Top News in the Produce Industry September 1 – 15
By iFoodDS Team
September 15, 2021
Officers of New Produce Association Named
Officers of New Produce Association named by Cathy Burns, CEO of Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and Tom Stenzel, President/CEO of United Fresh Produce Association, which is slated to launch January 1, 2022.
Mushroom Production Decreases 7% Compared to Last Season
Mushroom sales of the 2020-21 U.S. mushroom crop totaled 758 million pounds, 7% less than the previous season. The pandemic, material and labor shortages, and increased costs contributed to the sales decrease.
New Members Join the Food Safety Coalition Steering Committee
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), The Consumer Goods Forum’s Coalition of Action on food safety, added new members to their steering committee to help shape the direction of the coalition and help deliver its mission.
USDA Announces Grants to Provide Relief to Agricultural Workers
USDA announced $700M in grants to help farm and meatpacking workers with pandemic-related health and safety costs.
Aldi Opens Third Store in Brooklyn
As part of their plan to expand into the U.S., Aldi opened their third Brooklyn store. Currently, Aldi has more than 2,000 stores in 37 states.
FDA’s Will Hold a Public Meeting to Discuss Food Safety at the Last Mile
Because of the increasing number of consumers ordering their foods online, FDA will hold a public meeting to discuss the safety of foods sold online and delivered directly to consumers.
Naturipe’s Summer of Snacking Celebration
As part of their Summer of Snacking campaign, Naturipe is promoting their raspberries and blackberries during the season’s peak.
Stop & Shop Relaunches Freshness Guarantee
The Freshness Guarantee ensures that if a perishable product bought in Stop & Shop’s meat, seafood, produce, dairy, bakery, floral or deli department doesn’t meet a customer’s standards for freshness and quality, they can return the item and receive double their money back.
A Study by Southeast Produce Council Showed That Innovation Drives Growth and Engagement for Fresh Produce
The study was commissioned by the SEPC and conducted by 210 Analytics and was based on a consumer sample of 1,500 shoppers fielded in mid-August 2021.
New Regulations for Handling Irish potatoes grown in Idaho and Oregon
USDA issued a final rule that relaxes the requirements for non-Russet type potato varieties to adjust to consumer preferences and meet customer demands.
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