Massachusetts Apple Report

Vol. 79 No. 9

NOVEMBER 13, 2001

CALENDAR

MASSACHUSETTS PESTICIDE EXAM SCHEDULE

UMASS Eastern Extension Center—240 Beaver St., Waltham

DECEMBER 14. Deadline for submitting application—DECEMBER 7.

QUESTIONS CALL—617-626-1785.

MASSACHUSETTS STATEWIDE PESTICIDE COLLECTION

This is an opportunity for pesticide users to dispose of unused, unwanted, banned or cancelled pesticides. Licensed and certified pesticide applicators, farmers, state agencies and municipal agencies are eligible to participate. Dates are as follows:

November 13—Bridgewater

November 14---Waltham

November 15---Millbury

November 16---Northampton

November 19---Topsfield

Safety-Kleen will be the licensed hazardous waste hauler collecting the pesticides. You must pre-register with Safety-Kleen to participate. The cost of disposal is $9 per gallon and $1.35 per pound.

QUESTIONS CALL THE PESTICIDE BUREAU AT 617-626-1773.

REMINDER

Apples that are being shipped to CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, IDAHO AND UTAH must be certified by the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, Bureau of Farm Products, to have been in cold storage for a period of at least 40 days or more with the temperature at 32 degrees F or less.

Apples in controlled atmosphere must be in CA storage for a continuous period of 60 days with the temperature at 38 degrees F or less and said storage room or building has been approved as a controlled atmosphere facility by the proper authority.

Questions, call George Porter at 617-626-1800.

REDUCE POSTHARVEST RISK

By Stella Naegely

The need for effective food safety programs doesn’t end at harvest. Food-borne pathogens can be found in the packinghouse, storage facilities, shipping containers, and vehicles. Both packers and shippers must take precautions to guard against microbial contamination.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) are formal rules that govern all manufacturing processes. They’re defined in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Here are several points growers should include when developing a safety plan for packing, storing and transporting produce.

Packinghouse.

· Prevent contaminated water and livestock waste from entering the packinghouse via runoff or drift.

· Wash, rinse, and sanitize packing areas and floors at end of each day.

· Exclude all birds and animals.

· Do not allow workers to eat or smoke in the packing area. Require hand washing after each break.

· Do not wear field clothes into the packinghouse.

· Change wash water when it gets dirty or after several hours of operation.

· Wash and sanitize the packing and food contact surfaces each day.

· Store materials in a clean area.

Storage and Transportation.

· Cool fruits and vegetables quickly to minimize the growth of pathogens and maintain quality.

· Do not load refrigeration rooms beyond their cooling capacity.

· Do not ship fresh produce in trucks that have carried live animals unless they have been sanitized.

· Implement a trace-back system that identifies field of origin and packing date for each package.

(Article taken from “AMERICAN FRUIT GROWER” August 2001)

U.S. GRADES FOR APPLES

HAIL

Fruit which has been subject to hail injury early in the growing season has a tendency to outgrow the internal condition thus produced, by the fruit may become slightly misshapen as it develops. When fruit is struck late in the season, the cuticle covering the affected spots may be crushed or torn but often remains intact. Spots usually range from 1/8” to ½” in diameter and are slightly to sharply depressed. The flesh beneath the spots are generally brown and somewhat spongy and dry because of loss of water from the bruised area.

Apples are considered injured if the skin has been broken regardless of healing and area. Under the definition of damage and serious damage, hail marks where the skin has been broken are permitted provided they are well healed and within the limitations provided. If the area shows appreciable discoloration which detracts from the appearance of the apple or if the indentation is more than 1/16” in depth, the apple is injured regardless of the number or diameter of spots. If the indentation is more than 1/8” in depth, the apple is damaged.

U.S. EXTRA FANCY Color blending, superficial, skin not broken, single mark-1/8” diameter, 1/16” depth.

Several marks, total area-1/2” diameter.

U.S.FANCY Slightly discolored, skin not broken, 1/8” depth, total area ½” diameter.

Skin broken but well-healed, 1/8” depth, total area ¼” diameter.

U.S. No.1 Same as U.S. Fancy.

APPLE SHIPMENT TRACKING

Source: USDA

Amounts are shown in units of 10,000 pounds

Season Begins	10/14/01- 10/20/01	10/07/01- 10/13/01	10/15/00 10/21/00	Total this season 10/20/01	Total last season 10/21/00
SEPTEMBER
	8,656	9,323	11,508	64,578	96,694

MID-WEEK F.O.B. PRICES AT MASSACHUSETTS COUNTRY SHIPPING POINT

Prices and grades received by telephone, November 13, 2001

VARIETY	GRADE	SIZE	PRICE
McINTOSH	Cartons Cell Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	80s	19.00
		96s	18.50
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. Fancy	12-3s 2-1/2” min	12.50
	Cartons Tote Bags U.S. Fancy	8-5s 2-1/2” min	14.00
CORTLAND	Cartons Cell Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	72s & 80s	18.00
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. Fancy	12-3s 2-1/2” min	12.50
	Cartons Tote Bags U.S. Fancy	8-5s 2-1/2” min	14.00
EMPIRE	Cartons Cell Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	80s	18.00
		96s	17.50
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. Fancy	12-3s 2-1/2” min	11.50
	Cartons Tote Bags U.S. Fancy	8-5s 2-1/2” min	13.00
RED DELICIOUS	Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	80s & 88s	13.50
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. Fancy	12-3s 2-1/2” min	11.00
	Cartons Tote Bags U.S. Fancy	8-5s 2-1/2” min	13.00
FEDERAL MARKET NEWS SERVICE, EVERETT, MASS. NOVEMBER 12, 2001 MARKET ABOUT STEADY
NEW ENGLAND
McINTOSH	Cartons Cell Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	80s	18.00-20.00 mostly 19.00
		96s	17.00
		100s	20.00
	Cartons Cell Pack U.S. No. 1	96s	11.00-12.00
		100s	10.00-11.00
		120s & 140s	9.00- 9.50
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. No. 1	12-3s 2-3/8” min	9.50
CORTLAND	Carton Cell Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	80s	19.00
		100s	17.00
	Cartons Film Bags U.S. Extra Fancy	12-3s 2-3/8” min	12.00-13.00
RED DELICIOUS	Cartons Tray Pack U.S. Extra Fancy	88s	15.00
		100s	13.00
SHIPPED IN
McINTOSH	NY Hudson Valley Ctns CelPk U.S.ExFcy	80s & 100s	20.00
	Lake Champlain Cartons CelPk U.S. ExFcy	80s & 96s	19.00
		120s	16.00
	NY Hudson Valley Ctns CelPk U.S. Fcy	100s	9.00-10.00
		120s	10.00-11.00
		140s	9.00-10.00
	Lake Champlain Ctns CelPk U.S. Fcy	120s	10.00-11.00
	Lake Champlain Ctn FlmBg U.S. ExFcy	12-3s 2-1/2” min	11.00
CORTLAND	NY Hudson Valley Ctns CelPk U.S. ExFcy	56s & 64s	15.00-17.00
		80s	18.00-20.00
		100s	17.00-20.00
MACOUN	NY Hudson Valley Ctns TryPk U.S. ExFcy	100s	23.00
	NY Hudson Valley Ctns CelPk U.S. ExFcy	80s	27.00-28.00
		100s	24.00-25.00
EMPIRE	PA Cartons Tray Pack U.S. ExFcy PA Cartons Tray Pack U.S. ExFcy	88s	19.00
		100s	17.50
	NY Hudson Valley Ctns CelPk U.S. Fcy	80s	19.00
	NY Hudson Valley Ctns FlmBg U.S. ExFbn	12-3s 2-1/2” min	12.00
RED DELICIOUS	WA Cartons Tray Pack WAExFcy	64s, 72s, 80s	18.00-19.00 fine appear 20.00-21.00
		88s & 100s	17.00-19.00 mostly 18.00
		113s	17.00-18.00 fine appear 19.00-20.00
		125s	16.00-17.00
	NY Hudson Valley Ctns FlmBgs U.S. ExFcy	12-3s 2-1/2” min