a first-hand glimpse of Taylor Farms’ customized system of slicing and washing of lettuces and preparation of salad mixes, as well as Taylor’s food safety systems.
• During the Chef Demo Challenge: Healthy & Flavorful Kids Menu contest, six chefs competed to create the best tasting kid-friendly menu item in which the chefs were tasked with creating menu items that were healthy, flavorful and met Half the Plate guidelines for produce. Each chef’s dish was judged by both a panel of kids and adults who sampled each menu item, then cast their vote for their favorite.
• The winner was The Mushroom Council and Chef Doug Goettsch for his Swappable Meat-Mushroom Taco. The taco filling consisted of a 50/50 blend of mushrooms and meat housed in a crunchy taco shell and topped off with lettuce, avocado salsa verde, and queso fresco. This dish won both the Kid’s Choice and Adult’s Choice award.

If you missed anything from this year’s conference, you can check out PMA TV (Part 1 and Part 2) on YouTube, as well as the blog section of PMA Xchange for additional event content and news.

Last week, I shared with you some news about a new supply chain resource, the second e-Learning course on PTI traceability success stories. Today I’d like to update you on another new supply chain tool, PMA’s Implementation Guide for Fresh Produce Data Standards and Synchronization.

Developed by our Supply Chain Efficiencies Committee and through the work of numerous industry volunteers, the guide provides support to companies seeking to electronically synchronize produce product information in accordance with GS1 (EAN.UCC) standards. This guidance applies to the full range of fresh produce trade items. The guide describes which of the defined GS1 attributes should be used for produce items and recommends best practices for the use of these standards to synchronize static produce data between suppliers and retailers. Today, different platforms as well as different means to item identification exist when it comes to data sharing.

Also, the guide is platform neutral and can be used with or without third-party service providers. It covers GS1 attributes for Party and Trade Item requirements only. If you’ve been looking for assistance on Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), this new tool will help guide you through the process. Note that the guide’s objective is to make data synchronization easier to implement and that the recommendations put forth in it are voluntary.

You can learn more about (and download) the guide from the PMA website.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the University of California at Davis, Agilent Technologies Inc., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a partnership to create a public database of 100,000 foodborne pathogen genomes to help speed identification of bacteria responsible for foodborne outbreaks. The database will provide a roadmap for development of tests to identify pathogens and provide information about the origin of the pathogen. The tests have the potential to significantly reduce the typical public health response time in outbreaks of foodborne illness to days instead of weeks.

Once developed, the database will allow researchers to develop tests that can identify the type of bacteria present in a sample within a matter of days or hours, significantly faster than the approximately one week it now takes between diagnosis and genetic analysis.

With the goal of making the food supply safer for consumers, the new database will significantly speed testing of raw ingredients, finished products, and environmental samples taken during investigation of foodborne illness outbreaks. This type of information also enables scientists to make new discoveries that drive the development of new methods to control disease-causing bacteria in the food chain.

This is an interesting project and one that may help our industry, especially since the issue of raw product testing and speed in obtaining results is one that members have told us about and we’ve in turn discussed with FDA.

You can learn more about the FDA project here. You can also discuss it in the Food Safety Community on PMA Xchange.

A new report from the NPD Group has found that U.S. families are more likely to be eating meals at home today and the use of recipes is growing as a result. The use of a recipe(s) once a week or more has increased from 37 percent of households in 2005 to 42 percent in 2011.

Two-thirds of all homemakers (67 percent) have used a recipe within the past month, and two in five (42 percent) use recipes even more often. Dinner is the dominant recipe-using occasion. Nearly 38 million U.S. households have used a recipe while preparing dinner in the past week, and on a typical evening, 11 million households used a recipe to cook dinner.

Growth in recipe usage is being driven primarily by young adults, Millennials. One-half of Millennials, nearly 30 million young adults, are now using recipes at least once a week. Forty-five percent of Generation Xers, or nearly 25 million adults, use recipes at least once a week. Frequent recipe users, those households that use recipes at least once a week, also tend to be traditional families that include children under the age of 18.

These findings are in line with what we found last year in our Identifying Consumer Trends in the Produce Category study, where more consumers told us they want recipes for fresh produce at the point of sale in 2011 – which was an increase over recipe demand in 2010 and 2009. Consumers mentioned new recipes, food articles, friends/family, and food shows as having at least some influence when it came to their fruit and vegetable purchases.

To learn more about our study, visit the PMA Consumer Research Center. We also talk about consumption ideas in the Increasing Consumption Community on PMA Xchange.