Vol. 79 No. 10 NOVEMBER 20, 2001
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
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.
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.
CANADIAN
FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY DELAYS BAN ON 5 A DAY LOGO
By Jim Offner
The 5 a
Day logo will live to see another day in Canada—at least beyond Dec. 1.
The
Canadian Food Inspection Agency decided to delay until Sept. 1 its announced
ban on prepackaged produce from the U.S. bearing the 5 a Day for Better Health
logo and the Nutrition Facts box that appears on U.S. packages. The enforcement action, which the CFIA
announced in August, had been scheduled to take effect Dec. 1.
The
U.S. industry, claiming that Dec. 1 enforcement could cost more than $25
million, has been seeking to delay implementation until January 2003.
“This is obviously a step in the right direction, and we hope the next step will facilitate (development of) a logo that will be acceptable to both countries, with the end goal of promoting increased consumption,” said Donna Denison, director of governmental affairs for United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association.
CFIA
granted the extension after U.S. firms agreed to alter their packaging to
conform to Canadian rules, which state that Canadian nutritional requirements
must be listed.
Ken
Bruce, a CFIA spokesman said that an altered logo had been discussed “for quite
a while” and that such discussions might become more frequent as Sept. 1
approaches.
Denison
said the new deadline, while less than ideal, would give U.S. shippers an
opportunity to exhaust their packaging inventories.
Robert
Guenther, United vice president of government and public affairs, called the
CFIA decision a positive sign.
“We
look forward to working together with government officials from both countries
over the coming months to find a more permanent solution and build upon the
historically strong trade relationship between our two nations.”
The
CFIA originally took action on Aug. 27 saying that prepackaged fresh produce
with 5 a Day logo “is not permissible in Canada.”
Canada
promotes consumption of “five to 10” servings of fruits and vegetable daily.
(Article excerpted from “THE PACKER” November 5,
2001)
BIOTERRORISM
THREAT EMPHASIZES NEED FOR SAFETY PROGRAMS
By Elaine Symanski
The threat
of biological terrorism against the food supply underscores the need for a
proactive food safety and security program, audience members were told at a
workshop at the Produce Marketing Association Convention on Oct. 29.
The
best way to deal with threats to the food supply is to “have a single
spokesperson for your industry. Make
sure that person is knowledgeable and is known to government officials. Don’t wait until something happens to get
your plan in place,” Richard Lobb, director of communications for the National
Chicken Council, told audience members.
Panel
moderator Melanie Miller, executive director of the Partnership for Food Safety
Education said “Consumers have a high level of confidence in the safety of
fruits and vegetables.”
Risky
behaviors of consumers regarding fresh produce include lack of melon washing;
infrequent hand washing and infrequent cleaning of utensils, cutting and
preparation surfaces and sinks, Miller said.
The
groups most at risk for unsafe food handling practices include males, persons
from high-income households, college graduates and persons age 44 and younger,
she added.
Panelist
Nancy Glick said consumers are reluctant to change their habits, and they do
not know how to properly handle food.
She encouraged the use of multiple information channels including “big media,”
like television and mass publicity campaigns and “small media,” including
point-of-purchase materials. Research
shows that most people want information about produce safety at the grocery
store, she said.
Lobb
recommended that produce companies and retailers take a proactive stance in
safeguarding fresh fruits and vegetables against everyday food safety threats
and particularly against a terrorist attack against the food supply.
“Do
what you can right now before you are forced by the government to do a whole
lot more,” he said.
(Article excerpted from ”THE PACKER” November 5, 2001)
U.S. GRADES FOR APPLES
STORAGE SCAB
Apple scab
lesions, present on fruit when picked, frequently enlarge as much as ¼” in
diameter during the normal storage period and the fungus on the spots become
black and more easily seen.
The
greatest change found in scab during storage is often in the appearance of new
lesions. Such lesions are initiated
during long wet periods in the latter part of the summer, but are not visible
at picking time. Sometimes these new
lesions are not readily distinguishable from old lesions of small size. Both become jet black and often produce a
low tuft of fungus growth in the center of the lesion. Unlike those appearing in the orchard many
of the storage lesions do not break through the cuticle at all but develop in
the cells beneath, producing black shiny spots. This characteristic, and the small size of the lesions, are
helpful in identifying storage scab.
Corky tissue occurs in the center of the orchard lesion but is not
present in the storage spots.
There
is no evidence that storage scab spreads from one fruit to another in
storage. Slight variations in humidity
and temperature of the storage room have little effect on the development of
scab.
Scab
spots which show corked over areas should be considered quality defects and
when the affected areas exceed the grade limitations, the apples should be
scored against grade. Lesions which
have not corked over and show the black growth of fungus shall be scored as
condition.
The
Condition Standards for export permit NOT MORE THAN 5% OF THE APPLES IN ANY LOT
TO BE DAMAGED BY STORAGE SCAB. Apples
having storage scab spots affecting a total area of more than ¼” in diamter
shall be considered damaged in connection with the Standards for Export.
APPLE
SHIPMENT TRACKING
Source: USDA
Amounts
are shown in units of 10,000 pounds
|
Season Begins |
10/28/01- 11/03/01 |
10/21/01- 10/27/01 |
10/29/00 11/04/00 |
Total this season 11/03/01 |
Total last season 11/04/00 |
|
SEPTEMBER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,974 |
8,782 |
9,797 |
90,008 |
117,585 |
MID-WEEK
F.O.B. PRICES AT MASSACHUSETTS COUNTRY SHIPPING POINT
Prices and grades received by telephone, November 20, 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
19, 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. ExFcy |
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 |
16.00-18.00 |
||
|
NY Hudson Valley Ctns FlmBgs U.S. ExFcy |
12-3s 2-1/2” min |
12.00-13.00 |
|
|
WA Cartons Film Bags WAExFcy |
12-3s 2-1/2” min |
17.00 |
|
|
GOLDEN DELICIOUS |
WA Cartons Tray Pack WAExFcy |
64s |
24.00 |
|
72s |
23.00-24.00 |
||
|
80s & 88s |
22.00-23.00 |
||
|
100s |
21.00 |
||
|
113s |
18.00-19.00 mostly 19.00 |
||
|
125s |
18.00 |
||
|
WA Cartons Cell Pack WAExFcy |
80s |
25.50 |
|
|
96s |
23.50 |
||
|
NY Hudson Valley Ctns FlmBg U.S. ExFcy |
12-3s 2-1/2” min |
12.00 |
|
|
WA Cartons Film Bags WAExFcy |
12-3s 2-1/2” min |
19.00 |
|
|
ROME |
|||