Earlier this year, Western Growers and the Canadian Produce Marketing Association formed a working group to tackle the evolving landscape of packaging requirements in North America. In this “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast episode, Jeana Cadby, director of environment and climate for Western Growers, talks about the collaboration and what the future holds for plastics in the fresh produce industry.
Cadby said that before discussing the current state of plastics in the fresh produce industry, it’s important to understand how far the fresh produce industry has come in sustainable packaging. Iceberg lettuce, Cadby said, got its name from being shipped on ice on trains. Berries, too, have improved the recyclability of the clamshells used.
“Growers are trying to provide the freshest, the safest, most affordable fresh produce for consumers and in order to do that, packaging plays a critical role in preserving that freshness as much as possible,” she said.
Cadby said the working group with CPMA kicked off this summer to look at overall packaging regulations not just in Canada or the U.S., but also in North America, as so much produce is imported and exported in the continent.
“We have a lot of these new regulatory environments that are popping up all throughout those markets,” she said. “It’s been really challenging to ... make sure that that technology is there, so that when growers do need to update their packaging to fit those new requirements and regulations, they can actually do it then it’s available to them and that it’s not going to pass additional cost on to the consumer. And how do we make sure that it’s done in a consistent and sustainable way?”
Cadby said the goals of the working group are to seek solutions that fit the needs of the produce industry, too, ensuring the packaging will keep the produce in its freshest state for the life cycle of the produce and the package.
“We’re focusing on really the most scientifically sound and most technical aspects — what is the functionality of the packaging and how do we transfer that functionality into a more sustainable direction,” she said.
To watch the full podcast episode, use the video player above.
