Florida’s Port Manatee and Del Monte Fresh Produce NA Inc. have reached an agreement to keep the company’s fruit imports coming into seaport until at least 2026, with options through 2036.
Legislation that seeks to reform policies that have resulted in delays in product delivery and backlog at key ports has been passed by the House of Representatives.
Trucking troubles are nothing new to the fresh produce industry, but the recent vaccination mandates by the governments of Canada and the U.S. are taking those problems to a whole new level.
Putting upward pressure on delivered produce prices, refrigerated truck rates have soared to nearly $5 per mile in early February, according to a survey by the USDA.
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg have announced a partnership with the American Trucking Associations (ATA), according to a news release.
The Packer’s Tom Karst visited March 31 with Mike Kucharski, vice president and co-owner of Chicago area-based JKC Trucking, about the recent spike in diesel prices and COVID-19-related supply chain challenges.
