2022 Year in Produce: Sustainability
In 2022, consumers continued to ask questions about how their food is grown, harvested, produced and packaged. Interest in organic produce continued its steady climb, and interest in regenerative agriculture along with sustainable packaging options increased across the produce department.
The fresh produce industry responded, finding new, creative ways to innovate, up the ante and share the good work in place on farms and ranches.
Imports of organic produce surge
Jan. 18
By Tom Karst
U.S. organic fresh produce imports kick off 2022 in force, according to USDA import statistics.
Mexico leads as a source of imported organic produce, according to the USDA. Top organic produce imports tracked by the agency include avocados, blueberries, greenhouse peppers, bananas and mangoes.
Other importers are gaining momentum. Peruvian organic produce rose fast at the first of the year and Ecuador remains the top supplier of organic bananas to the U.S. market. Other major importers of organic produce include Chile, Colombia, Argentina and New Zealand.
Young consumers place heavy emphasis on attention to sustainability
May 11
By Tom Karst
The Packer's 2022 Fresh Trends report finds that 46% of shoppers say they seek out companies that are "environmentally aware."
Notably, there’s is a big disparity in how younger, Gen Z consumers perceive the issue compared with older consumers. Sixty-three percent of 18- to 29-year-old consumers said they look for “environmentally aware” companies, compared with just 28% of consumers older than 60 with that perspective.
Is regenerative crop production here to stay?
June 23
By Max Teplitski
IFPA Chief Science Officer Max Teplitski makes the case that regenerative and climate-smart agricultural practices are here to stay.
“Since [the] early days, regenerative agriculture has entered the mainstream, with big-input companies providing the tools, such as fertilizers, herbicides and modern crop varieties for the scale-up of regenerative production,” Teplitski said. “Those companies are now some of the biggest supporters of conversations on regenerative production at a commercial scale. Consumer-facing brands, including multinational food manufacturers, set ambitious goals to reduce carbon footprint of their brands.”
Teplitski believes that its these bold commitments made by large companies paired with pioneering producers experimenting with cultivation practices that will “reshape how we think about growing fresh produce” and will lead the way on innovation.
Canada bans single-use plastic grocery bags, other items
June 27
By Tom Karst
Canada launched a ban on select single-use plastic items, including checkout bags, cutlery, certain foodservice ware, ring carriers, stir sticks and most straws.
Depending on the product, the regulations will be enforced between six months and three and a half years after June 20, 2022, according to a USDA report.
The Canadian government said the six categories of single-use-plastics subject to the regulations amounted to an estimated 150,000 metric tons sold in 2019, or 3% of the total plastic wase generated in Canada that year.
Growers keep their eye on the ball, pioneering conservation solutions rooted in soil
Sept. 29
By Kristin Leigh Lore
In a four-part series, The Packer shared how producers across the fresh produce supply chain are hard at work, pioneering ways to grow, harvest and package fruits and vegetables while reducing their carbon footprint.
Resourceful and creative, the fresh produce industry tackles mitigating the effects of climate change challenges head on in 2022. Many producers are actively improving sustainability in their supply chains, focusing on priorities such as:
• Improving soil health.
• Emphasizing integrated pest management.
• Conserving water.
• Adopting packaging innovations.
• Reducing food waste.
• Improving supply chain traceability.
