Consumer Demands

Anne-Marie Roerink on the Surprising Shifts in Produce Purchasing

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:02:45 GMT

Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, says she looks into a lot of trends within the food space, from candy, to deli, snacks, meat and, of course, produce. And she joins “The Packer Podcast” to share some of the recent trends she’s seen in fresh produce. Roerink says in the latest “What’s New?” research that she presented at the 2025 Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations showed some surprising results.

Roerink says it’s no secret fruit has been outperforming vegetables in the produce category, but this year’s data shows an even bigger divide.

“As of pretty much January, the beginning of this year, all of a sudden, we saw that fruit started to accelerate in terms of growth, and we saw that vegetables just started to decline year or month after month in terms of dollars, units and pounds,” she says. “The trends that we had been seeing for five years all of a sudden started to really bifurcate in that fruit excelled even more, and vegetables started to pull back even more.”

Roerink says it’s important to look at the generational trend around fruit and vegetable trends to better understand what’s going on. Millennials make up about 60% to 70% of new unit growth, she says, while baby boomers’ fruit and vegetable dollars are down.

“Millennials are growing their vegetable engagement, but fruit is growing at double the rate, and that’s why we’re seeing such enormous strength in things like berries, organic bananas, citrus fruits,” she says. “I think we’ve got some work to do as the vegetable industry. Fruit is growing nicely, but to see all the main commodities and the smaller ones down year on year in terms of volume, that just means that we have an opportunity to engage with millennial consumers.”

And digging deeper, she says a lot of that growth in millennials is driven by a change in shopping habits when compared with baby boomers.

“[If] you look at millennials and Gen Z as well, and you see that all their inspiration is digital, and it’s led by YouTube, Instagram, TikTok is in the mix, and even Facebook is in the mix,” she says. “All of a sudden, you start to realize that that’s an opportunity right there. How can we elevate the profile of vegetables, all the goodness that they bring in terms of health and functional benefits and start to make sure that vegetables are part of those recipes, in addition to, of course, fruit, because we don’t want to see that decline.”

Roerink says it’s also important to understand the taste preferences of millennials and Gen Z, who are more likely to embrace global flavors when preparing meals. While both boomers and millennials might gravitate toward Asian flavors, most boomers flock toward traditional Chinese dishes and millennials look to Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese flavors, which she says is a great opportunity for retailers to bring new vegetables into the stores.

“That’s explaining why we’re seeing such a surge in things like avocados and cilantro and even some of the Chinese vegetables, cabbage and what have you,” she says. “Asian cuisines are coming into the mix as well, and that’s a huge opportunity, in my mind, for vegetables and to really authentically create those dishes that are popular.

Another reason fruit tracks higher than vegetables in millennial and Gen Z spending is those generations are parents whose children prefer fruit to vegetables.

“It really became clear that children are preferring fruit, and that for the most part, millennial parents say, as long as it’s fresh produce, if it’s fruit, a little bit more than veggies, I’m okay with that,” she says.

But she says in her research, she found that millennial and Gen Z parents want information on how to better incorporate fresh vegetables into their children’s diets. And while children are picky eaters, another barrier to vegetable consumption is many families are on the go.

“We also have to really keep in mind that produce goodness, so the vitamins, the minerals, the fibers, can be consumed in many ways these days,” she says. “If you look at millennials engaging with things like smoothies or those little pouches where you can drink out of or shots or supplements, you know millennials over-index for all of those. There is enormous focus on the importance and the benefit of fresh produce, but it doesn’t always translate into consuming the fresh produce, and especially different fresh vegetables.”

She says this is an opportunity to engage with children to help drive produce consumption. That could be as easy as being active on social media platforms, creating kid-friendly recipes with vegetables and incorporating vegetables into grocery store children’s programs.

“If you think about how many retailers have those programs where you can grab a free piece of fruit, whether that’s a banana or an orange, right, or an apple, but it’s always fruit,” she says.

Newly Launched Banana Organization Seeks to Reenergize Category

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:33:00 GMT

While the beginnings of the Banana Association of North America (BANA) started about a year ago behind the scenes, the organization chose to come forward following a meeting at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show, says Tom Stenzel, principal of The Stenzel Group. Stenzel will lead the daily operations of the organization, which is governed by a board of directors that includes executives of Chiquita, Dole Food Company, Fresh Del Monte and Fyffes North America.

Stenzel says in that year, the organization worked behind the scenes on tariffs and other issues impacting the banana industry. And while BANA is new, banana organizations are not new. The International Banana Organization ended around 2008, but he says in recent years, banana companies have started to communicate with Stenzel about relaunching an effort.

“You’ve got four major competitors there,” he says. “They’re not really used to working together, so that’s been part of the process of helping them understand they’re still strong competitors in the market for sales. But there are things we can do together that will help the whole banana industry.”

And that’s one of the goals that BANA has in mind, Stenzel says, noting that while bananas might lead fruit sales and have huge household penetration, because bananas are a staple in produce departments, there might be less buzz around the fruit.

“Everybody knows bananas, but it’s kind of just become a staple, so it maybe doesn’t draw as much pizzazz and excitement as some newer fruits or competitive products,” he says. “So that’s another goal, is to kind of revitalize that, particularly with younger people who get excited about new products. So how do you create new excitement about a category that’s already this established?”

Stenzel says BANA wants to be more vocal about the nutrition benefits of bananas as well as its portability and affordability with consumers who both seek out value but also new flavor experiences.

“It’s probably the most affordable fruit — look at the price points for bananas,” he says. “It’s got those same eating qualities. It’s got good nutrition, it’s got portability. It was sort of the original convenience fruit, if you will, before we started cutting other products up. So, it’s got a lot of those attributes. It’s an energy boost. I’m not sure that we’ve communicated that as well, particularly to the younger generation.”

One thing Stenzel wants to point out is that while BANA wants to engage consumers, the members don’t see bananas going head-to-head with other commodities. Stenzel says the team sees great opportunities for consumers seeking out similar benefits in different products.

“You look at energy drinks and energy bars, why not have a natural, fresh banana instead of a processed candy bar for energy,” he says. “I would say to the trade: Don’t be worried that the bananas are going to try to come compete with you. We’re just trying to find the sweet spot where we reengage those consumers who probably haven’t been having as many bananas as you and I.”

Another thing Stenzel wants to communicate is the critical role retailers will play in the future of BANA’s efforts, especially in highlighting bananas.

“We want to make sure that the retailers understand that there is greater potential in bananas than maybe they are used to,” he says. “How do we reengage the retailer also as a partner in reaching those new consumers, whether it’s in displays or promotions or any of those types of activities?”

Stenzel says, much like BANA’s goals with consumers, the organization seeks to transform the conversation and reenergize the category.

“Let’s put some energy back in the banana category and see what we can do to make it grow,” he says.

Organization Seeks 'Mangoes in Every Shopping Cart by 2030'

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 01:46:32 GMT

On Aug. 21, the National Mango Board hosted a webinar on its efforts to strengthen mango consumption in the U.S.

“The vision is for mangoes to be an integral part of the diet of people in the United States,” said Ramón Ojeda, the board’s executive director, as translated from Spanish. “Consumption per capita has gone from about 2 pounds per person 20 years ago to about 4 pounds per person in 2023, which places it in 11^th place in terms of the most consumed fruit in the United States.”

Ojeda also presented data about mango market penetration into U.S. homes, which he said averaged at about one in four households buying mangoes. This lines up closely with The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2025 survey findings. Among survey respondents, 23% reported buying mangoes in the prior year. It was ranked 15^th in terms of reported purchase frequency.

The National Mango Board would like to see mangoes in the top 10.

“Last year we reviewed [the strategic] plan, and the mission of the marketing program is to inspire and promote the value of fresh mangoes in the daily lives of U.S. consumers,” Ojeda said. “The vision that we have is a simple one: To see mangoes in every shopping cart by 2030 with the help and support of everyone in the mango industry.”

Promotional projects and plans

Ojeda overviewed the National Mango Board’s considerable calendar of recent promotions, both evergreen and seasonal. Seasonal campaign examples included:

The February “Love for Mangoes” for Valentines
Mango Madness for March with basketball tie-ins
Cinco de Mango for the lead up to Cinco de Mayo
A Disney partnership around the Lilo and Stitch movie release in May
The mobile food truck-centered Joyride campaign , now in its second year and running through Aug. 24
A social media campaign partnering with children’s entertainer Blippi
The recently kicked-off Back-To-School campaign

The board also announced a few planned campaigns, including one focused on football tailgating for the fall, the board’s 20^th anniversary, and “holiday joy” for the winter.

“We’re incorporating educational elements to everything that we do,” said Leonardo Ortega, director of research for the board, who noted that a lot of people “still don’t know a lot about mangoes.”

This also fits with Fresh Trends 2025 survey findings; few respondents reported being familiar with picking a ripe mango .

Ortega said providing consumers with information on how to select and how to cut mangoes will encourage them to buy mangoes in the store and take them home. But the National Mango Board is creating educational efforts for more than just consumers. Ortega announced the board will be launching a new video as part of the Mango University Culinary Training Program next week.

“This is for cooking professionals who would like to learn how to incorporate our fruit in their recipes and in their processes.”

He added that foodservice is a key part of driving U.S. demand for fresh mangoes.

“People often discover mangoes through a food service outlet. In most cases, they will be driven to the fresh cut section after they try mangoes in a restaurant or cafeteria.”

Ojeda reminded webinar attendees that every step in the mango supply chain has a role in growing U.S. demand for mangoes.

“Our mission says that we seek to increase mango consumption working as a unified industry, and that is very important because the mangoes must be managed and handled properly,” he said. “Merchandisers who place the fruit and handle the fruit in the supermarket as well as the packers and growers and the shippers — we all have a role in achieving quality for the consumer.”

Global Grape Group Talks Strategy for Boosting U.S. Demand

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:56:07 GMT

Presenting and defining the Global Grape Group’s (GGG) demand strategy was one of the key topics at the Second International Table Grape Congress, held in Lima, Peru, Aug. 13-14.

Organized by the Peruvian Table Grape Producers Association (Provid), the event featured participation from Frutas de Chile, along with its grape committee, and Table Grapes from Mexico, gathering nearly 700 representatives from the industry who analyzed technical, climatic, logistical and market issues related to table grapes.

During the “From Individual Challenge to Collective Action: The Value of Competition in the Table Grape Industry” panel, GGG representatives reflected on the group as a driving force to build a common voice, face shared challenges and strengthen the competitiveness of the industry in major global markets.

Ignacio Caballero, executive director of Frutas de Chile’s Table Grape Committee, addressed the main challenge facing the industry.

“In the last eight years, we have seen a 40% increase in the supply of Southern Hemisphere grapes to its main market, the U.S., while demand has only increased by 3% during the same period,” Caballero says. “If we expect a 13% increase in volumes in the coming years, the mismatch between supply and demand will be even greater. The weekly demand level is stagnant at 3.5 million boxes; when it exceeds this level, as happened for more than 10 weeks during the last season, prices drop dramatically. Therefore, it is crucial that we, as GGG, work together to increase this demand. The cost of doing nothing is too high for everyone.”

For his part, Rodrigo Vallejo, CEO of the Ro2media agency, presented the results of the “Have a Grape Day” campaign , developed in collaboration with the GGG, that launched in the U.S. for the 2024-25 season.

“The campaign clearly establishes, in a versatile manner, filled with positive energy and emotionally effective, the concept that a grape can improve your day — it’s that simple,” Vallejo points out, adding that there were significant achievements in this first campaign.

He says this initial campaign achieved important coverage through specialized industry media, with great results considering the relatively low initial resources invested for the challenge at hand.

“We exceeded the goals, achieving incremental sales of over US$10 million with our 49 programs in supermarkets,” he says. Additionally, he emphasizes that “this campaign impacted 83 million consumers, creating 35 million new ones and increasing an additional 1.4 kilograms per capita for those who saw the campaign.”

To conclude, Vallejo presented data from other similar success cases, such as Zespri, Chilean Cherries, and Avocados from Mexico, stating: “It was a good start, but we need to invest more as we should expect a return on investment between 450% and 600%. We are currently investing only US$0.7 per ton, while others are investing up to US$71 per ton. This is just the beginning; we aim for more. We need more participants.”

Luis Miguel Vegas, general manager of Provid, highlighted the importance of industry collaboration and questioned what Peru needs to manage a projected production of 100 million boxes of grapes in the future, emphasizing the need for the industry to work cohesively to sustain its development. The major issues from the past season were logistical problems caused by volume concentration. For this reason, he urges the industry to start investing in promotions through the GGG.

“The United States is the main market for table grapes; it is the ideal place to begin the GGG’s actions,” adds Sergio Lugo, general manager of Table Grapes from Mexico. “We must have a medium-term strategy, starting in one place to generate a strong impact, and as we achieve results, diversify campaigns to other destinations.”

Regarding who can join the GGG, Lugo explains: “The idea is to start the GGG with our three countries but to include other origins as we have the plan ready. California, South Africa, and Brazil, among others, have already shown interest in joining. Additionally, we are defining the framework for other industry stakeholders to join.”

GGG Strategy

The steps defined by GGG initially included a “Sowing” phase in 2024-2025, which involved creating the GGG through the signing of a memo of understanding and its establishment with headquarters in the U.S. Ro2media, which works with Avocados from Mexico among other clients, was then selected. GGG defined its objectives during this period as well, focusing on increasing grape consumption globally, exchanging information among the countries of the group and promoting best sustainability practices.

The 2025-2026 season will mark the “First Harvest” stage, which includes the first full promotional campaign of the GGG and its launch in the U.S., according to the group.

GGG representatives estimate that efforts to boost grape demand in the U.S. could mean an investment of between $2 million and $3 million for the 2025-26 season, which equates to between 2-3 cents per box of grapes, with a potential medium-term benefit of between $1 and $2 per box.

GGG plans to present its complete plan to the industry during the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2026 Global Produce and Floral Show on Oct. 16, at 3 p.m. in Anaheim, Calif.

What You Eat Matters — But What About When?

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 21:25:32 GMT

“Healthy eating is not only what you eat, but also how much you eat and when,” says Kaylyn Koons.

Koons, a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida, is the lead author on a recently-released informational resource on chrononutrition from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Chrononutrition is an emerging field of study that looks at how diet and the body’s 24-hour internal clock interact.

“The field of nutrition overall is a relatively new field,” Koons tells The Packer, giving the example of the discovery of vitamins, which occurred roughly from the mid-19^th century through the mid-20^th century.

“As we are starting to learn more about nutrition,” Koons says, “we are beginning to understand how other aspects of biology (i.e. circadian rhythm) interact with dietary patterns.”

Chrononutrition basics in brief

According to the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences resource, the field of chrononutrition kicked off in 1967 with Franz Halberg, a Romanian-born physician. The idea of the field is based on the idea that the sleep and wake cycle — one’s circadian rhythm — regulates functions such as metabolism and digestion. This means how someone schedules meals throughout the day can impact their weight, body mass index and likelihood of developing various health issues.

“Chrononutrition is an approach to diet that focuses on the timing of food intake in alignment with the body’s natural circadian rhythms,” the UF/IFAS guide summarizes. “Chrononutrition examines three primary aspects of eating behaviors: timing, frequency and consistency. These aspects play essential roles in maintaining metabolic health, weight management and overall well-being.”

Despite beginning almost 60 years ago, chrononutrition is still considered an emerging field.

“One challenge the field has faced in advancing knowledge and research on chrononutrition is the difference in circadian rhythms between animals and humans,” Koons explains. In most research settings, using animal models — such as testing on mice or rats — comes before studies on people. But research animals often have different circadian rhythms than humans do.

“For example, mice are nocturnal, so feeding schedules and other interventions must be timed accordingly to ensure relevance in translating findings to humans,” Koons says.

What is known versus what we need to learn

Though it is an emerging field with some obstacles to research, there have been plenty of findings, and the UF/IFAS guide gave several examples of chrononutrition in action.

For example, regularly skipping breakfast — something the resource called a “chrononutrition behavior” — has been “associated with lower diet quality, increased risk of obesity and many chronic diseases throughout the lifespan.”

Eating late in the day (after 8 p.m.) has similarly been “linked with poorer food choices, overeating, snacking at night and experiencing metabolic disorders,” according to the guide.

Koons explains that findings of “lower diet quality” and “poorer food choices” generally reference the Healthy Eating Index from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service . The HEI score is a tool to quantify diet quality in the U.S. The HEI score is out of a maximum of 100. Twenty points of that total maximum come from four produce-related categories: total fruits, whole fruits, total vegetables, and greens and beans.

The paper does not identify strong evidence linking chrononutrional behaviors to increased consumption of fresh produce, Koons says.

“Therefore, it’s unclear whether favorable chrononutrition behaviors would promote greater consumption of fresh produce,” she says. “This would be an interesting area for future research, especially with the consideration of chrononutrition.”

The impact of culture on chrononutrition

Culture can have a big impact on details around food and meals that impact types of food and when they are eaten — or not eaten, as the case may be.

“The Western diet, low in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and high in saturated fat and processed foods, has been well established to increase risks of chronic diseases,” Koons says. She also points to what she calls the “grind mentality” of Western culture, with its long hours, as potentially contributing to negative chrononutritional behaviors.

“Extended work hours can present time-related barriers that impact the amount of time one can spend engaging in healthful dietary practices such as grocery shopping, cooking and regular meal timing,” she says. “Arguably, the most significant obstacle in Western culture is the attitude towards food and meals, changing the narrative from being a task to complete to an opportunity for nourishment.”

Koons contrasts the Western diet and meal culture to the Mediterranean region, both its diet and lifestyle patterns.

“This dietary pattern includes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and healthy fats (particularly olive oil), along with consumption of lean meat such as fish and poultry,” she says. “In addition to food choices, the Mediterranean diet encourages regular, balanced meals, community engagement through shared meals and routine physical activity.”

The UF/IFAS guide was published as an educational resource aimed at summarizing current research findings on chrononutrition for nutrition educators, Koons says. But it could also be a tool for consumers interested in identifying potentially negative chrononutrional behaviors they may be engaging in.

“Most eating patterns are often deeply ingrained in habits which can be difficult to change,” Koons says. “For those who seek guidance in improving their chrononutrition or food choices, I recommend working with a registered dietitian who can provide personalized guidance and strategies tailored to each individual’s needs.”

Fresh Trends 2025: Consumers Rank Importance of Sustainability Practices

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 21:08:02 GMT

Every year, The Packer’s Fresh Trends survey asks consumers about their fresh produce buying patterns and perspectives, including about sustainability issues. The Fresh Trends 2025 survey data shows that packaging details tend to outweigh production details for sustainability-minded consumers.

Survey participants for the 2025 report were asked to rank five sustainability-focused practices in order of importance. Based on average rankings across all respondents, biodegradable packaging was seen as the most important, followed by no packaging in second place, and water conservation practices in third place. Organic growing practices and biodegradable produce labels were tied for least important with the same average ranking.

These findings fit with findings from similar consumer sustainability research done by the International Fresh Produce Association.

“Just over half of consumers consider sustainability attributes, such as growing methods and packaging materials, when purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables,” Gina Jones, IFPA vice president of global insights, told The Packer.

Jones shared that, according to IFPA’s 2024 Consumer Tracker report , 58% of respondents reported they are willing to change their lifestyle if it benefits the environment. Additionally, 44% of respondents said they are willing to pay more for products they see as helping the environment. This includes packaging.

According to IFPA’s report, slightly over half of respondents were willing to spend more for products in recyclable or compostable packaging. Respondents said they were willing to pay about 6.5% more for these types of packaging.

Sustainability Perceptions Across the Generations

There were strong age-related trends in how consumers ranked the importance of different sustainability issues in The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2025 report.

For example, millennial and Gen Z respondents joined with traditionalist (those born before 1945) respondents when it came to the comparative importance of packaging issues. Respondents in those generational groups ranked biodegradable packaging as the most important sustainability practice more often than did other age groups. Similarly, the youngest respondents and the oldest respondents ranked no packaging as the second-most important sustainability practice more often than respondents in other age groups.

While organic growing practices were ranked overall as the least important sustainability practice when weighted averages were considered, the specific responses were very polarized. Of all survey respondents, 24% ranked organic production as the most important — a relatively large proportion when compared to 28% for biodegradable packaging and 23% for no packaging.

Notably, millennial respondents in particular were more likely than average respondents to rank organic growing practices as the most important sustainability practice at 27% compared to 24%. They were also more likely to report being willing to pay more for organic produce than other age groups, with 16% of millennial respondents saying they would pay 50% or more on organic produce.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that 30% of all respondents ranked organic growing practices as the least important sustainability practice. This is a large part of why the average ranking of organic growing practices was so low. This devaluing of organic practices also showed stark age-related trends. Baby boomer (born 1946-1964) and traditionalist respondents ranked organic growing practices as the least important sustainability practice more often — at 36% and 59%, respectively — than the average of all respondents. These age groups were less willing to spend more on organic produce, with almost no respondents in those age groups reporting being willing to spend more than 24% on organic produce.

Other (Local) Areas of Sustainability

There are other sustainability-related issues of concern to consumers besides packaging and organics, of course, and that concern is growing. The IFPA report found that consumer interest increased dramatically in every sustainability topic it asked about in 2024 compared with 2023. For example, it found that pesticides were the strongest influence at 49% on fresh produce purchasing decisions for respondents in 2024. This compares with 27% of respondents saying pesticides influenced their purchasing decisions in 2023, when pesticides were still the top influencer.

The IFPA report also found that consumers are willing to purchase fresh produce making sustainability claims, even if they aren’t all that familiar with those claims. For example, 3 in 4 (75%) respondents said they would buy produce labeled “sustainably grown,” but only half that number (38%) reported they could define the phrase.

“Consumers are most confident in defining the term ‘locally grown,’ followed by recyclable packaging, greenhouse grown, and organic,” Jones noted.

Locally grown produce was also seen as being of high quality and safe, according to the IFPA report. Respondents also reported being willing to pay a premium for locally grown produce, roughly 10% more in fact, the highest reported premium compared to other produce method claims like organic (9.35% more), greenhouse grown (7.66% more) or sustainably grown (7.38% more).

Respondents to the Fresh Trends 2025 survey similarly reported interest in locally grown fresh produce , with 68% of respondents saying they felt strongly about buying fresh local produce. About a third of respondents reported buying more locally grown produce in 2024 compared with 2023, and 58% said they would buy more if price was no object.

Related: Get more insights by downloading the Fresh Trends 2025 report here.

Consumers Bought More Produce During the Pandemic

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 18:20:16 GMT

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a lot of change on Americans when it came to food. Restaurants were closed. We had to wonder if we needed to disinfect our groceries for a while. That obsession with making sourdough started up.

But apparently people started eating more fresh fruit and vegetables too.

The USDA Economic Research Service released a report on the impacts of COVID-19 on food spending and diet on May 20. The report found that — as is common with negative economic events — the pandemic shifted American’s food purchasing behavior.

The report — U.S. Household Food Spending Post COVID-19 and the Implications for Diet Quality by ERS research agricultural economists Abigail Okrent and Eliana Zeballos — compared changes in household food spending in different groups before, during and after the pandemic (2016 to 2022).

“Economic recessions and slowdowns have profoundly influenced spending patterns on food as consumers navigate tighter budgets and uncertainty,” according to the report. “These changes in food consumption behaviors can have enduring effects on health, persisting long after a recession ends.”

Pandemic food purchasing

The economic shocks of the pandemic were unique compared to previous economic shocks in a few ways, according to the report. The main one was the closure of restaurants and stay-at-home orders around the country.

“This prompted significant shifts in the ways people purchased and acquired food, such as increased online shopping and home cooking,” the report said. More consumers bought food at grocery stores — referred to as food at home (FAH) in the report — during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic years of 2016 to 2019.

Buying more food at grocery stores compared to restaurants and other “food away from home” venues changed how consumers spent money on different food categories.

“On the one hand, 2020 had little to no association with spending on dairy, fats and oils, poultry, eggs, fish and seafood, beverages, and desserts,” the report summarized. “On the other hand, spending during 2020 was higher than 2016 to 2019 levels for vegetables (7%), other FAH not elsewhere classified (7%), grains (6%), and prepared meals (6%).”

Some of these shifts continued into the pandemic in 2021, with vegetable spending up 8% and fruit spending up 7% compared to the 2016 to 2019 levels. In 2022, which the report used as a post-pandemic benchmark, spending behavior began to trend back toward pre-pandemic levels with some exceptions. This included spending on vegetables, which was still up 5% in 2022 compared to 2016 to 2019 levels.

The report authors highlighted this trend as potentially beneficial.

“Given that vegetable and fruit consumption has largely been flat over the past few decades and well below [Dietary Guidelines for Americans] recommendations overall, such a shift in spending could lead to better adherence to DGA recommendations.”

Fruit and vegetable buying trends overall

The report also found some key differences in food spending across different demographic groups regardless of year. For example, the report found that urban households spend more on fruit and vegetables compared to their rural counterparts. Similarly, West Coast households spend the most on fruit and vegetables overall out of the U.S. geographic regions.

Racial and ethnic demographic details also played a role in food spending behaviors, regardless of the year.

“Independent of income and other covariates, non-Hispanic Asian households spent more on fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and seafood, and eggs, and less on processed red meats and beverages than non-Hispanic White, Black, and Native American/Pacific Islander/multiracial households,” the report found.

The report also noted that there were some seasonality trends in food purchasing at grocery stores — but not at restaurants — that was seen across all years in review.

“In particular, spending on fruits tended to be higher in the spring ($20 more per capita) and summer months ($20) compared to fall (-$6) and winter months (base), whereas vegetable consumption was unaffected by the seasons.”

The report authors speculated that the seasonality in fruit consumption, even in the face of expanded trade that means fresh fruit is reliably available year round, “may indicate consumers prefer to eat seasonal fruit produced within the United States.”

Going big with specialty mushrooms on a small scale

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:40:41 GMT

Specialty mushrooms are a growing interest to consumers and producers alike, however, getting supplies — either to small farms or to the people directly — can be an issue.

Portland, Maine-based mushroom-farm-turned-supplier North Spore has faced both sides of this problem. The company answers it with mushroom grow kits and homegrown specialty mushroom spawn.

Matt McInnis, co-founder of North Spore, described the past 10 years as driven by interest in all things mushroom. Everything from growing interest in meat substitutes, psychedelic therapies being legalized in some states and even the HBO show “The Last of Us,” with its fungal plague, has played a role.

“There are all these different elements of the zeitgeist that fed this boom in mushrooms,” he said.

The Mushroom Council President and CEO Amy Wood contextualized the consumer-side interest to The Packer.

“While the specialty mushroom category is small (roughly 2% of annual mushroom volume), it’s doubled in the past 10 years,” Wood said. “Shoppers are becoming increasingly aware of the array of specialty mushrooms available now: shiitake, oyster, maitake, lion’s mane and more.”

Indeed, according to The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2024 , almost 10% of surveyed shoppers reported buying specialty mushrooms in the previous 12 months. Shiitake especially got its own callout by survey respondents.

Specialty spawn is hard to find

Currently, North Spore makes and supplies specialty mushroom growing kits for home growers and specialty mushroom spawn to small commercial mushroom farms. But it began in 2014 as a mushroom farm distributing specialty mushrooms to restaurants, grocery stores and farmers markets in its area. McInnis said both his company and other small mushroom farms ran into supply issues.

“If you wanted to procure spawn from another company, you’d have to work with these large legacy mushroom spawn companies that catered their business to the button mushroom industry,” he said.

“We discovered that there was this big demand for specialty mushroom spawn for these small growers, so we started producing an excess of our spawn and then selling it to other mushroom growers,” McInnis continued. “That kind of got us thinking about the different products that would be helpful for small mushroom growers. We incrementally added on to our product portfolio.”

Homegrown specialty mushrooms — literally

One of those products was home grow kits aimed directly at mushroom-curious consumers, something McInnis said he has seen growing demand over the years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the pandemic, you had this huge boom in gardening and growing your own food and becoming self-reliant,” he said. “A lot of our products fit right into that niche.”

McInnis said that North Spore offers both indoor and outdoor growing kits for specialty mushrooms like shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane, wine cap and others.

“In an outdoor context, really you can grow prolific quantities of edible mushrooms,” he said. “Mushrooms also happen to be super high in protein. It’s pretty difficult to grow your protein source.”

Wood said that interest in growing specialty mushrooms at home isn’t too surprising given the building interest in them overall.

“Research shows us that active mushroom consumers are diehards for mushrooms — they don’t just like them, they love them,” she said.

The potentials of mushroom growing

McInnis said consumers interested in growing specialty mushrooms can easily add them to existing gardens. He described his own gardening strategy, saying he heavily mulches his garlic and inoculates the mulch with wine cap mushrooms.

“While I am waiting for my garlic scapes and bulbs, I’m harvesting edible mushrooms from my mulch,” he said. “The cool thing about mushrooms in a garden context is that they are part of a nutrient cycle that exists in the garden anyway. They are decomposers, which are very important to plant health. By growing mushrooms in your garden, or inoculating your mulch, you’re able to break down that organic matter, free up nutrients, and feed your plants. It just adds to that nutrient cycle.”

That dynamic works on a larger scale too, McInnis added.

“We work with a lot of diversified vegetable farms that have really benefited from using mushrooms,” he said. “They create a polyculture, and there’s a lot of things being cultivated and harvested from a smaller amount of space. By incorporating mushrooms, it’s almost like companion planting but not competing for the same resources.”

Small farms using this strategy have the benefit of a diversified revenue stream, McInnis said, noting that mushroom cultivation can fit well with existing vegetable farms.

“Mushrooms grow on a different time scale from the plants, and [growers] are able to use shadier parts of their land or their wood lots,” he said. “The vast majority of the work for mushrooms happens very early spring or late winter as opposed to throughout the growing season.”

Reflecting on the past years at North Spore and looking forward, McInnis said he was excited about what the future holds for specialty mushrooms.

“There’s lots of different ways that we can grow mushrooms, and it is a constantly evolving and expanding technology,” he said. “There’s a lot that we are still learning.”

Your next read:

Top trends at inaugural IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show, part 2

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:25:36 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. — “Produce is a contact sport,” Bruce Taylor, CEO of Taylor Farms , said as he introduced the keynote at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce and Floral Show on Oct. 27.

The exhibitors lived up to Taylor’s assertion at the 2022 IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show, held Oct.27-29. From drum lines and mariachi bands to verdant, living wall displays and reinvented produce department sets, exhibitors brought their A-game to the inaugural IFPA show.

More than spectacle, product innovation, sustainable packaging and new technologies were among the news shared by exhibitors at a trade show that was anything but boring.

Seen and heard at the 2022 Global Produce and Floral Show:

AgroFresh

The freshness- and quality-focused food technology company AgroFresh brought much more than its signature produce shelf-life extension products to the event.

The Philadelphia-based company has grown during the past 20 years, said AgroFresh CEO Clinton Lewis. It’s not a local business anymore, and today AgroFresh has a huge global presence, he added.

AgroFresh continues to grow and research post-harvest technologies, according to Lewis, including a recent opening of a new research and innovation center in Chile. “We have boots on the ground in every major growing region,” he said. “Our global presence helps producers fulfill their commitments.”

Lewis and Michael Hamby, AgroFresh’s chief commercial officer, came to this year’s show with more than news of AgroFresh’s expansion. Lewis himself was the subject of news, selected to serve on the 2023 IFPA board of directors.

The AgroFresh team also gave live demonstrations of a new digital platform, FreshCloud Inspection, at its booth. The cloud-based platform harnesses aggregated data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to address food waste and deliver quality and supply chain insights with real time analytics.

“Everything is very bespoke in the produce industry,” Hamby said. “GPS technology gives context to pictures taken by growers in the field.”

What’s more, the ability to track trends over time, with consistent measurement and location data, removes subjectivity from quality assurance tools, can increase productivity and track macro quality trends like heat domes, Hamby said.

Sambrailo Packaging

Third-generation owner and CEO Mark Sambrailo of Sambrailo Packaging shared his company’s rich history with trade show attendees. Sambrailo’s grandfather invented the first plastic produce clamshells to nest fresh berries, and Sambrailo Packaging has since pioneered the ubiquitous green mesh fruit baskets.

Today, the Watsonville, Calif.-based company is leaning into sustainable paper packaging development, Sambrailo said.

Vice President of Operations Jackie Vazquez demonstrated new recyclable and compostable produce packaging products and shared filmed stories that went behind the scenes into what makes sustainable produce packaging.

Zespri International

“Most retailers have resumed sampling,” said Sarah Deaton, shopper marketing manager, North America at Zespri, adding that this is good news for Zespri’s signature Sungold kiwifruit. According to Deaton and Daniel Mathieson, CEO at Zespri, the Sungold variety is a sweeter kiwi fruit that provides juicy flavor scooped directly from the fruit.

Sungold kiwi is a basket driver, Deaton said. While a kiwi has over 100% of vitamin C needs in one fruit alone, many consumers haven’t tried Sungold kiwi, she added.

If attendees stepped into the Zespri booth uninitiated, they would surely leave with a kiwi in hand. Deaton and Mathieson ensured that visitors enjoyed a fresh Sungold kiwi in some shape or form before returning to the exhibition floor. From kiwi cocktails to fresh fruit sampling, elements of kiwi were incorporated in every aspect of the booth, from a chic color scheme to kiwi-themed attire.

Lineage Logistics

“To limit food waste, it’s important to be as close to the population centers as possible,” said Jim Henderson, vice president of global sales and business development at transportation and logistics solutions provider, Lineage.

That’s the reasoning behind the vision of Lineage Fresh, a new program at Lineage Logistics focused on delivering products with a short shelf life quickly and safely with cold storage and mature logistics networks.

One key to this, Henderson said, is having a presence not only in Philadelphia, but Savannah, Ga., as well.

“It’s smart to have port diversity, so that you’re not reliant on one market only,” he said.

Related news: Procurant Ship debuts at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show

Fresh Cravings

The Phoenix-based fresh salsa company Fresh Cravings brought its punchy, habit-forming salsas and hummus to the Global Produce and Floral Show.

With a tomatillo green salsa and a fire-roasted red salsa, there were plenty of snacking options at this year’s booth. Fresh Cravings upped the ante with a salsa partnership with Dominican Republic guacamole producer Luv to create a unique avocado-based salsa, called Fresh Cravings Made with Luv salsa.

In addition to its salsas, Fresh Cravings launched “Peppers for a Purpose” at this year’s show, a fundraising activation to support Floridians post-Hurricane Ian. Fundraiser participants spun the pepper wheel and sampled whichever pepper the spinner landed on — whether it’s peppadew or habanero. The hotter the pepper, the higher the donation by Fresh Cravings.

“It’s a fun way to raise money for a cause,” said April Riegler, senior public relations director at Fresh Cravings.

Allen Lund Company

Bob Rose, vice president of national sales, and Nora Trueblood, marketing and communications director for Allen Lund Company, stepped away from their busy booth to discuss business at the transportation brokerage firm.

“We’ve grown a ton post-pandemic because we prioritize our customers first,” Rose said. “Right now, we are focused on growing how many loads we do.”

Customers are asking for real-time tracking now, Trueblood noted.

“It’s hard to find good people as we grow, and we’re trying to find the best people,” Trueblood said. “Our customers are asking a lot more now and we’re trying to invest in good people.”

“Allen Lund has 37 offices. We have depth,” Trueblood said. She added that the company is looking for additional locations. Trueblood and Rose also discussed that while growth is a great problem to have, it comes with its own growing pains.

Rocket Farms

The herbaceous scent of a living wall of basil at the Half Moon Bay, Calif.-based Rocket Farms booth was hard to resist. Proving that an immersive booth experience can include all five senses, including smell, the culinary herb grower provided both fresh cut organic herbs and a line of 3-inch live, potted culinary herbs that include basil, mint, oregano, parley, rosemary, sage and thyme.

Business in the fresh culinary herb business is good, said Debbie Remblence, national account manager of herbs and edibles at Rocket Farms. This year, Rocket Farms’ product offerings included kits aimed at retailer consumers who want to take the guess work out fresh seasonings. In addition to a turkey roasting and prime rib herb kit, Rocket Farms offered an herbal beverage kit this year that included edible flowers and herbs that will level-up cocktails or floral drinks.

Naturipe

“Snacking is hot right now,” said Beverly Van Pelt, marketing project manager at Naturipe Farms . “And breakfast snacking is having a moment.”

Health-conscious snacking is front and center at berry and avocado producer and marketer Naturipe. From berry-forward bentos to fruit-filled parfaits that include Chobani yogurt and can be eaten on the go with a paper spoon, the team at Naturipe is focused ensuring there’s a berry-based snack option everyone.

Portability is key for Naturipe’s brand, Van Pelt said. Finding ways to add fresh proteins, cheese and nuts packs with fruit that performs well not just in grocery stores, but also convenience stores is a big focus in product development at Naturipe right now.

Robinson Fresh

Michael Castagnetto, president of fresh produce sourcing and transportation company Robinson Fresh , was excited to connect with everyone in person.

It’s been a difficult couple of years, he said, but now there’s an opportunity to move forward and connect customers with fresh produce on demand.

Despite progress, challenges remain. “Inflation is the biggest issue, and it doesn’t matter where you are on the supply chain,” Castagnetto said.

Idaho Potatoes

It had been a good show so far, said Ross Jordan, vice president of the Idaho Potato Commission. Jordan and his team of road warriors have spent the last year traveling the U.S., talking to stores and stakeholders.

“This year, we had a later crop than we would have liked, but the potato quality is incredible,” Jordan said. “The pack out is really high, but the size is pretty small.”

This year, the commission has launched a data campaign that shares analysis spanning the entire industry. According to Jordan, retailers can examine their own performance targets and analytics, as well as review their competition.

Retailers are very excited about this, Jordan said. The Idaho Potato Commission will share quarterly reports tracking potato sales to each region so retailers can track and compare how the category is performing.

Top trends at inaugural IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show, part 1

Seen + Heard: On the floor at IFPA’s Global Show

‘Our time is now,’ says IFPA CEO Cathy Burns

10 produce picks named in Kitchn’s Grocery Essentials spotlight

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 13:27:29 GMT

Swoon-worthy produce performed strong in Kitchn’s roundup of grocery store staples. The food and cooking site known for clever recipes, grocery hacks and home-cooking inspiration shone a spotlight on 10 of its top produce aisle picks in its annual “Kitchn’s 2022 Grocery Essentials .”

From cult-favorite Sumos to “tiny, delicate and perfectly cupped” Organicgirl Little Gems lettuce, produce favorites highlighted by Kitchn editors were as diverse as the category. Among top produce picks was NatureFresh’s addictively snackable, tiny tomatoes, Tomz Tomberry Tomatoes, as well as Frieda’s earthy-rich, versatile workhorse, the Stokes organic purple sweet potato. Two additional Frieda’s fresh produce products – the tart, punchy Popjoys Kumquats and juicy Rambas Rambutans – also made this year’s list.

“Being recognized with four awards is the proof point that our new branding is breaking through and speaking to consumers,” Cindy Sherman, senior director of marketing, insights & innovation at Frieda’s, said in a news release. “The Kitchn inspires better, healthier and more delicious eating for the consumers who follow them, so to be recognized for our products that do the same fills our hearts in every way.”

Also at the top of the Kitchn editors’ list was the Envy apple. Envy was selected not only because of its “totally crisp and the right amount of sweet” flavor, but also for its slow to oxidize flesh, making the apple a portable, sliced fruit favorite.

“Envy apples continue to shine. The superior taste, reliably crisp bite and sweet juiciness ensures they are a regular item in customers’ shopping lists, and this is validated by winning Kitchen Essentials’ prestigious Grocery Edition awards as a must-have item.” Cecilia Flores Paez, T&G Global’s head of marketing for North America, said in a news release.

Kitchn’s 2022 Grocery Essentials Produce products recognized:

Lettuce – Organicgirl Little Gems;
Salad kit – Aldi’s Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad Kit;
Mandarin oranges – Sumo Citrus;
Apples – Envy Apples;
Tomatoes – NatureFresh TomZ Tomberry Tomatoes;
Pickles – Grillo’s Pickles Italian Dill;
Blueberries – Wyman’s Frozen Wild Blueberries;
Sweet potatoes – Stokes Organic Purple Sweet Potato;
Kumquats – Popjoys Kumquats; and
Rambutans – Rambas Rambutans.

Kitchn shares inspiration for the food its readers want to eat. The site receives over 439 million monthly impressions across its website, email campaigns and social media channels. Check out the 2022 Grocery Essentials list at https://www.thekitchn.com/.

What Does Food and Fuel Demand Look Like Post-COVID?

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:09:14 GMT

As it appears summer consumer behaviors are more normal in 2021 than in 2020, ag economist Michael Swanson from Wells Fargo joined AgriTalk to share his insights for what an ag economy looks like post-COVID.

Regarding restaurants vs. eating at home, Swanson is surprised how quickly the population is spending its food dollar away from home.

“We saw the April numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis at $55 billion–that’s kind of their annualized number–and that’s only a billion off the record right before COVID hit. So I’m predicting right now that even when we see the May and June numbers, now that California and New York are opening up again, we’re going to see record spending away from home,” he says. “That shows there’s a pent up demand for having somebody else cook and clean up.”

Listen to the full interview here:

Swanson sees the strength in the supermarket sector softening for two reasons: the increased consumption at restaurants as well as people still eating through the stocked up goods in their pantries and freezers.

“We were talking to sugar people just yesterday,” he says. “And it’s like how many extra 5-pound bags of sugar are sitting in somebody’s pantry right now that they thought it’d be used baking but they didn’t. There’s a lot of canned, dried and frozen goods that are probably gonna have to work their way through.”

While the restaurant industry appears to be on the rebound as a whole, there are some sectors that continue to struggle.

“Quick service restaurants–they’re not back at 100%, because a lot of people still are working from their office. And when people work from their office, they aren’t stopping to get a breakfast sandwich on their way to work. So there’s a lot of nuance about where we eat,” Swanson says.

And as summer travel season approaches, Swanson says there will be a lot more people on the road this year compared with last year.

Gasoline and ethanol consumption will be up in the short-term, but he is predicting a long-term trend toward electrification of the vehicle fleet.

“We saw the rollout of the Ford 150 Lightning and that battery technology. That’s what we’re looking at over the horizon and saying, ‘Well, how much demand destruction going forward will we see?’”

He says it’ll take fleet turnover to bring great change to gasoline consumption, and he says two factors will drive that adoption—federal policy and battery technologies. For example, he says 10 years ago battery powered vehicles had $50,000 in just the batteries. Today, the cost may be $12,000.

“There are 275 million private vehicles on the road today, and they typically have about a 14-year service life,” he explains. “So we add about 17 million vehicles per year; that was kind of the run rate. So it’s going to take a long time, if we go to 4 million or 5 million electric vehicles, that means another 11 million or 12 million gasoline powered vehicles.”

Greta Thunberg Aims to Change How Food Is Produced

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 19:02:56 GMT

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has set her sights on changing how the world produces and consumes food in order to counteract a trio of threats: carbon emissions, disease outbreaks and animal suffering.

In a video posted on Twitter on Saturday, Thunberg said the environmental impact of farming as well as disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, which is believed to have originated from animals, would be reduced by changing how food was produced.

“Our relationship with nature is broken. But relationships can change,” Thunberg said in the video marking the International Day of Biological Diversity.

A focus on agriculture and linking the climate crisis to health pandemics is a new angle for Thunberg who has typically focused her ire on policy-makers and carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

“The climate crisis, ecological crisis and health crisis, they are all interlinked,” she said.

Thunberg said the spillover of diseases from animals to humans was caused by farming methods, adding that a move to a plant-based diet could save up to 8 billion tonnes of CO2 each year.

The World Health Organization has said the coronavirus was probably transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, while scientists say 60% of the infectious human diseases that emerged from 1990 to 2004 came from animals.

Meanwhile, demand for alternatives to regular meat is surging worldwide due to concerns about health, animal welfare and the environment.

More than two dozen firms are testing lab-grown fish, beef and chicken, hoping to break into an unproven segment of the alternative meat market, which Barclays estimates could be worth $140 billion by 2029.

The Global Center on Adaptation, which works to accelerate climate resilience, said in January climate change could depress global food production by up to 30%, while rising seas and more intense storms could force hundreds of millions of people in coastal cities out of their homes.

(Reporting by Colm Fulton; Editing by Alison Williams)

3 Consumer Trends Farmers Can’t Afford to Ignore

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 18:10:21 GMT

Consumer preferences can totter between fads and trends (think emus versus plant-based meat). For farmers to capitalize on consumer demands, they must be able to sort out what is an of the moment fad or a significant shift, says Rob Dongoski, Ernst & Young food and agriculture leader.

“This is a big challenge in agriculture, since it takes so much time to change course,” he says. “You really have to find the end market first.”

As a partner at Ernst & Young, Dongoski has over 20 years of experience serving clients in the food and agribusiness sectors. He works with a number of Fortune 500, Global 1000 and private companies in advisory and transaction capacities.

Dongoski will speak at the 2023 Top Producer Summit , which runs Jan. 23-25 in Nashville. Register now.

Listen to Rob Dongoski discuss food trends with AgriTalk’s Chip Flory:

In helping clients develop growth strategies, complete buy-side and sell-side transactions and lead significant enterprise transformations, Dongoski has his pulse on some key trends. Here are three he believes farmers should monitor.

Consumers want fresh and uncomplicated food. Overall, Dongoski says, consumers are starting to shift to diets with more fresh food and foods with limited ingredients. “These are things at the perimeter of the grocery store,” he says.
Food miles are becoming mainstream. Local has been thrown around frequently in the last decade in terms of consumer trends. Dongoski says it is now mainstream. “Consumers are tracking food miles, as in how far does it take for strawberry to get to my grocery store? You know, 1,800 miles doesn’t sound very local,” he says.
Younger generations are willing to pay more for food. Baby boomers and Generation X have different views on food than their younger counterparts, Dongoski says. While older generations are not willing to pay more for organic or regenerately grown food, Generation Z and Millennials are willing to do so.

How Farms Can Cash in On Trends

Dongoski says farms of all sizes can capitalize on their trends, but in different ways. Large farms have the ability to scale and work with large companies, while small farms can specialize and find niche markets.

The other big trend shaping the future of farming is the technology used to do it.

“There’s going to be folks who will continue to play a big role in the dirt and there’s going to be farmers who are going to play big roles probably under glass,” he says. “We’ve reached a point where greenhouses, vertical farms and aquaponics play a potential role in our in our food system.”

In either system, Dongoski says data will be key.

Learn more from Dongoski about the future of farming, consumer trends and more at the 2023 Top Producer Summit. Register now!

Will it Become a Must to Tell Your Farm Story?

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 21:37:41 GMT

Does your operation have any social media accounts? Leah Halverson, CEO and founder of Ten Acre Marketing , says it should.

As you sit in your combine or tractor cab this harvest, consider what passersbys are thinking about your work.

Do you want them to draw their own conclusions about what farming practices are carried out on your operation, or do you want to be the one telling the story?

Be Proactive

Halverson told Andrew McCrea, Farming the Countryside host, this concept is what brought her into the marketing business.

“I remember when I first told my dad and brother that we need to get on social media,” Halverson said in an episode of Farming the Countryside. “My dad said, ‘But then everybody’s going to know what we’re doing!’ This led to what we call a drive by—we decided if you can drive by and see what we’re doing on the farm, then we should be able to talk about it.”

Guiding producers farm narrative through this drive by concept is what Halverson does each day at her business. However, she says not all producers are keen on every marketing idea her team proposes.

Ten Acre Marketing helps growers who do and don’t like the idea of communicating their farm’s story to the world of social media. Halverson says even the farmers who don’t want a social presence still have avenues to share information.

“Like with anything, if you don’t like a task and don’t want to do it, doing nothing is better than doing it poorly,” she says.

Halverson says making the decision to share your story and establishing boundaries for the platforms you’re willing to use to share your farm’s story should be step one of your marketing plan.

Have a Gameplan

Deciding your operation should have a social media presence is one hurdle but putting it into action is another. According to Halverson, producers have to ask themselves one question: what am I trying to do?

“Ask yourself what you’re looking for—more land, new labor, hopes to solidify relationships with your lenders or your equipment and chemical guys,” she says.

After you’ve established your big objective, it’s time to think about money. Halverson suggests producers consider what time, money and resources they want to invest and then carefully begin playing the chess pieces.

“You can put random content out and hope for the best, but I don’t think farmers have time to do this stuff for fun,” Halverson says. “It has to be more thought out than that.”

Meaningful Marketing Moves

Halverson says, despite popular opinion, consumers do care about a farm’s story because that helps them to understand where their food comes from. And, it gives producers a chance to help affect change.

The execution is what can make or break an operation, which is why the Ten Acre team suggests you consider your words carefully, or hire a professional to write them out for you.

“Farm stories can get a little too technical. If we back up and start from the basics of this is what we do, why we do it, why we love it, show our family and tell an authentic story, that will set a strong foundation for trust and lead to other conversations,” says Halverson.

Get Ahead While You Can

While these marketing stories are optional now, some, including Halverson, speculate telling your farm story will one day be “the price of poker.”

“I don’t think you should be worried about getting asked about your operation’s practices, but I think you should be expecting that it’ll be part of your checklist each year in the future,” she says. “If that time comes, we have to make sure we have messaging and branding in place, and that we’re following through with it.”

Even with marketing plans in place, unexpected events can upend any operation, and its marketing roadmap.

Halverson says farmers are used to being flexible when plans change in the office and field, and they’ll have to be ready to use that same flexibility when marketing the farm’s story. However, she says producers don’t have to do it alone.

“Go to your local associations, read publications and go online. There’s a wealth of information available to anyone looking to do this,” says Halverson. “Find your favorite neighbor or grower, see what tactics they’re using for a website or social media and talk with them about it.”

The bottom line, according to Halverson: Don’t be bashful in your quest to finding the answers, learning new skills, and working to build up your operation—it just might pay off.

More from Andrew McCrea:

The Story of Old Ben: The Biggest Beef Ever
American Countryside: A Woolen Mill Comeback
Meet the Farm Kid Who Became the Youngest Green Beret on a Daring U.S. Military Mission

IFCO reusable packaging containers help HelloFresh pursue efficiency, sustainability amid growth in meal kit deliveries

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 21:10:07 GMT

HelloFresh has become an international leader in direct-to-consumer meal kits, but as e-commerce food delivery demand surged during the pandemic, the company worked with Tampa, Fla.-based IFCO Systems to optimize logistics and support sustainability initiatives.

Berlin-based HelloFresh saw revenue rise to 3.75 billion euros in 2020, double the results of 2019, delivering more than 600 million meals to customers in 14 countries that year, according to a reference case published by IFCO. Jeff Yorzyk, director of sustainability at HelloFresh US, said in the case study that, in doing business at such a scale, IFCO Reusable Packaging Containers (RPCs) have been a key part in the company’s pursuit of growth, supply chain efficiencies and sustainability.

“During the pandemic, the adaption of e-commerce increased and demand for home delivery of food rapidly accelerated — and that behavior is expected to continue,” Yorzyk said in the report. “Now we’re looking at a lot more optimizing around the meal kit supply chain through the use of data analytics, innovative sustainable packaging and automation.”

The HelloFresh production cycle involves packing individual recipes in paper bags, which are then staged in IFCO RPCs that can be moved smoothly to the production line, where customer shipment boxes are assembled.

“It’s therefore crucial that the IFCO RPCs support the staging of meal kits in a way that allows an easy, safe and efficient packing of the highly variable delivery boxes,” Yorzyk said in the report. He added that the containers’ standard sizing and durability support automation within the industry.

The IFCO RPCs meet a core logistical challenge on the internal side, Yorzyk said in the report. “We’re moving so many things around all the time that if the IFCO RPCs were not collapsible and we had to stage them fully expanded, we would need bigger facilities.”

The collapsible containers can be distributed and stored efficiently, and once used can be recollected, cleaned and sanitized for future use. Yorzyk said in the report that this approach allows the company to:

reduce the physical footprint of the production sites
target carbon emissions reduction through reusables
minimize food waste
prevent packaging waste
protect produce from damage and extend produce shelf life; maintaining the quality of individual meal kits.

“The IFCO RPCs really help us in meeting our sustainability goals,” Yorzyk said in the report. “They maximize our ability to use our facilities more efficiently and help minimize food waste. They also help us to reduce the need to recycle cardboard. We will continue to rely on and look for ways to increase our use of IFCO RPCs. We’re always looking for ways to reduce the waste stream of cardboard that enters our supply chain.”

The RPCs have proven a superior option for food safety and quality for the customer, Yorzky said in the report. “If we were using and reusing cardboard for our internal logistics, the potential for cross-contamination of spoiled goods would be much higher. The IFCO product management and pooling system helps us guarantee food quality and safety with great reliability.

“We’ve tried conventional boxes for our internal processes, but the paper bags get damaged, crushed and wrinkled during production,” Yorzyk continued. “When the HelloFresh meal kits are safely cradled in the robust IFCO RPCs throughout the internal logistics process, they are better protected. The quality level of our fresh produce is maintained longer for a better consumer experience.”

While HelloFresh has grown over the years by focusing on its strengths, it has relied on IFCO to provide durable, space-saving crates that move in and out of the company’s system rapidly while reducing environmental impact.

“Maintaining containers, sorting them, sanitizing them, monitoring them for issues and deciding when they need to be repaired or recycled, that is not a core competency we would want to internalize. It’s not one that makes sense when we’re such a high growth business,” Yorzyk said in the report. “Knowing that IFCO is tracking and maintaining the RPCs that we use in very high volumes inside the facility allows us to focus on our true business priorities. And that makes the IFCO model very effective.”

Disgusting Food Museum Includes Midwest Favorites

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:40:10 GMT

With a vomit bag as the ticket, visitors are stepping inside the Disgusting Food Museum to taste, smell, and sample a plethora of unpleasantries.

Sheep eyeball juice, fermented shark, bull testicles, maggot-infested cheese are just a few of the dozens of foods likely to provoke extreme disgust in many people. But, these food are considered palatable, even delicious, in many home cultures.

That point is at the heart of the new Disgusting Food Museum in Malmo, Sweden.

“The evolutionary function of disgust is to help us avoid foods that might be dangerous, contaminated, or toxic,” says Samuel West, curator and chief ‘Disgustologist.’ “Disgust is one of the six fundamental human emotions.”

He conceived this house of horror as an entertaining experience, with a very serious message: that what is considered delicious or disgusting is culturally learned.

“I want people to come here and be fascinated by some disgusting foods, from - for them - exotic cultures,” says West. “But, [I hope they] also see some familiar foods that they like and then ask themselves the question - what is this doing in the disgusting food museum?”

Some of the 80 food items on display include frog smoothies from Peru, a Chinese wine made with baby mice and an infamous Swedish putrid herring.

“We identify, culturally, with what we eat,” says West. “So, [calling someone’s food disgusting] is [culturally] sensitive but I think by turning the lens on ourselves, on Swedish or American food culture, we’re saying we treat everyone the same.”

Also included are food items that many western visitors might not consider disgusting at all. American foods on display include Jell-O salad and from the cornbelt pork brains with milk gravy.”

Square Roots implements “transparency timeline” for greens

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:43:19 GMT

An indoor farm in Brooklyn, N.Y., wants to do its part to restore consumer confidence in greens.

Urban farm Square Roots has unveiled a new food packaging system that the company says will give consumers a comprehensive story of how the firm’s basil, sage, chives, and mint traveled from seed to the retail shelf.

In a Dec. 19 blog post by co-founder Kimbal Musk (younger brother of Elon Musk) headlined “ After the Romaine recall nightmare, here’s how Square Roots is going to get Americans to trust their food again ,” the company said it was introducing a labeling program that would allow consumers to see “the complete story of where and how their food was grown, and who grew it, with a simple #knowyourfarmer scan.”

“By simply scanning a QR code or typing in the lot number found on every package of Square Roots fresh produce, you are now able to see the complete story of where and how your food was grown and who grew it — tracing the entire path from seed-to-store,” Musk said in the blog post.

The QR code scan — readable by most smartphone cameras — informs consumers of what Musk called the “transparency timeline” for the commodity. The timeline includes information about the crop’s development, including:

Seeding: the scan tells where the seeds were sourced from, when and where they were seeded and the first name of the worker who seeded the commodity;
Nursery: The date the commodity was placed in the company’s climate-controlled nursery in the specified farm and the first name of the individual that transferred the tray;
Transplant: The date the seedlings were moved from the nursery to the hydroponic grow towers i in the specified farm, and the name of the worker who moved them;
Harvest: The date the herb commodity was hand-harvested and the first name of the worker that harvested it;
Packing: Date of packing and first name of the worker who packed it; and
Delivery: Date of delivery to retail store, with a note that delivery was done with “low impact transport.”

Musk said future versions of the transparency timeline could add information about the specific climate that food was grown in, recycling information relevant to the packaging for the product and perhaps other data. “If you would like see any other information added to the timeline, just let us know,” he said in the post.

With recent the recent E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce — the third outbreak in two years — Musk said that consumers are at risk from foodborne illnesses.

“The situation was compounded by opaque supply chains in the Industrial Food System, making it ridiculously difficult to accurately trace the source of guilty pathogens,” he said in the blog post. “To their credit, the big lettuce producers did eventually react, and agreed to start labeling their products with a mark of the state in which their products are grown. But that’s not enough. Consumers demand — and deserve — to know more.”

Musk said that indoor climate-controlled farming “has many advantages” over open field growing when it comes to minimizing the risk of such outbreaks. He said that Square Roots’ distributed, modular farm network reduces that risk even further.

“Square Roots customers can enjoy our products not just because they taste great and are grown hyper-locally, but also because they come with the comfort and confidence of being able to see exactly how and where your food was grown and who grew it,” he said.

Musk said blockchain technology has created buzz but so far hasn’t delivered much information to consumers.

“We’re optimistic on that long-term vision (of blockchain), and we know many of the people working hard on blockchain solutions right now,” he said in the post. “But the reality is that initial implementations, while heavily buzzword-compliant, have been distinctly underwhelming in terms of the information they provide.”

Frieda’s looks to boost produce choices for consumers in new year

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:43:24 GMT

Los Alamitos, Calif.-based Frieda’s Specialty Produce says the first of the year is the perfect time to give consumers greater opportunity to change their diets.

“Consumers want colorful and different produce items to shake up their healthy eating habits in the new year,” Alex Berkley, sales manager at Frieda’s Specialty Produce, said in a news release. “They’re looking for recipes that make healthy eating fun and delicious to help kick off 2019 right.” In fact, Nearly 80% of millennials are looking to discover new food favorites through recipes, according to Wakefield Research.

The same Wakefield Research survey indicated 87% of consumers are interested in making small diet changes, such as eating more fruit and veggies, as part of their diet in the new year, according to the release.

Good options to help consumers get traction on New Year’s resolutions, according to the release, include Chickpea-Stuffed Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes, Watermelon Radish Avocado Toast, and Turmeric-Colored Cauliflower Tacos. Frieda’s offers a selection of recipes online .

Biotech food label disclosure set

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:43:33 GMT

Drawing praise from some quarters and criticism from others, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has published the disclosure standard for bioengineered foods.

The Dec. 21 regulation spells out what manufacturers, importers and certain retailers must eventually put in place to ensure bioengineered foods are appropriately disclosed.

The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, passed by Congress in July of 2016, directed USDA to establish this national mandatory standard for disclosing foods that are or may be bioengineered, the USDA said.

“The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard increases the transparency of our nation’s food system, establishing guidelines for regulated entities on when and how to disclose bioengineered ingredients,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in the release. “This ensures clear information and labeling consistency for consumers about the ingredients in their food.”

Perdue said the national standard will avoid the “patchwork state-by-state system that could be confusing to consumers.”

The release said the standard defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.

The implementation date of the standard is Jan. 1 of 2020, except for small food manufacturers, whose implementation date is Jan 1 of 2021. The USDA said the mandatory compliance date is Jan. 1 of 2022.

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service developed the List of Bioengineered Foods to identify the crops or foods that are available in a bioengineered form throughout the world and for which regulated entities must maintain record, according to the release. The list, available online , includes several fruits and vegetables. The complete list:

Alfalfa;
Apple (ArcticTM varieties);
Canola;
Corn;
Cotton;
Eggplant (BARI Bt Begun varieties);
Papaya (ringspot virus-resistant varieties);
Pineapple (pink flesh varieties);
Potato;
Salmon (AquAdvantage®) ;
Soybean ;
Squash (summer) ; and
Sugarbeet.

The records kept by USDA will inform companies whether the food must have a bioengineered disclosure to be communicated to consumers, according to the release.

There are several disclosure options: text, symbol, electronic or digital link, and/or text message. Additional options such as a phone number or web address are available to small food manufacturers or for small and very small packages, according to the USDA.

The rulemaking process for the standard generated more 14,000 comments, according to the USDA.

Reaction

The Alliance for Biotech Facts praised the standard.

“This new rule is a victory for transparency and for educating consumers. It will give Americans more information about what’s in their food, right on their grocery shelves,” alliance spokesperson Dan Foster said in a news release.

The alliance said it believes it is important to keep in mind that Congress passed this rule with the intent of creating a marketing standard. “The rule does not reflect any health, safety, or nutrition concerns regarding bioengineering or bioengineered foods,” the group said in the release. “Bioengineering is a safe and important technology for feeding a growing world. There is no difference in safety or nutritional value between bioengineered crops and comparable conventional or organic crops.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest said in a news release that the standard could lead to confusion.
CSPI said it generally supports the final rule because it gives the information to consumers in a uniform manner.

“However, the rule is complex and much education of consumers will be needed before consumers will understand the newly disclosed information,” the group said.

The group said several features of the disclosure rule were not in the best interest of consumers:

In particular, CSPI said the term “bioengineered” is unfamiliar to most consumers; CSPI had advocated for the more familiar and scientifically accurate term “genetically engineered.”

CSPI said the final rule also does not specify when a food can be voluntarily labeled as “non-GMO.” “There has been a proliferation of non-GMO claims in the marketplace for foods such as water, salt, and orange juice that don’t have any bioengineered counterpart,” CSPI said. “Such misleading labeling by food manufacturers takes advantage of consumers’ lack of knowledge to suggest their products are different from similar non-labeled products.”

The group said USDA, or another agency, needs to address this issue if consumers are going to have confidence in the multiple label claims in the marketplace.

Celery still hot, buyers taking ‘what they can get’

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:42:23 GMT

Celery’s high prices, high demand and low supply show no sign of changing soon.

Whether the popularity of the vegetable this spring was driven by books touting celery juice’s health benefits, short supply due to crop shifting or the states’ atypical rain, celery continues to experience its time in the sun.

Prices started the winter in the low $30s per carton, but by March reached between $70 and $75 per carton and continued into mid-April. As of May 22, U.S. Department of Agriculture f.o.b. shipping prices from Oxnard, Calif., ranged from about $66-$72.45 a carton, depending on size, while organic celery ranged from $72.50-$75.85 a carton, with supplies noted as being “very light” with “demand exceeds supply.”

That is the situation at Boskovich Farms in Oxnard, said.

“The whole celery market is short; demand is up, and plantings are down,” Darrell Beyer, organic sales manager at Boskovich Farms, Oxnard, Calif., said, “One week you may have quite a bit of celery — but then you don’t have it for weeks.”
That means there’s enough for Beyer’s regular customers but not for others on a celery hunt.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “They will take whatever they can get — conventional or organic.”

He said prices are ranging from as high as $80 a carton for high-quality celery but $40 for celery that’s affected by weather, which has to be cut down in size due to improper growing.

“There’s a huge spread, and huge quality variance,” Beyer said.

He thinks the momentum will last until July, but feels it’s driven more by fewer celery plantings this year, a reaction from celery growers burned by last year’s “horrible” pricing. Also in the mix was high rainfall amounts in Oxnard.

Doug Classen, sales manager with The Nunes Co. Inc., Salinas, Calif., said the market for celery has been tight and will continue to be so until the deal transitions to Salinas. Recent rains may also cause some planting gaps in the celery supply.

In terms of pricing, he said the market’s been between $60 and $70 the last few months.

“I don’t see any ease for next few weeks,” Classen said.

New Report Anticipates 13 Food Production Trends of Tomorrow

Fri, 20 May 2022 13:59:48 GMT

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside a group of leaders convened by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)—a Founding Partner of America’s Conservation Ag Movement —to explore what the future of agriculture might look like. The resulting whitepaper, The Future of Food Production , is now available for free and aligns closely with trends in regenerative agriculture that we’re monitoring here at Trust In Food™.

I highly encourage you to pick up a copy and read it—at 27 pages, it’s got plenty of depth and food for thought (see what I did there?) without being a slog. In fact, it’s downright conversational and contains many compelling and informative hand-drawn illustrations.

Here are just a few of the trends and vignettes from the report that will impact the decision-making of equipment manufacturers, technology companies and other industries helping farmers and ranchers successfully transition to a climate-smart system:

Trend #1: Produce more with less environmental impact: “The evolution of technology and its increased adoption will be key to meeting production demands.”
Trend #5: Geographic shifts in production: “Crop production will continue to shift geographically as climate changes and water resources challenge conventional approaches, creating opportunity for farmers to diversify and generate stronger returns.”
Trend #6: Advanced food traceability helps maintain consumer trust: “…Farmers will embrace the latest innovations in food traceability over the next 10 years, helping to maintain the steadfast trust they have cultivated for decades.”
Trend #8: Efforts to decarbonize create adjacent economies: “What is certain is that data will become a farmer’s best friend, helping to document the results of their practices, which create tremendous value in a carbon marketplace.”

You’ll have to download the full report if you want to dig into the complete list of 13 trends. The point is this: Food and agriculture face a time of unparalleled change, both in the heft of the systemic issues they’re working through and in the speed at which seismic shifts will likely occur.

It’s encouraging, to say the least, that my peers in equipment and technology see these changes coming and are actively looking down the road for trends around which they can build today’s business strategy to meet the needs of producers.

I’ll say it one more time: Go download the The Future of Food Production report right now and tell me what you think at nbirt@farmjournal.com.

None of us knows what the future holds exactly. Goodness knows the past three years have taught us that. Yet the climate is changing. Water resources remain scarce. Drought looms large. Farmers and ranchers go out every day and get the work done—not only for their bottom line, but for the future of their families, their businesses and those of us who eat, wear clothing or fuel up.

It ain’t easy. But someone has to do it. Why not us? Why not you?

How USDA's $2.8 Billion Climate-Smart Investment Might Impact Your Operation

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 06:20:07 GMT

After months of talking about climate-smart agriculture and working with a handful of funding recipients, USDA is now investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 projects under the first Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding pool. The projects, which seek funds ranging from $5 million to $100 million, include everything from flood control to building carbon markets.

After sifting through 450 proposals, USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding recipients include:

Government entities
Farmer coops
Conservation, energy and environmental groups
Universities
Small businesses
Large corporations

Trust In Food™ , the sustainability division of Farm Journal , is among the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities project recipients for its coalition-driven Connected Ag Project.

The Impact of USDA Climate Funding

According to Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary, these efforts will “increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally,” while building wealth in rural America.

“Through today’s announcement of initial selections for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, USDA is delivering on our promise to build and expand these market opportunities for American agriculture and be global leaders in climate-smart agricultural production,” he says.

USDA’s press release says, from the funding, farmers can expect:

1. Technical and financial assistance to implement voluntary climate-smart practices.

2. Methods to quantify, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas benefits.

3. New markets and promotion in climate-smart commodities.

With this new funding in place, USDA anticipates the projects will:

Provide hundreds of expanded markets and revenue streams for producers and commodities ranging from traditional corn to specialty crops.
Reach more than 50,000 farms, encompassing 20 to 25 million acres of working land engaged in climate-smart production practices such as cover crops, no-till and nutrient management.
Sequester upward of 50 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the lives of the projects. This is equivalent to removing more than 10 million gasoline-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Engage more than 50 universities to help advance projects, especially with outreach and monitoring, measurement, reporting and verification.

Proposals for the 70 projects include plans to match 50% of the federal investment with nonfederal funds.

Who Will Provide the Funds?

The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding will be pulled from USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds in two pools. USDA says the projects announced today are part of the first funding pool.

The CCC has been tapped numerous times in the past year, such as a March announcement to put $250 million toward American-made fertilizer to give U.S. farmers more choices in the marketplace. Some, including Jim Wiesemeyer, Pro Farmer policy analyst, feel the CCC is more of an “ATM machine for aggies” than a tool used to stabilize, support and protect farm income and prices, as it was originally created for.

When asked about why USDA chose to pull more funds from the CCC, Vilsack said it was a matter of timing.

“We track expenditures from the CCC on a monthly basis. We are within a couple of weeks from the end of the fiscal year and there are significant resources left in the CCC account,” he says. “We won’t require any action from Congress to replenish the CCC. We will be able to adequately fund this initiative, as well as some nutrition announcements made today, and still have billions of dollars left in reserve in the account through the remainder of the fiscal year.”

The Agency says the second funding pool will be announced later this year.

How Funds Will Be Used

In the first pool of funding, numerous projects were selected with funding ceilings from $70 to $95 million. According to USDA, some of the individual projects that will span several states include:

1. Climate SMART (Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation), led by Truterra, LLC

This project, which will reach across 28 states, aims to catalyze a self-sustaining, market-based network to broaden farmer access, scale adoption of climate-smart practices, and sustainably produce grain and dairy commodities with verified and quantified climate benefits.

2. The Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovative Finance Initiative, led by Field to Market

This project, covering more than 30 states, will use innovative finance mechanisms to accelerate climate-smart practice uptake by farmers, leveraging private sector demand to strengthen markets for climate-smart commodities. Partners will provide technical assistance and additional financial incentives to an array of producers across commodities, tying climate-smart practices to commodity purchases and creating a scalable model for private sector investment.

3. Connected Ag Climate-Smart Commodities Pilot Project, led by Farm Journal, Inc.

This project will expand climate-smart markets for many agricultural commodities and provide direct payments, technical assistance and data management strategies to row crop, beef, dairy, pork and other producers to adopt climate-smart practices and strategies.

4. Scaling Methane Emissions Reductions and Soil Carbon Sequestration, led by the Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.

Through this project, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) climate-smart pilots will directly connect on-farm greenhouse gas reductions with the low-carbon dairy market. DFA will use its cooperative business model to ensure the collective financial benefits are captured at the farm, creating a compelling opportunity to establish a powerful self-sustaining circular economy model benefiting U.S. agriculture.

5. The Soil Inventory Project Partnership for Impact and Demand, led by The Meridian Institute

This project will build climate-smart markets, streamline field data collection and combine sample results with modeling to make impact quantifications accurate and locally specific but also scalable. Targeted farms produce value-added and direct-to-consumer specialty crops as well as the 19 most common row crops in the U.S.

Details on the other projects can be found here .

More on ag policy:

Biden Administration Presses Unions, Railroads to Avoid Shutdown

More than Hangry: What’s Really at Stake in Global Food Insecurity?

More than Hangry: What’s Really at Stake in Global Food Insecurity?

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 01:55:33 GMT

Do you remember what a trip to the grocery store was like at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, or thereafter?

Store shelves sat void of product as packers and shippers were unable to keep up with consumer demand. Trade slowed to a pace that led to a bottleneck of ships and trucks at ports and warehouses respectively.

D.C. made note of these supply chain downfalls and tried to pivot with funding, pop-up ports and weakened transportation regulations. While some of those supply chain links have been soldered in the past year, Russia’s war against Ukraine has added new pressure to global food security.

But the pressure doesn’t stop short of the supply chain, according to many government officials.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), someone known to say, “food security is national security,” shared a conversation with Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen, along with a panel of policy, science and agricultural experts in Ames, Iowa, on Thursday to break down what’s really at stake in rising global food security.

Food Fuels Peace

The United Nations estimates that world hunger increased 1.5 percent in 2020 to roughly 800 million people.

With rising world hunger numbers, Ernst points to the war in Ukraine, extreme weather and the COVID-19 pandemic as fuel on the food insecurity fire. Ernst, along with Larry Sailer, an Iowa farmer and a farmer ambassador with Farm Journal Foundation, say these challenges pose an increasing threat to national security.

“Agriculture is the first building block of any economy, so maintaining a vibrant and innovative farming sector is absolutely critical to lift people out of poverty, build strong economies and eliminate hunger,” said Sailer. “A hungry person is not a peaceful person. National security for all countries depends on less hunger.”

Minimizing Global Hunger

The answer, according to Katie Lee, vice president of government affairs at Farm Journal Foundation, is rooted in ag research and development.

“The challenges we are seeing today, and the resulting impact on food prices and global hunger, should be a wakeup call that we need to invest more in agricultural research and development,” said Lee.

Following a tour of Iowa State University’s Seed Science Center , the largest seed lab in the world, Lee shared that ag innovation, like Iowa State’s, will be “vital” as populations continue to grow and natural resources are strained.

Up the Ante

Global hunger has been addressed for decades by groups like United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme. However, attention has been diverted from science, especially in the public sector, according to Wendy Wintersteen, Iowa State University president.

“Agricultural research and innovation like that happening at Iowa State University impacts nearly every major societal challenge, but this area of science has been massively underfunded for decades,” said Wintersteen. “Increasing our national investment in agricultural research is vital to support the public good and ensure our country’s leadership and competitiveness.”

While private sector research has significantly impacted yields for commodity groups like corn and soybeans, the public sector can support early research to “pave the way for long-term innovations,” according to Farm Journal Foundation’s press release of the event.

“The innovative agricultural research happening at Iowa State University is vital to finding the necessary solutions to combat global hunger,” said Ernst. “Ultimately food security is national security.”

More on trade:

Russia Sparks New Trouble in Grain and Oil Exports
John Phipps: Are Tariffs Part Of The Problem With Inflation?
3 Supply Chain Trends to Look Out for in 2023, According To AEM

White House to Host First Hunger, Nutrition and Health Address in More Than 50 Years

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 22:46:22 GMT

President Joe Biden will deliver remarks Wednesday at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, which will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

“Too many families don’t know where they’re going to get their next meal,” Biden said in a video announcing the conference,” said Biden. “Too many empty chairs around the kitchen table because a loved one was taken by heart disease, diabetes or other diet-oriented diseases, which are some of the leading causes of death in our country.”

Millions of Dollars to Host the Event

Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Rules Committee, led an effort to get the White House to host the conference and pushed for $2.5 million to be allocated in a government funding package to host the event.

But this isn’t the first hunger event to be hosted at the White House.

Your Next Meal

The last time the White House hosted a conference focused on food insecurity was more than 50 years ago, when President Richard Nixon hosted the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health in 1969. That confab led to expansions of the food stamp program and the school lunch program, creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and improved nutrition labeling.

Conference speakers include President Joe Biden, White House Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Chef Jose Andres.

Susan Rice, prefaced the event in a statement saying “no one should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.”

Details on the event can be found here .

More on ag policy:

5 Conservation Needs to be Met in Farm Bill 2023
Continuing Resolution Bill in the Works as New Stopgap Spending Bill
Shipping Container Rates Down 63%, But We’re a Long Way From Back to Normal Operations

Oxpeckers And Zebras

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:50:39 GMT

There are dozens of instances where smaller animals coexist with much larger animals. African oxpeckers, for example, feed on the backs of zebras, elephants, hippopotamuses and other large African animals, according to Cosmos magazine. The relationship isn’t all symbiotic, as the Oxpeckers are actually vampire birds that do eat ticks, but then suck the blood out of open-tick wounds.

Over the past several weeks I’ve sat in on presentations by a number of small, startup companies that produce and market alternative food products. One product was produced from grass-fed Guernseys. Another yogurt was made from family-owned organic dairies in Oregon.

One of the more interesting presentations came from Miyoko Schinner, CEO and founder of Miyoko’s, a company that makes vegan cheeses. We decided to interview Schinner and provide her remarks for everyone to see. You can read her comments here .

As you read the story, you may feel your heartbeat accelerate, your face get red and an anger well up inside you, because she says things that drive dairy people nuts. The fact that she calls her vegan products cheese, for example, even though there’s no dairy in them. Or that they milk cashews. Or that she calls our current methods of food production unsustainable.

One might ask why in the world we decided to print such false information. Good question.

A colleague once told me that it is important to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I think what he meant was we need to know as much as possible about those who have opposing views so we can see things from their viewpoint, and thereby learn in the process.

I’m not calling Schinner and her company enemies, by any means. I think they are more like the oxpecker, living off of the much larger dairy industry. Had the dairy industry not laid the brand development groundwork for things like artisan cheese and yogurt it would be hard to imagine that Schinner’s product or other products in that category would be successful.

That being said, I would assume that the larger dairy industry derives at least some benefit from these smaller, niche market products. If someone is eating yogurt because it comes from milk from grass-fed, locally owned Guernseys, at least they are eating dairy products. And maybe if someone eats a vegan cheese that tastes like high-end cheddar, they will at least appreciate what full-fledged cheddar tastes like.

Even though the dairy industry is huge and these startups are very small in comparison, it does accentuate the fact that a considerable effort needs to be made to educate consumers about modern agricultural practices. Swisslane Farms has developed a Dairy Discovery center to educate kids and their parents about life on a dairy. It’s also comforting to have experts like those at the National Dairy Council to make sure dairy is prominent in dairy nutrition guidelines.

While I appreciate that these small companies are trying to carve out a niche for themselves, I could do without the disparaging remarks these companies make against modern production agriculture. They’re playing on uneducated consumer emotions to gain differentiation, and that’s not right. After all, you’d never hear the oxpecker say a disparaging word about a zebra.

What do you think? Should dairy alternative companies be allowed to market their products as dairy? Send me your comments at mopperman@farmjournal.com