News

Ten things to know about the produce safety rule

On Jan. 17, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) held a webinar outlining the top 10 things to know about the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed produce safety rule.

Bob Whitaker, chief science and technology officer for PMA, outlined the 10 items most likely to impact those who grow and handle produce once the rule is voted in. He also encouraged involvement on all levels as the FDA accepts comments on the rule. The comments period ends May 16.

The first five of the top 10 need-to-know items outlined in the webinar (and in PMA’s online rules summary sheets) include the following:

Who the rule applies to. The proposed rule applies to fruits and vegetables for human consumption and sets standards for the growing, harvesting, packing and holding of such produce. Produce that is rarely consumed raw, grown for personal or on-farm consumption, or destined to undergo commercial processing to reduce microorganisms are exempt from the requirements, as are very small farms (less than $25,000/year in sales). Other farms may be eligible for partial exemption.

What the rule covers. The rule covers only microbiological hazards. It doesn’t require farms to conduct operational risk assessments or devise a written food safety plan, and only sprouts will require product testing. The FDA claims these items are consistent with the USDA’s National Organic Program.

Whether the rule is commodity specific. FDA decided against regulating commodity by commodity, Whitaker said, except in the case of sprouts. Rather, the rule takes a risk-based approach, looking at processes by which a particular commodity is produced, its biological properties, etc.

What sort of records must be kept. The proposed rule requires that records be kept demonstrating compliance with the requirements for soil amendments, agricultural water, worker training and health, domesticated animals and animal intrusion, building equipment and sanitation management, and sprout production. Records must include basic information and be stored for two years, but they don’t have to be routinely submitted to the FDA.

Ability to develop alternatives to the FDA standards. The proposed rule allows farms to establish alternative standards for testing requirements and subsequent actions for agricultural water and composting treatment processes, as well as minimum application intervals for untreated soil amendments, composted amendments and compost teas. However, adequate data must support the alternatives. FDA is not completely certain what would qualify as adequate scientific data to support the alternatives at this time, Whitaker said.

To read the last five items, visit our website at producegroweronline.com/10-things-produce-safety-rule.aspx.
 

Syngenta launches e-licensing platform

Syngenta launched an e-licensing platform to provide plant breeders and research institutes with quick and easy access to patented native traits from its commercial vegetable varieties. The global Internet-based platform also offers access to patented enabling technologies, which help breeders with gene expression, plant transformation and protein targeting as they develop high-yielding varieties.

Syngenta is offering standard licenses under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. There are also no lengthy and complex negotiations as licenses can be secured via the internet-based platform. The system may be accessed at traitability.com

For more: syngenta.com
 

New event for horticultural industry professionals

GIE Media Inc., C. Raker & Sons and Hort Couture LLC announce their joint venture creation of BloomaPalooza 2013, a one-of-a-kind business event for the horticulture industry to be held Aug. 1-3, 2013, at the famed Raker Trial Gardens in Litchfield, Mich.

BloomaPalooza will be an outdoor green industry trade fair with a music festival format, and will offer a comprehensive, high-quality educational program for horticultural industry professionals.

“BloomaPalooza is a totally unique event concept for business owners and managers, as well as their support staff and families,” says Jim Monroe, CEO of Hort Couture LLC. “Everyone we’ve discussed this concept with has been super excited about its creative dimension, drawing together 25 leading business speakers for educational sessions exploring business ideas, insights and solutions, mixed in with more than a dozen amazing musical acts over a wide range of genres that will give BloomaPalooza the feel of a summer music festival. Add to this a trade fair with hundreds of vendors, great food (and not that high-priced carnival junk), a kid-friendly atmosphere, three exciting days of Garden Idol competition, and you have something very special.”

The three-day event will be an integral part of the Raker Trial Gardens 100-acre grounds in Litchfield.

For more: bloomapalooza.com

Syngenta’s site first to receive GSPP accreditation in North America

Syngenta announced that its vegetable seed processing plant in Pasco, Wash., is the first site in North America to receive Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP) accreditation. Syngenta strives to transition all active greenhouse (AGH) tomato seeds supplied in North America to be GSPP accredited.

GSPP is an independently-audited hygiene and prevention protocol that significantly reduces the risk of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) in tomato seeds while assuring the traceability of seed. Cmm can cause serious economic damage and is easily spread through plant handling, cropping and grafting from other host plants.

To ensure strict adherence to GSPP, all Syngenta employees and partners involved in the production and processing of tomato seed at the Pasco site have been trained on GSPP protocol. Syngenta will begin providing GSPP-certified tomato seed for the AGH segment. Syngenta GSPP-certified tomato seed packaging will be identified by the GSPP logo.

Syngenta will also take an active role in working with young plant raisers to attain GSPP accreditation to help ensure adoption of practices by the entire supply chain and thus reducing the risk of contamination even further.

For more: vegetables.syngenta-us.com
 

Schools compete for a visit from the Burpee Food Truck

The voting process is underway for Burpee Home Gardens “Grow Anywhere Tour.” More than 500 applications from schools and organizations across America were narrowed down to 72 locations, which now compete in a Facebook vote-off for a chance to be a destination stop of the Burpee Food Truck. The “Grow Anywhere Tour” hits the road this spring to deliver 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, 13,000 vegetable plants, and take-home gardening advice to communities located in food deserts where access to freshly grown food is limited.

The 72 schools participating in the Facebook vote-off will compete through Friday, Feb. 15, on the BurpeeGardens Facebook page. Each school was provided tools and resources to build their own public relations campaign to spread the virtual word for their cause. Their efforts, dedication and networking on behalf of their school — and Burpee Home Gardens — will result in the selection of 23 destinations in cites for the “Grow Anywhere Tour” from coast to coast.

The Burpee Home Gardens “Grow Anywhere Tour” aims to raise awareness of the lack of fresh, wholesome foods in many neighborhoods. It will meet communities’ immediate needs, as well as provide an ongoing solution by handing out vegetable plants to start home gardens on balconies, patios, or as part of a neighborhood garden space.

The Burpee Food Truck will hit the road mid-March through the end of May. Besides hundreds of plants for neighborhood residents, each selected destination will receive 50 vegetable plants and seed packets to help create a school or community garden. The Burpee team will also stop at local garden retail locations to help build further awareness.

For more: burpeehomegardens.com
 

Non-retail companies recognized for support in the national public health campaign

The Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) has named 48 non-retail companies within the fruit and vegetable industry as Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Role Models and Champions for 2012 in recognition of their support for the national public health campaign and for PBH. A total of 34 companies earned Role Model status (the top level of recognition) and 14 achieved Champion status.

Bayer CropScience, Del Monte Foods, Del Monte Fresh Produce, Duda Farm Fresh Foods and Market Fresh Produce are among the companies that earned Role Model status. Companies that earned that status placed the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo on packaging, bins, poly bags and totes, served on PBH’s Executive Committee, spoke about Fruits & Veggies—More Matters campaign and more. The California Strawberry Commission, GA Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and Lipman Produce are among the companies that earned Champion status. Companies with this status placed Fruits & Veggies—More Matters logo on packaging, bins, poly bags, totes and non-edible food, linked to the campaign’s website, included the campaign in advertising, promotions, marketing efforts and speaking platforms.

Organizations within the fruit and vegetable industry can earn PBH Role Model and Champion honors for helping to realize the power the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters health campaign has to influence consumption and boost bottom

lines in the process. More information on becoming a Role Model or Champion is available on the PBH website. The foundation will identify and reference these role models in the ongoing public relations activities of Fruits & Veggies—More Matters.

For more: pbhfoundation.org
 

Coalition launches to address labor needs

Organizations representing a broad cross-section of agricultural employers announced the formation of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC). As the unified voice of agriculture, the AWC’s goal is to seek legislation that ensures America’s farms, ranches and other agricultural operations have access to a stable and skilled workforce.

The Coalition is putting forward a framework that includes both an earned adjustment in status for current experienced farm workers and a program to ensure that producers continue to have access to a workforce as current agricultural employees move on to other jobs. A key to the framework will be ensuring that it meets the needs of all of agriculture—both those employers with seasonal labor needs and those who provide year-round employment opportunities.

For more: agworkforcecoalition.org