Produce Notes, May 10, 2018

Compiled by Chris Paine, Lead Produce Clerk 

New Items: 

Apriums: An apricot/plum cross with predominantly apricot parentage. 

Persian Cucumbers: Smaller in size with lower water content and great crunch. 

Red Bartletts Pears: Coming from Argentina. 

 

Produce Updates: 

Melon season has started strong with green honeydews, cantaloupes and watermelons coming from Mexico and tasting great. 

Green grapes will be returning soon with the first deliveries from Mexico while California grapes of all colors will be slowly starting over the next 3-5 weeks. 

Citrus season is winding down with cara caras, heirloom navels, tango mandarins, Shasta gold mandarins and cocktail citrus all ending very soon. 

Honeycrisp apples will be ending by early June. 

Texas grapefruit should last for about two more weeks. 

Strawberries and blueberries are great quality and availability. Raspberries and blackberries are stable and prices have come down a bit. 

Lemon prices are up while lime prices are down. 

Ataulfo and Tommy Atkin mangoes are still tasting great and priced low. 

Baby broccoli is pricey and tight while regular bunch broccoli is in good supply and low prices. 

California cauliflower pricing is up due to cold temps and some crop failures but Northwest cauliflower is coming on to relieve some of that pressure. 

Shallots are likely gapping for a few months. 

Vidalia sweet onions from Georgia are just coming in. These early season onions have very thin skin and slightly softer than normal flesh but are tasting great. 

 

Other News: 

Nearly two years after President Obama signed a law mandating GMO-labeling to be implemented nationwide the USDA has put forward a proposal for a labeling program. However the proposal is not entirely complete and the USDA is seeking public comment. One feature that immediately jumps out is that the terms "genetic engineering" and "genetic modification" do no appear on the proposed labels; instead the term used is "Bioengineered." Another feature of the bill is that the federal laws would preempt any state or local laws, making it impossible for a less watered-down version to be applied locally.  

Read more from: Organic Consumer Association, Ars Technica  

 

The 2018 Farm Bill, one of the biggest pieces of domestic legislation, is nearing completion before it is sent to the House and then the Senate (likely after Memorial Day). The Native Farm Bill Coalition is an organization that represents more than 65 tribes and is fighting to have more attention paid to the concerns of Indigenous communities across the country. They are proposing numerous ways the Farm Bill could be used to support the food security and autonomy of Native communities including administering their own food stamps programs and improving access to local/traditional foods.  

Read more from: Organic Consumers Association, Seeds of Native Health, AgWeb

Date: Monday May 14, 2018

Category: In The Co-op

[ Blog Home ]