COVID-19 roundup: Silver linings and sweet corn

Despite the pandemic, ports on both coasts have optimistic fresh produce outlooks, and the Alliance for Food and Farming is looking at small, but positive changes during the pandemic.

Here’s a recent roundup of news items from the fresh produce industry during the COVID-19 crisis.

Alliance for Food and Farming

The Alliance for Food and Farming, on its safefruitsandveggies.com consumer website is asking people to think of “small positive changes” they’ve noticed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through a blog post titled “Small Areas of Optimism,” the alliance is asking readers to suggest something positive that’s come about, giving them a list to choose from:

Learning to prep foods and cook;
Greater appreciation for farmers, farm workers and food workers;
Knowing how to wash produce; and
Consumers and media turning to more informed sources.

The alliance will enter those casting votes on Facebook into a drawing for a $250 gift card.

“While these are some small silver linings from our world and perspective, they may become small positive changes as we move forward,” according to the blog post. “While the pandemic has disrupted our lives, impacted our livelihoods and separated or taken us from our loved ones and friends, it has conversely brought all of us together in ways never experienced before through this shared experience. Maybe another and much bigger reason for future optimism?

Fresno State

When Fresno State's sweet corn went on sale on Memorial Day at its farm market, shoppers found new measures to encourage safety.

The Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market sold the corn inside and outside the business to allow for safe distancing. The outside pay station was for customers wanting to purchase only the university’s popular crop, at $7 for 10 packaged ears of corn, according to a news release.

Other measures in place at the market include:

Face masks mandatory indoors and outdoors;
Restricted number of customers allowed inside;
Students are sanitizing the store every two hours; and
Organized waiting lines to enter the store will facilitate social distancing.

Corn is picked and delivered every morning from the 70 acres of sweet corn at the University Agricultural Laboratory, according to the news release. Yellow corn became available May 25 and white corn will be harvested starting in early June.

Cherries, grapefruit, peaches, squash and strawberries are available from the market. Stone fruit, peppers and tomatoes will be available in early June and grapes will follow in July.

Georgia Ports Authority

Import numbers for refrigerated products from Central and South America through Georgia ports continue to remain steady during the pandemic.

From the start of the fiscal year through the first week of May, 26,230 containers of refrigerated product were imported through the port, a 10.5% increase, according to a news release from Savannah-based Georgia Ports Authority.

"The Port of Savannah has been very agile and willing to meet the challenging needs of the produce industry," Evan Moss, senior director of perishables for the J&K Fresh East division of 721 Logistics. "Refrigerated cargo imports are extremely time-sensitive with market prices constantly changing based on the conditions of supply and demand that exist throughout the country."

The port is near Atlanta and Memphis, giving it a faster route to reach those markets for perishables such as citrus, grapes, avocados and tropical fruit, according to the release.

The Georgia Ports Authority has 119 refrigerated container racks, for a total of 2,856 container slots.

Last year, the Georgia Ports Authority completed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southeast In-Transit Cold Treatment Pilot Program, allowing South American citrus, grapes, blueberries and other produce to enter the port.

Matson Fruit

Officials at Matson Fruit Co., Selah, Wash., met with members of a group of employees who are involved with a protest at the company.

During the May 21 meeting, employees conveyed written demands to improve working conditions, worker protections and pay raises, according to a Matson Fruit news release.

“Today, Matson Fruit Company committed to immediately spend an additional $75,000 on accommodations for dealing with this pandemic,” according to an e-mail from Jordan Matson, co-owner and general manager. “Additionally, I personally am signing an agreement to continue good-faith discussions with the team member representative group.”

Nature Fresh Farms

Nature Fresh Farms, Leamington, Ontario, has installed a BMO Bank ATM to help employees limit their trips during the pandemic.

“Throughout this pandemic we have been looking for ways to make things more convenient for our workers – to give them the option to avoid travel to town for necessities,” John Ketler, vice president, said in a news release. “This has included bringing vendors on-site, some of whom, due to the rapid onset of restrictions, are not set up for debit transactions. We are providing a means for our employees to support these vendors.”

The ATM is one of many measures Nature Fresh has taken to make services more accessible to employees, from bringing vendors on-site to make groceries and prepared meals available, and inviting representatives from financial institutions to help workers complete money transfers home.

“Agriculture is a vital part of the Canadian economy, and part of our purpose as an organization is to drive positive change,” Roy Dias, head of specialized industries for BMO Bank of Montreal, said in the release. “We saw an opportunity to help Nature Fresh Farms bring everyday banking services to their team members – helping both their employees and the community. We will always look for ways to help, as we navigate this environment together.”

Foodservice company requests

More than a dozen foodservice companies are requesting legislators to make changes to the Paycheck Protection Program for restaurants.

With the foodservice sector hit hard by social distancing mandates that closed restaurants’ dine-in businesses, more than eight million restaurant employees have been laid off or furloughed, according to a May 21 letter from the foodservice businesses to members of the U.S. House and Senate.

A recovery timeline for restaurants is unclear, according to the letter, signed by distributors that include Performance Food Group, Ben E. Keith Co., US Foods and Gordon Food Service. Even as stay-at-home orders are being loosened, regulations mandate distancing measures that cut capacity at some locations to 24-50%.

“Restaurant operators need access to capital to help them retain their employees, pay fixed costs like rent and utilities, and buy food supplies, which they need to operate,” according to the letter.

According to the foodservice companies, Congress should:

Amend the PPP to allow forgiveness of expenses for food and associated supplies;
Remove requirements that limit spending and forgiveness of non-payroll expenses to 25%; and
Extend the forgiveness period for PPP loans from eight to 24 weeks.

Port of Oakland

Danny Wan, Port of Oakland (Calif.) executive director, believes the port will lead the area’s post-pandemic economic rebound.

The port authority, which also oversees Oakland International Airport, is “poised on the forefront of recovery,” Wan told East Bay Economic Development Alliance members on May 22.

“Millions fly through our airport, billions of dollars of goods move through our seaport and 84,000 jobs in Northern California depend on all of that activity,” Wan told an online audience of 300 corporate and government officials, according to a news release. “Through cross-promotion and business partnerships, we can lead the way back for Oakland and the East Bay.”

The airport saw a 96% drop in passenger traffic in April, and the port saw a 6.5% drop compared to year-ago levels, according the release.

When restrictions are lifted, the airport (which is Southwest Airlines’ largest California base) and port facilities (which serve exporting produce companies), will see major benefits, Wan said.

He addressed the alliance to request them to support the port and airport with “fly Oakland” policies and designating the port for exports and imports, according to the release.

For more information on how the pandemic is affecting the produce industry, see The Packer's COVID-19 webpage.

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