Perishable Pundit

Got Produce? Will The Money Really Be There?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

As we have been analyzing the proposed Generic Promotion Board for produce, we haven’t paid much attention to the details of who will be assessed, how people will be assessed, and how the board will be constituted, etc., etc. Mostly this is because we think discussion of these matters is putting the cart before the horse. First you establish need, then you establish efficacy and only then do you start looking at mechanics.

Got Produce? Retailers Beginning To Look At The Fine Print Of The ‘Generic’ Proposal

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

Following our piece, Got Produce? Schnuck’s Mike O’Brien Tries To Add “Balance”, we received a number of calls from retailers anxious to discuss the proposed generic promotion board. In general, and not very surprisingly, most produce executives at retail were for the board. We say not surprisingly because, in general, everyone would like to see their industry promoted. It is only the paying for it that is the problem.

No Pretense At Wegmans

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

Wegmans' home town paper, the Democrat and Chronicle, ran an interview with Danny Wegman and his daughter Colleen Wegman, titled Wegmans: A sit-down with Rochester’s hometown grocer. The interview is not particularly earth-shattering in content, but it is valuable none the less, mostly because you get a sense of how comfortable the Wegman family members each are within his or her own skin. There is not a hint of pretense or phoniness. It is such a contrast with so many retailers who seem to find it impossible to admit error.

YottaMark Advisory Board Adds Bruce Peterson To Roster

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

Some individuals seem to always attract the interest of many in the trade. So it goes with Bruce Peterson. We have covered his actions and recorded his insights many different times: Wal-Mart’s Bruce Peterson Resigns; Bruce Peterson Focuses On Traceability; Bruce Peterson Lands At Naturipe As Its New President/CEO; Naturipe’s Peterson Builds All Star Management Team; Peterson Steps Down As President/CEO Of Naturipe, But Joins Its Board Of Directors; Now comes word that Bruce is involved with a new industry activity.

Moral Lessons From The Nolan/Ocean Spray Trial

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

Our coverage of the Ocean Spray vs. Jim and Theresa Nolan and The Nolan Network matter has been extensive. and doubtless will continue through post-trial motions and appeals. Since the verdict, we have written four pieces:

Pundit’s Mailbag — Marketer Of BroccoSprouts Calls For Strict Adherence To FDA Guidelines

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:00 EST

Our extensive analysis of events in the sprouting industry has brought a letter with a different perspective: I am a fan of yours, and, in the last few weeks I, like most people I know in the sprouting industry, have been following your articles on our industry with great interest. I am writing this note in part to relay to you another part of the sprouts story. These matters involve issues that are not going to go away as long as the industry insists on varying from the FDA recommendations and not continually trying to improve the processes.

Got Produce? Schnuck’s Mike O’Brien Tries To Add “Balance”

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We owe a great debt to the following retailer and industry leader for writing this letter, as it is gives us a perfect opportunity to reflect on the current state of the industry as related to the generic promotion program. As a fan of the Perishable Pundit and a proponent of the proposed National Fruit and Vegetable Research and Promotion Board, I was hoping that your column could be used as a “Fair and Balanced” forum for both sides of this issue.This however has not happened. In light of your recent column questioning PBH’s ability to move the needle, I feel I need to weigh in.

With Fresh and Easy Stores Empty, Suppliers Left In The Lurch

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Just the other day, we ran a piece titled, Pundit’s Mailbag — Hope For Tesco Vendor Community ‘Is Gone’, based on a letter sent to us from Steve Spears. Now he sends a short, but graphic, follow-up:

Wash Water Sanitation Not Just An Issue For Sprouts

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our continuing coverage of the outbreaks related to sprouts seems to bring no end of ideas for improving the situation. Here is one from a vendor who mentions that one need not necessarily buy his product: Thanks for the good words that come in your column; I appreciate the viewpoint and frank opinion you bring to these discussions.

Another Juror Weighs In On Nolan Victory Over Ocean Spray

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

As part of our coverage of the lawsuit between the Nolans, their company, The Nolan Network, and Ocean Spray, we’ve run many pieces. Most recently, these three have dealt with the results of the trial and feedback after the trial:

A Historic Sustainability Decision Allows Industry To Snatch Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our extensive efforts and those of many others, all linked to sustainability, have done some good. We received a letter from the most prominent attorney monitoring these issues that, considering where we started, reports a minor miracle: As you may have heard, the Leonardo-SCS draft standard has been voted on — at the Second Meeting of the Standards Committee on May 27-28 — to be “science-based” and “performance-oriented” and allow for the use of “any” technology that increases the sustainability of agriculture.

Pundit’s Mailbag — More Targeted Approach Needed For Generic Promotion

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

As part of our continuing coverage of the proposal for a generic promotion board for the produce industry, we ran two pieces on one day. Our piece, Got Produce? Unvetted Generic Promotion Research Biased From The Start, dealt with the problematic way that the Produce for Better Health Foundation was conducting industry research. Another piece, titled Pundit’s Mailbag — Generic Promotion Plan Does Not Allow For Differentiation, dealt with a letter from an industry executive who felt that the industry product offering was more the problem than a lack of promotion.

Pundit’s Mailbag — PBH’s Effectiveness May Best Be Seen At State Levels

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

As part of our extensive coverage of the efforts by top executives at PBH to establish a Generic Promotion Board for the produce industry, we ran a piece titled, Got Produce? Has PBH Been Effective At Boosting Produce Consumption? The piece questioned if all the talent and money invested in PBH had actually helped achieve its professed aim of increasing consumption of produce.

Got Produce? Unvetted Generic Promotion Research Biased From The Start

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

As we mentioned here, one of the big problems associated with the PBH Chairman and the PBH Chief Executive advocating for the proposed Generic Promotion Program for produce is that their advocacy means they lose credibility when it comes to doing research: PBH can spend all the money it wants on surveys — but the legitimacy of those surveys has been tainted by its advocacy role, and whatever is presented in favor of the proposal will be rejected by many key players in the industry who don’t trust the process. Who wrote the surveys? Selected the questions? Who vetted them to make sure they are even-handed? Who selected the research company? How do we know what has been whispered in the ear of the researchers or how the list has been biased?

Wal-Mart Re-Positions Marketside

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve studied many aspects of Wal-Mart for a long time. Yet the launch of Tesco’s Fresh and Easy concept made the prospect of examining Wal-Mart’s Marketside concept particularly intriguing. We‘ve run a number of pieces including these: Now comes word that Wal-Mart has decided to rebrand the stores to herald the Wal-Mart ownership:

Pundit’s Mailbag — Another Alternative To Sprout Seed Decontamination

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

From time to time we are fortunate to have an opportunity to make a real contribution. Such has been the case with our coverage of the recent sprout outbreaks. The sprout industry is small and highly fragmented. There are few financial incentives for most people to pay attention. Unfortunately, representatives of many buying organizations, such as this foodservice one, have told us they just removed the category as opposed to wrestling with its food safety problems.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Generic Promotion Plan Does Not Allow For Differentiation

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

As part of our analysis of the proposed Generic Promotion Program, we ran a piece titled Got Produce? Has PBH Been Effective At Boosting Produce Consumption? The article brought this thoughtful assessment from an important importer of mango and various tropical items who has served as a board member of the National Mango Board: The Produce for Better Health Foundation might have had more success in increasing consumption if we would have produced a cantaloupe that actually tasted like the muskmelon I have eaten as a kid instead of like the cardboard we now often experience; or if the consumer would have picked up a peach from Chile that wasn’t tasteless and brown in the center; and yes, even in our (my) business with mangos, there is nothing more tasty than a ripe mouthwatering Kent, yet the demand is for the hard, fibrous Tommy variety.

Got Produce? Has PBH Been Effective At Boosting Produce Consumption?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

With all the attention being paid to the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s promulgated proposal for a Generic Produce Promotion Program, isn’t it reasonable to look at the effectiveness of the efforts that PBH has conducted on behalf of the industry for so many years? Indeed, considering that PBH was established in May 1991, we now have over 18 years of records to look at whether all the money spent, all the talent engaged, has actually done anything to increase consumption.

Tesco’s ‘Selective’ Market Research

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve been helped by many correspondents in covering Tesco’s Journey to America, and some of the more intriguing contributions have come from David J. Livingston, a longtime retailer who now operates a consultancy under the name DJL Research, LLC. You can read some of his previous contributions.

With Wal-Mart’s Marketside Concept In Stasis, Let’s Pause And Examine Ready-Meals Programs

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

When Wal-Mart introduced its Marketside concept, we hailed it as a triumph but with a big proviso in a piece we titled, A Triumph In Phoenix — Wal-Mart’s Marketside Hits The Trifecta. One Open Question: Do Suburban Consumers Want Small Grocery Stores? We carried this line of thought in a follow-up piece titled, More Thoughts About Wal-Mart’s Marketside.

Lessons Learned From Another Sprout Recall

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

In the midst of our extensive coverage of the industry problems with alfalfa sprouts, we received word of another sprout-related recall. We asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to find out more:

Got Produce? What Is PBH’s Purpose If Not To Promote Consumption?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve been wrestling with the pros and cons of the proposed fruit and vegetable generic promotion effort, so we were very pleased to receive a letter from a thoughtful member of the trade: I am forwarding this notice to you because I think it gives a different perspective to the discussion concerning a National Fruit and Vegetable Research and Promotion Program.

Straight Talk Needed At Tesco

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

When, after so many pieces analyzing Tesco’s journey to America as Fresh and Easy, we ran a piece titled, Tesco’s US Losses ‘Unnerving.’ It brought a thoughtful response from one of the “partners” in Tesco’s roll out: I appreciate your well written post as always. I thought today’s was especially insightful, particularly to someone who has been working with Fresh and Easy for the past three years on the rollout of their program.

Discussion Of FDA’s Unclear Sprout Guidelines By Jonathan’s Sanderson And Rutgers’ Schaffner

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve written previously of the tendency of the FDA to provide vague, almost meaningless, guidance. For example, as part of our extensive coverage of the alfalfa sprout recall, we ran a piece titled, Recommendation For An ‘Appropriate’ Seed-Screening Program Shows FDA Unwilling To Take Responsibility For its Recommendations, which pointed out that by recommending an “appropriate” seed screening program the FDA gives itself an “out” and would declare any future food safety outbreak as ipso facto proof that the seed screening program was not appropriate.

Sharing The Joy Of The Nolan Victory… Plus A Note From One Of The Jurors!

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve been covering the issues in the dispute involving both Jim and Theresa Nolan and their company, The Nolan Network, with Ocean Spray for a long time. Our recent pieces, Nolans Victorious In Lawsuit vs. Ocean Spray: This One’s For You, Jim and Nolan Triumph Example Of ‘Standing Up For What’s Right In Face Of Overwhelming Might’, continue to bring forth testimonials and commentary. This note came from one of many people who interacted with the Nolans on a professional basis:

Pundit’s Mailbag — Poor Management Attitude Leads To Food Safety Failures

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our piece, Economic Reality Trumps Official Policy Every Time, wrestled with the disconnect between official policies businesses adopt and the incentive structures that often lead to different behavior than the policy seemed to require. Richard Yudin, working with the very international Fyffes organization, has often contributed insightful work to the Pundit. You can take a look at some of his contributions here:

Got Produce? PBH’s Hope to Be An Honest Broker Of Industry Dialog Is Tainted By Its Desire To Advocate

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our analysis of the proposal for a National Fruit and Vegetable Research and Promotion Order, also known as a generic marketing campaign for produce, has often noted that many in the industry feel frustration that the advocates of the program have seized control of the supposed “dialog” and take it as their right to spend industry money solely to present their side of the debate. More and more we are hearing from industry members about the problematic nature of this arrangement.

Tesco And Others Were Unable To See US Nuances

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We have written much about Tesco’s Journey to America as Fresh and Easy, but our recent piece, Pundit’s Mailbag — Hope For Tesco Vendor Community ‘Is Gone,’ led a former Chairman of PMA and The Produce for Better Health Foundation and former Corporate Director of Produce at Supervalu to recollect a story from early in his career: I always enjoy reading the “Pundit” and staying posted on the many topics boiling in our fascinating industry. As I read your piece about Tesco’s inflexibility, I was dramatically reminded of one of my personal experiences twenty-some years ago. I was involved in the U.S. startup of MAKRO — a privately held Dutch firm that was immensely successful in multiple countries (and still is).

Seeking One Good Sprout Grower And One Good Retailer — Primus Steps Up

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We have been extensively covering the alfalfa sprout/salmonella situation. Anyone who has looked at the interplay of sprouts and food safety has to have a healthy respect for the difficulties in this area. Long before there was a recognized problem with leafy greens, tomatoes or melons, there was a known problem with sprouts. So the FDA came out with its guidance document back in 1999.

Nolan Triumph Example Of ‘Standing Up For What’s Right In Face Of Overwhelming Might’

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

We did a SPECIAL ALERT over the weekend to let the industry know that a momentous, some would even say miraculous, event occurred. The title of the piece spoke clearly: Nolans Victorious In Lawsuit vs. Ocean Spray: This One’s For You, Jim. Following up on our extensive coverage of the matter, the piece brought forth many short notes. Here is a selection: This one came from a man who by temperament, vocation and position might be called the ethical arbiter of the produce industry:

Pundit’s Mailbag – Do Inspectors Help ‘Prevent’ Foodborne Illness?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our piece, Tracing Of Foodborne Illnesses Falls Under A Patchwork of Poorly-run, Under-resourced State Labs, brought an objection from a food safety consultant: An interesting and informative article in most respects, but your final paragraph containing the opinion, “—hiring inspectors to stand around plants in the hope they will see invisible pathogens is an enormous waste of money” really did not make much sense.

SPECIAL ALERT: Nolans Victorious In Lawsuit vs. Ocean Spray: This One's For You, Jim

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

We’ve provided extensive analysis of the lawsuit between Jim and Theresa Nolan, their company, The Nolan Network, and Ocean Spray. You can find a summary of our coverage here. If you haven’t had a chance you might want to read the original story published in Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS. It is a piece entitled Special Report: Ocean Spray Sued By Longtime Associates, which provided an overview of the dispute.

Got Produce? What About FRESH Produce?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

In our ongoing analysis of the proposal that the industry launch a generic promotion program we have made a few salient points: 1)In our piece Got Produce? Generic Marketing Program Dialog Begins, But Is It Right To Use PBH Donor Funds To Lobby For A Mandatory Assessment? — we pointed out the danger of using PBH funds that derive from donors for purposes those donors never intended. We also suggested that having to go through the process of raising money is itself a useful vetting process for an idea. If everyone claims to like an idea but nobody is prepared to fund its promotion, the support is lukewarm at best.

More ‘Summing Up’ Of Sprout Situation

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

Our continuing analysis of the alfalfa sprout recall brought this letter from a small grower: Bravo! You did a great job investigating the alfalfa seed issue. 1) You covered the FDA’s basic stance, which seems to be “we’ll sorta say something that if you get a psychic you might be able to figure out” sorta thing. Interestingly in a position paper back a few decades ago, the FDA asserted its authority over mung bean seed used for sprouting; however, given the complexity of world trade it’s understandable that they haven’t pursued this. But I have to say that it is a step forward for the FDA to make seed the center of an official sprout notice.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Hope For Tesco Vendor Community 'Is Gone'

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

This letter, written before the Ballantine collapse, manages to speak about modern subjects such as Tesco and tree fruit while reminding us of a letter written long ago: Thank you for your many articles on Tesco and, especially, your piece Tesco’s US Losses ‘Unnerving’.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Wal-Mart’s Lack Of Passion For Perishables

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:30:00 EST

We have written much about Wal-Mart, yet a tiny piece, titled Another Sea Change At Wal-Mart, highlighting the departure of Pam Kohn from the Senior VP Perishable slot — the old Bruce Peterson position — at Wal-Mart brought a surprising amount of mail. Many keyed in on this statement: …she never took much interest in industry affairs and, unlike Bruce, didn’t participate in associations, certainly never sought to become Chairman of PMA or anything like that.

Got Produce? The Rent-Dissipation Hypothesis And The Issue Of Cui Bono

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

As we have tried to think through the pros and cons of the industry launching a generic promotion program, we find ourselves continually frustrated by the kind of proposal that has been made and the process by which the industry is being asked to evaluate this matter. First, we ran a piece titled, Got Produce? Generic Marketing Program Dialog Begins, But Is It Right To Use PBH Donor Funds To Lobby For A Mandatory Assessment? In this piece, we pointed out that donors who gave to the Produce for Better Health Foundation never intended for their money to be used in a lobbying campaign. Yet donor money has been seized to run websites, webinars, buy airplane tickets, hotels, divert staff effort, etc. This is just wrong, and we hope the activity will be stopped and the money refunded.

How Do Kroger, Safeway, Tesco And Bashas' Stack Up Against Three Of Wal-Mart’s Store Concepts?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

For many years now, Pundit sister publication, PRODUCE BUSINESS, has been conducting a Wal-Mart Pricing Report. Each iteration of the report focuses on a different city and analyzes the produce pricing of the local Wal-Mart Supercenter versus other nearby retailers. The May 2009 issue included the 19th chapter of this study and was focused on seven separate store concepts in the Phoenix, Arizona, market, specifically:

Vendors Beware As Wal-Mart Alters Course On Procurement

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We’ve long tried to understand Wal-Mart, and recently the collapse of Ballantine Produce has led to a reassessment of the impact Wal-Mart may be having on the supply base. As Wal-Mart came to develop its produce procurement system, it was a brave band of brothers in the early years, vendors willing to experiment and improvise, that made it happen. Now that system is in flux and many fear for the supply base… and for Wal-Mart. This old-timer who wrote to us recently accepts the critique of Wal-Mart but also warns the supply base that they can’t change the customers; they can only change themselves:

‘All Clear’ Signal Still Not Given On Sprouts

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our study of the salmonella outbreak on Alfalfa Sprouts brought a letter from a producer, both proud of his industry and frustrated with the lack of an “all clear” clarion announcement from the FDA: As a sprout grower, I am not against the FDA sending out a nationwide advisory to “Not Eat Alfalfa Sprouts” when consumers have become ill from eating them.

Wal-Mart’s Current Behavior

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We have long covered the changes transforming Wal-Mart. Now one Wal-Mart vendor sees a portent of the future… and a problem for both Wal-Mart and vendors in the Behemoth-of-Bentonville’s current behavior:

New York’s FreshDirect Succeeds When Most Online Grocers Have Failed

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Supervalu just announced that it is ending delivery of online orders. In most cities, consumers will still be able to order on line but will have to pick up the food at a store. Many other retailers have abandoned computer ordering all together, such as Publix. We thought we should talk to a computer ordering and delivery service that appears to be thriving. We asking Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to find out more:

Testing Sprout Seeds

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We’ve been focusing recently on the food safety outbreak on alfalfa sprouts, running pieces such as these: Although some of these pieces have been rather technical, we consider it vital that the industry do something to reduce the frequency of these outbreaks substantially. So we have wanted to listen, and we will do a little more of that in this piece.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Fruit Patch Speaks Out

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our piece, Special Buys, Wal-Mart And The Meaning Of Loyalty, included a letter from a tree fruit industry participant who took a swipe at the model followed by tree fruit companies that are not, in our letter-writer’s opinion, sufficiently vertically integrated. Specifically the letter named Ballantine and Fruit Patch. Ballantine, as we pointed out here, is not in a position to respond, but in the letter below Fruit Patch responds on the record:

Got Produce? Is $30 Million Sufficient?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

One might think anyone who opposes the proposal for a national generic promotion campaign is not in favor of the idea. Yet from our conversations we would say that this assessment is not true. Quite a number of people may oppose this particular proposal not because they fear being taxed too much, but because they fear being taxed too little. Or to put it more precisely, they fear that money will be spent without effect — and that this would be the worst outcome of all.

Special Buys, Wal-Mart And The Meaning Of Loyalty

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

One very insightful participant in the California tree fruit industry had a different take on the interplay between Wal-Mart and the collapse of Ballantine Produce: This season is certainly setting up to have all the drama of the next “24” episode. A drama you touched on in your piece titled, Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall?.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Wal-Mart’s Nature

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our piece, Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall? -- continues to bring in an avalanche of mail. Roughly 90% of the notes we receive at the Pundit are one-liners and we don’t typically run too many of them because they are just words of appreciation. This time we received some short notes with some substance:

Pundit’s Mailbag — Retailers Should Pay For What They Say They Want

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Pundit’s Mailbag – Mike Stuart Of FFVA Speaks Out On Ballantine And Buyer/Seller Relations brought several letters including this one from one of FFVA’s members: Over the past 5-8 years I have watched as retail prices at store level have inched their way up and producers have inched prices down. At present we are being asked for prices that were used 10 years ago and yet the store price will be 50 cents more per pound. 99 cents per pound used to be a regular price on squash, eggplant, tomatoes, beans, pepper and that was giving their customers a value. Now they would rather buy one load at 40 cents per pound and retail it for $1.99.

Economic Reality Trumps Official Policy Every Time

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our piece, Pundit’s Mailbag Mike Stuart Of FFVA Speaks Out On Ballantine And Buyer/Seller Relations, included these words from Mike Stuart: At the end of the day, how are these firms going to make significant investments in food safety, traceability, sustainability and other important industry initiatives if the profitability of the business is squeezed to the breaking point? How are they going to survive at all?

Testing Sprout Seed Before It Ships

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

When we published our piece, Alfalfa Seed Company, FDA, USDA And Supporting Cast Comment On Seed Withdrawal, which highlighted an interview with Lyle Orwig, a PR professional who was functioning as a spokesperson for Caudill Seed Company, we expressed some skepticism regarding some of the claims being made in the interview. Later we ran another piece that demonstrated the company’s claim to not have been “conclusively tied” to the outbreak was, at best, questionable.

Pundit’s Mailbag — Financial Shake-Ups And South Pacific

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We received a nice note and a reading recommendation that we thought we would pass along: Thanks so much for the Perishable Pundit. I learn something every time I read it. I’ve found it especially useful for my policy class. Regarding the financial crises, I would recommend reading: The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson. The lesson I got from it is we’ve been through this before and we’ll pick up the pieces and go on. But it will shake up the world order. And we’re extremely short-sighted about these “crises.” Historically, greed has tended to eventually overcome good sense.

Perishable Thoughts — Wasted Turnips

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

“A lot of chefs don’t have a natural sense of economy. I was with one guy the other day and I had to show him how to peel a turnip, because the way he was peeling turnips, he was throwing half of it in the garbage. It’s not about being cheap. It’s about being proper.”

Got Produce? Both Sides Need To Be Heard

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our piece, Got Produce? Generic Marketing Program Dialog Begins, But Is It Right To Use PBH Donor Funds To Lobby For A Mandatory Assessment? — brought many opinionated letters. We will be dealing with the various pros and cons in later articles but thought this note on our current subject — which is how the industry can conduct this “Dialog” — was worth noting right now. It comes from one the largest shippers in the industry:

Another Sea Change At Wal-Mart

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

In a sense, it is not a particularly important piece of news that Pam Kohn, who had been named to succeed Bruce Peterson when he left Wal-Mart as Senior Vice President, Perishables and General Merchandise Manager, has left the division to move over to global procurement. Although doubtless important within Wal-Mart, she never took much interest in industry affairs and, unlike Bruce, didn’t participate in associations, certainly never sought to become Chairman of PMA or anything like that.

Cancer Society Accumulates $1 Million From 50 Years Of Produce Industry Support

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Some of the things we like most about this industry are the sense of family and history and the big heart of the people who toil in the trade. All these attributes were on display at an event this past weekend. A hat tip to Cindy Jewell of California Giant Berry Farms for sending this along:

Pundit’s Mailbag — Response To Ballantine’s Fall: ‘Just Say No’

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We received an avalanche of letters related to our piece, Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall? We thought this one raised an interesting point: Very astute observations in your article (Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall), but it really gets down to Economics 101 and the classic business decision of when you “Just Say No” to a business relationship. Of course, once you say no and win the battle (if they come back) do you lose the war by selling to them again?

Got Produce? Generic Marketing Program Dialog Begins, But Is It Right To Use PBH Donor Funds To Lobby For A Mandatory Assessment?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

There is a proposal outstanding to establish a National Fruit and Vegetable Research and Promotion Board, basically a program similar to those in the dairy, beef, pork and other industries. It is an old idea, one discussed for many decades, and in fact it is not clear who actually supports the idea today. The spark has come from the Produce for Better Health Foundation — yet its board has not endorsed such a plan. There were six people put on a special committee to consider the idea, but the organizations they represent have not issued endorsements.

Dole’s Easy-Open Bags May Jumpstart Stagnant Salad Category

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

With so much emphasis placed on the concept of increasing consumption with industry wide programs, it is important to remember that consumption cannot be increased in general unless it is increased for specific items. For the last quarter century, the big growth in the produce categories came from two areas, the growth of counter-seasonal imports and the development of fresh-cut produce, especially bagged salads.

Pundit's Mailbag — Mike Stuart Of FFVA Speaks Out On Ballantine And Buyer/Seller Relations

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

We received many letters on our recent piece, Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall? Many of the letters focused on the future and the implications of the story for the future of the industry. This letter came from a well respected executive at one of the most important regional produce associations: Jim… it’s not been my practice in the past to respond to your articles in The Pundit. While I’ve been an avid reader, I’ve always thought it best to leave the dialogue to members of the trade itself. But in the case of your story on Ballantine Produce, I felt I had to speak up.

Pundit's Mailbag — Sprout Doubt…What Constitutes A Direct Link?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Our piece, Alfalfa Seed Company, FDA, USDA And Supporting Cast Comment On Seed Withdrawal, featured several interviews, including one with Lyle Orwig, a principal with Charleston/Orwig, who was acting as a spokesperson for Caudill Seed Company, the firm whose seed has been implicated in the outbreak related to alfalfa sprouts. We found the interview troubling both substantively and because we could find no verification for many of the claims made in the interview. We decided to run it and give the seed company its say, but did add editor’s notes and commentary to point out some of the more problematic areas.

Did Wal-Mart Have A Role In Ballantine’s Fall?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

Although we had no reason to think it was going to fail, we can’t say that the collapse of Ballantine Produce was a shock. We had heard they were slow on paying growers and that led to a loss of volume. When a few big growers decided to leave, that led to a collapse. Although, of course, the failure of a company is always related to its own situation and its financial strength, one of the key factors that many in the industry feel led to this collapse was the way Wal-Mart has been dealing with the California tree fruit industry. Here is how one insider put it:

Recommendation For An ‘Appropriate’ Seed-screening Program Shows FDA Unwilling To Take Responsibility For Its Recommendations

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

On April 28, 2009, the Perishable Pundit published a piece titled, Insights On The Alfalfa Sprout Advisory, which included an interview with Bob Sanderson of Jonathan’s Sprouts. The interview revealed an insight into a fundamental food safety problem regarding alfalfa sprouts: Alfalfa seeds are not typically grown for human consumption. So all the food safety burden is put on the sprouter. We suggested the following:

Alfalfa Seed Company, FDA, USDA And Supporting Cast Comment On Seed Withdrawal

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

The alfalfa sprout industry is operating under an FDA recommendation not to consume since April 26, 2009. We discussed this issue in a piece titled Insights On The Alfalfa Sprout Advisory. Then the FDA issued as “Alert,” identifying an epidemiological link between a specific seed supplier and the outbreak. We asked Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott to find out more:

H1N1 Flu Virus Far From Over

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:30:00 EST

A few weeks ago, Junior Pundit primo, aka William, age 7, was washing his hands, drying them and then washing and drying them again. When we inquired as to what he was doing he explained, “Daddy, there is a terrible flu going around and you can die from it. I don’t want to die. I am too young to die! So you have to wash your hands really well.”

Building A Better Understanding Of Salmonella In Pistachios

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

In the course of our coverage of the Salmonella/pistachio recall, we’ve confirmed what we have found in previous outbreaks: The FDA has no one with deep expertise in these commodities. Sometimes the failure shows up in terms of not understanding the industry and distribution systems; sometimes it shows up in terms of not really understanding the commodity itself.

Are the Police Afraid To Come Or Does Carrefour Fear Calling Them?

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

Here is something that makes one fear for the future of the civilization. A group of Greenshirts recently invaded a Carrefour store in France and took all the product they believed was Israeli or might be Israeli and removed it from the shelves. This included much fresh produce plus floral bouquets and other items. Obviously people are free to purchase what they choose and to peaceably attempt to persuade others. Removing all the product from a store, often destroying it, however, deprives others of choice and is both thuggish and illegal. That there were no policemen means either the French police wouldn’t come or Carrefour was afraid to call them.

Union Sentiment On AgJOBS Hinges On Permanent Residency

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

We have often discussed the immigration issue, and our piece, Will US Citizens Harvest Crops? led those who are promoting AgJOBS to write quickly to assure us that we had misinterpreted the joint announcement of the two big national labor federations and that AgJOBS still had labor’s endorsement. We ran the piece under the title, Pundit’s Mailbag — Guest Worker Programs, and the key component was a statement from Luawanna Hallstrom, who is, among other things, co-chair of the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform (ACIR):

Pundit’s Mailbag — Improving Buyer Oversight And Responsibility

Jim Prevor's PerishablePundit — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:30:00 EST

In recent days we have focused much attention on the issue of audits. We’ve run pieces such as Lessons From The Peanut Salmonella Outbreak: Audit System Broken and Pundit’s Mailbag — Audit Disconnect, and we’ve also published — in the Star Tribune under the title, Who’s Guarding Our Commerce — a more general thought piece, tying together food safety auditing, mortgage appraisers and bond rating agencies on Wall Street.

Insights On The Alfalfa Sprout Advisory