“Eastern Propak and Jersey Fruit are prime examples of how peach growers can collaborate to better market their products,” Wengryn said. He noted that the facility’s advanced technology ensures high-quality standards and allows New Jersey peach producers to remain competitive in the global market.

New Jersey ranked fourth in the nation for peach production in 2023, with farmers harvesting 28.4 million pounds of peaches on 3,300 acres, generating $29 million in production value. The peach season in New Jersey runs through September, with around 80 orchards producing over 100 peach varieties.

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The apple industry’s excess supply has made the price on a bin lower than it’s been in many years. This situation puts apple packers in a difficult position — they need to stand out amongst stiff competition to secure stronger prices. Otherwise, they’ll be sitting on bin upon bin of apples at unprofitable levels. 

How do packers stand out in this market? The packers and growers who have upgraded to the latest technology could come out on top. Solar and storage upgrades, along with other modern automation options, can make a huge difference.

Solar panels 

Buyers throughout the supply chain are demanding sustainable practices, and incorporating solar technology into apple production is a smart, cost- effective and practical way to manage utility costs and utilize technology with what Mother Nature has provided. 

Many apple packers and growers are installing solar panels into their businesses. Some businesses are designing cold storage facilities to accommodate solar panels, while others are retrofitting existing storage areas with solar. 

As any packer knows, modern operating plants require massive amounts of electricity. Where such programs are available, packers leverage net metering with their solar panels. When panels generate more power than the company uses, the excess power flows back to the utility grid, and businesses get credits to reduce future electricity bills. 

As an added bonus, various federal and state grants, as well as tax credits and incentives to add solar panels, are options. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced $145M of funding for loan and grant awards, through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). 

Those funds are earmarked for agribusinesses to make “energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to lower energy cost, generate new income and strengthen the resiliency of their operations,” according to REAP’s webpage. 

Tax credits may also be used or sold, up to 90 cents on the dollar. Consult your tax advisor on which options are available for your particular situation. 

Storage 

Modern storage solutions allow grocers to sell a fresh apple anytime during the year. And now, controlled atmosphere (CA) storage solutions are more important than ever in the apple industry because of the overproduction of quality fruit. During harvest time, the primary goal is to move the fruit from the intense heat to a cool storage area as soon as possible.

After harvest, the goal remains: keep fruit fresh for impending arrival at a grocery store or distribution channel. Better storage options can make the difference between being proactive or reactive, and certainly give packers a leg up on the competition, minimizing the chances of having to sell inventory at a lower price to preserve quality and storage. 

Automation solutions 

By now, most packers are reaping the benefits of automation, which increases efficiency and quality while leveraging the scarce human labor resources we’ve experienced for several years. Thanks to financing options, modern automation equipment can be obtained based on a company’s credit/tax needs.

How financing can help 

Equipment financing makes innovation and equipment upgrades possible and practical, allowing businesses to acquire the technology needed to better compete in the market. Consider these financing options: 

Enhanced cash flow.

The constant churn of newer and better ways to cultivate, harvest, manage and distribute products brings a common dilemma: how to fund ideas and equipment. With financing, packers can acquire and implement the assets they need now. And the assets can generate revenue as they are paid for over time. 

Credit conservation.

Since the 2020 pandemic, organizations realized what ag leaders have known for decades: liquidity and adaptability are essential to business survival. Equipment financing helps to preserve working capital while remaining nimble, with low or no up-front cash requirements. Financing also comes with the option of monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payment plans. 

Flexibility.

The ability to respond to environmental, market and policy changes — quickly and effectively — is an ever-pressing challenge for apple industry businesses. Financing allows for tailored payment terms that align with budgets and seasonal cash flows. It also enables borrowers to keep pace with technological advances; midterm upgrades and end-of-term options can keep businesses from ever owning obsolete equipment. 

100% financing.

Replacing outdated equipment is a critical need for most agribusiness owners. To truly innovate, new machinery is just one piece of the puzzle — and a considerable investment in itself. A customized financing structure allows borrowers to bundle equipment, software and soft costs such as freight, sales tax, labor, professional fees and other related costs into one payment plan. 

Scalability.

With the flexible freedom of financing, agritech initiatives offer boundless opportunities to scale. Each of the technologies mentioned in this article can reduce costs, increase yields and/or improve efficiencies. They can also be customized to form interdependent systems, further enhancing yield potential, profits and operational efficiencies. 

Choosing the ideal lending team 

Financing can be much more than an immediate, flexible funding alternative. The right financial provider can help borrowers empower assets and fine-tune (or even develop) innovation strategies. Here are some qualifications to look for when choosing a financing provider: 

Knowledge of farming and agriculture assets 

• A proven track record in lease structuring 
• A clear understanding of your business 
• A trusted, reliable source of capital 
• A creative approach to big-picture opportunities. 

— By Justin Woodward,  vice president of equipment finance for Key. Based in Boise, Idaho. Woodward has 25 years of equipment finance experience and can be reached at justin.woodward@key.com.

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Prima Frutta Packing, Dunstan Hills and Panmure Orchards increased production and packing efficiencies while minimizing waste and maintaining the high quality of the product. The user-friendly interface made it easy for operators to adapt to the new technology, according to a news release.

The three cherry growers share the challenge of meeting the growing demand, with consistent high-quality produce, in the short cherry season, which typically begins in mid-May and finishes at the end of June in California, while in New Zealand it runs from early to mid-December to late January. After a full season with TOMRA LUCAi, they found that they benefited from higher productivity, enhanced quality selection with consequent higher margins for their customers, and reduced food waste, according to the release.

LUCAi’s cherry grading platform is unique in that it comes with vast amounts of data collected by TOMRA in different regions across the world, building pre-trained models using real images of cherries. This means that it is ready to deliver its superior sorting and grading performance as soon as it is installed, according to the release. It uses TOMRA’s Deep Learning technology to identify with accuracy an extensive range of defects – from edge cracks, Pacman cherries, open sutures, cosmetic blemishes and stem pulls, to spurs, cracks and all defects around the stem; from dehydration to apical splits; and it will recognize colors in the ripe phase with precision, according to the release.

Prima Frutta Packing is a family-owned business based in Linden, California.

It packs cherries using the latest packaging technologies to ship across the U.S. and internationally to markets in Asia and other regions. It was founded in 1991 by Tim Sambado to pack the produce from orchards on and around the family’s ranch, which is marketed by Primavera Marketing, also run by the family. The business has grown steadily and ten years ago it introduced TOMRA Food sorters into its processing line to achieve the quality demanded by its customers.

“We pride ourselves on our consistent quality, day in day out, season to season,” Sambado said in the release. “Our customers look for us to deliver a high-end quality product as well as excellent service. We can’t do our business without technology and information. We are obsessed with data, and we are obsessed with getting the best technology in the world.”

In 2023, TOMRA Food was in the final stages of development of its AI-powered LUCAi platform, ready to trial its innovation with customers in different conditions and regions – from California to New Zealand. When Prima Frutta was offered the opportunity, Sambado, a keen believer in technology, was eager to see how it could help him achieve the improvements he wanted for Prima Frutta: “We wanted to become more accurate, to simplify the system for our operators, and to be able to detect some defects that in our traditional mapping system was more difficult,” he said in the release.

LUCAi’s user-friendly interface software makes it very easy for the customer’s operators to get the best sorting and grading performance from their processing line. “It allows us to make changes and gives us accurate data on how it is going to impact our grading before we apply the change. This means that the operators can do things with much more confidence and quickly. They don’t have to do a lot of sampling and testing before they can apply a change because they get the data immediately,” Sambado said in the release . This immediate feedback is important because “in the cherry world, when you’re running 40,000 cherries a minute, you just don’t have a lot of time to sample.”

Dunstan Hills is a longstanding customer that has been running TOMRA equipment for almost 10 years. Based in Central Otago, New Zealand, Dunstan Hills was also keen to implement the TOMRA LUCAi technology on its InVision2 grading platform.

Dunstan Hills grows cherries primarily for export around the world. After a full season with TOMRA LUCAi, they found that they benefited from higher productivity, enhanced quality selection with consequent higher margins for their customers, and reduced food waste. “With LUCAi, we achieved better grading and increased throughput of around 10 percent – and it is easy to use,” Ian Nicholls, Dunstan Hills’ operations manager, said in the release.

LUCAi guarantees the packaging of quality fruit, meticulously sorted and placed in optimal boxes, prepared for the most favorable market prices,

LUCAi handles various cherry qualities with precision, consistently segregating fruit classes for different markets, even in challenging batches, thus preventing fruit waste and potential market claims, Benedetta Ricci Iamino, TOMRA’s global category director – cherries, said in the release.

“Our customers can now confidently expect their best fruit, in prime condition, reaching optimal markets, all at highly competitive prices,” Iamino said in the release. “LUCAi caters to a diverse range of preferences and customizations, providing a comprehensive solution poised to revolutionize the industry landscape and enable our customers to achieve unprecedented success in the cherry industry.”

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Fox, a flexible packaging supplier, died April 17 at 91 years of age.

“With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Kenneth Fox,” leaders of the Texas International Produce Association stated in a news release. “Kenneth was a true pioneer in the packaging industry. His incredible journey, unrelenting dedication, and unmatched commitment to excellence has left an enduring legacy in our industry and in our hearts.”

In 1962, Fox started what would be known today as Fox Packaging. Fox’s journey to becoming a worldwide flexible packaging supplier started from humble beginnings. Fox was a burlap and mesh bag salesman for a company in Kansas City, Missouri. Residing in Kansas City, Fox’s sales territories included North Dakota, Florida and Texas. Territories far from home required Fox to spent most of his time on the road. He made the difficult decision to move his wife and four children to south Texas and start manufacturing packaging on his own.

Six sewing machines in the back of a melon shed was the beginning of what would become Kenneth Fox Supply Co., which later became Fox Packaging.

“Kenneth’s entrepreneurial spirit allowed him to identify niche markets and discover solutions to problems not yet realized,” according to the release. “The openness and acceptance of the Texas produce industry in those days gave him the opportunity and resources he needed to get his start.”

Fox is survived by his wife Elaine, Valerie Mehis (Jim), Lori Goldman (Bruce), Keith Fox (Bruni), and Aaron Fox (Danielle), 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Kenneth Fox was preceded in death by his parents Anna and Louis Fox and his son Craig Fox, who died in 2023 at 62 years of age.

Continuing with Kenneth Fox’s vision are his sons, Keith, president, Aaron, executive vice president and president of Fox Solutions. Four of Kenneth Fox’s grandsons, Lucas, Jacob, Dylan and Noah, also work in the company.

“Kenneth’s pioneering spirit and dedication to quality laid the foundation for the company’s success as he emphasized the importance of family and relationships,” according to the release. “Throughout his career, Kenneth remained guided by the principles of integrity, innovation and family. He instilled these values in every aspect of Fox Packaging’s operations, ensuring that the company not only thrived but also served as a beacon of excellence in the industry. As we mourn the loss of an industry leader may we celebrate Kenneth’s enduring legacy and honor the impact he has had on our industry.”

Fox was buried April 19 in McAllen, Texas. Details on planned memorial services are expected to be released as they become available.

For more than 60 years, McAllen, Texas-based Fox Packaging has been a leading partner in delivering new flexible packaging solutions to growers, according to the release. The company’s commitment extended beyond bag designs, focusing on safeguarding product quality and elevating brand recognition for the fresh produce industry, according to the release.

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The FDA is asking stakeholders to participate in an April 24 virtual and in-person meeting on “Data and Technology in the New Era of Smarter to Food Safety.” The FDA rolled out the “New Era” initiative in 2019 to signal a new approach to food safety, leveraging technology and other tools and approaches to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system.

The meeting will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern.

The morning session of the public meeting will consist of FDA presentations to explain its current thinking on the potential for data and technology for government and industry to create a safer food system. The afternoon session will be reserved for public comments.

Examples of activities the federal agency is seeking feedback on include:

• Tech-enabled traceability
• Predictive analytics
• Data sharing
• Whole genome sequencing (GenomeTrakr)
• Ways to use technology to monitor and gather data
• Technological innovation in equipment design, digital tools and training methods
• New/emerging areas of innovation, such as virtual reality in food safety training

The feedback will help FDA identify priorities under the New Era of Smarter Food Safety and shape further stakeholder engagement opportunities, according to the agency.

Registration is free and will be open through the day of the meeting.

Upon registering you will receive a confirmation email and approximately 24 to 48 hours before the event, registrants will receive an email with the meeting link and a formal calendar invitation.

Beginning on April 24, a Regulations.gov docket will open for 60 days to collect comments related to the event topic.

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Small farmers can hand fold the boxes and – for larger growers buying millions – an expensive full-size automated forming machine.

Mid-size growers, however, were stuck in the middle. They didn’t have time to fold thousands of boxes nor the money to buy the big machine.

The billions of plastic produce clamshells ending up in landfills drove Verona, Kentucky, tomato grower Linda Fritz of Sun Sugar Farms to create an alternative.

Fritz’s “FoldBot” sustainable produce containers use a flat paperboard design that helps her company compete with plastic on price. The package is also easy to stamp or print on, eliminating unrecyclable labels, according to a news release.

After researching ideas, Fritz reached out to a University of Cincinnati engineering student group that through a senior project challenge built an affordable tabletop folding robot.

After their design won first place, she hired the student who’d come up with the main concept to help her build the different size robots, now dubbed “FoldBots”. The result is a sleek folding process using simple components in a cost-effective 3D printed shell.

While it might have taken half a day to individually fold a thousand containers, with the FoldBot it can be done effortlessly in less than an hour. The machine costs $2,500 vs. $55,000 for a larger machine, according to the release.

The very first FoldBot was built for a commercial organic blueberry grower in Washington.

“It’s been a game changer,” Ezra Ranz, owner of Bow Hill Blueberries, said in the release. “Everyone is excited not to hand fold anymore. We also don’t have to apply labels since our containers are custom printed, plus the boxes fit into our automated fill line. Best of all, we’re getting great customer feedback about the switch to plastic free packaging.”

The Sustainable Produce Containers are popular with gourmet mushroom growers across the country. Avery Hughes of High Country Fungi in North Carolina is happy for the help packaging the hundreds of pounds of mushrooms they sell weekly.

“For the past 4 years we’ve folded every single one of our boxes by hand and at times it was overwhelming,” Hughes said in the release. “Linda has worked tirelessly to create a box folding robot, it’s already saved us ample time and it works flawlessly.”

Fritz enjoys supplying to companies committed to sustainable packaging and offers a solution that makes their jobs easier. In development is a hopper to stamp and feed the flat containers into the FoldBots.

Sun Sugar Farms is a small grower that specializes in sustainably grown cherry tomatoes.

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Pace was a subsidiary of Valent BioSciences and is a provider of sustainable postharvest solutions, equipment and technical services. The acquisition includes all domestic and overseas operations.

Pace manufactures and supplies edible fruit coatings, fungicides, cleaners and sanitizers, sustainable storage treatments and application equipment for fresh produce. Integrating the Pace business has enabled AgroFresh to offer a broader portfolio of technology, services and digital solutions in both the organic and conventional produce categories.

“This acquisition enables us to take another important step towards our vision — to be regarded by customers as the post-harvest partner of choice.  We are excited to bring the combined portfolios, technical expertise and services of both companies to customers,” Clint Lewis, CEO of AgroFresh, said in a news release. “Bringing together our two companies allows us to better address the complete needs of customers across a broad array of crops, markets and at every step in the fresh supply chain, ultimately helping customers produce and deliver an abundant supply of quality fresh produce, sustainably.”

AgroFresh and Valent BioSciences plan to develop a strategic collaboration to accelerate the development of innovation to address challenges in the freshness protection space. This collaboration aims to capitalize on the expertise and technology pipeline of Valent BioSciences to develop new postharvest products, services and digital solutions.

“Acquisition of the Pace business by AgroFresh will create a postharvest solutions platform that benefits customers and the food protection industry as a whole through stronger global reach, enhanced services and additional innovation capabilities,” Salman Mir, president and CEO of Valent BioSciences, said in the release. “We are excited to collaborate with AgroFresh in developing and commercializing new products, technologies and services that will address key customer challenges.”

For more information, visit agrofresh.com and paceint.com.

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Smith will manage a portfolio of key accounts, overseeing communication, streamlining artwork changes and guiding packaging programs.

She will work closely with Jen Doxey, director of sales, Victoria Lopez, marketing and brand manager, and Fox Packaging manufacturing teams, to support the sales team by generating new opportunities in produce and non-produce sectors.

“Jensie’s addition to the Fox Packaging team is a significant step forward in our commitment to serving our customers with excellence,” Doxey said in a news release. “Having worked very closely with Jensie at Giro, I look forward to leveraging her reputation for actively nurturing client relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction through seamless project management.”

Before joining Fox Packaging, Smith was customer service and accounts manager at Giro Pack, where she was for 11.5 years.

“I strive towards proactive communication and education to keep up with consumer and sustainability trends,” Smith said in the release. “The retail side especially has grown over the last 5 years, and I have learned so much to help the retailer and packer work through the new packaging process efficiently. I am excited about the diverse packaging options at Fox Packaging and look forward to working with many companies I already know and being introduced to new accounts as well.”

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According to the USAppleTracker report, the total number of apples in storage on March 1 was 118 million bushels, 34% higher than last March’s 88 million bushels and 25% more than the 5-year average for that date, according to USApple.

Fresh apple holdings in early March totaled 84 million bushels, 35% more than the inventories reported for last March. Processing holdings totaled 35 million bushels, 31% less than last year on March 1.

All major producing states reported overall fresh and processing storage increases in March compared to the previous year.

The leading producing states reported increased fresh storage while Michigan and Virginia reported processing declines. The only state that saw an overall decline was West Virginia with the “other states” category showing overall, fresh and processing declines.

Washington’s total storage increased from 68 million bushels in March 2023 to 93.5 million bushels in March 2024. This compares to the 76.2 million bushel five-year March average.

Michigan again gained in apple holdings, but slightly. In March, the state recorded 7.429 million bushels in total storage, up from 7.428 million bushels the previous year and higher than the 4.6 million bushel five-year average.

New York was 8.7 million bushels, compared to 6.1 million bushels the previous year and higher than the 7 million bushel five-year average.

Pennsylvania’s storage was 4.8 million bushels in March 2024 compared to the previous year’s 3.5 million bushels and higher than the 3.4 million bushel five-year average.

Virginia storage increased slightly and was lower than the 1.4 million bushel five-year average.

Oregon’s inventories were 997,153 bushels, lower than the 1.1 million bushels during the previous period. That compares to the state’s 677,000 bushel five-year average.

California was 183,774 bushels, up from 114,000 bushels and higher than the 154,574 bushel five year average.

While West Virginia’s overall storage declined from 200,414 bushels to 113,527 bushels, fresh storage increased from 53,243 bushels to 70,000 bushels. Processing storage plummeted from 147,171 bushels to 43,524 bushels during the period.

The leading varieties in storage, in order by volume, were Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Cosmic Crisp, Pink Lady/Cripps Pink, Ambrosia, Rome, Envy, Idared, McIntosh, York, and Empire.

The report captures more than 95% of the national storage capacity, according to USApple.

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Moffitt plans to relinquish day-to-day duties as of July 1, 2024. To help ensure a smooth transition for his successor, he will continue in a part-time mentoring and training role until the end of the 2024-25 season, according to an announcement from the Pear Bureau Northwest.

The organization promotes fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon.

His responsibilities include developing and overseeing the strategic communication, research, marketing and promotion programs designed to help bring profitable returns to the 700 grower families in Washington and Oregon by increasing awareness and consumption of fresh pears.

Moffitt will also be transitioning out of his role as manager of the Fresh Pear Committee of USDA’s federal Marketing Order 927’s, overseeing all regulatory functions for the nation’s longest-running marketing order. In the most recent grower referendum in 2023, 99% of voting producers favored continuing the order.

Moffitt joined Pear Bureau Northwest in 1989 as the director of international marketing. In this position, he developed and managed marketing programs for USA Pears in more than 30 countries. He also drew on his prior experience as a banana ripening technician with Dole to compile pear ripening research and develop the industry’s first ripening guidelines and handling manual in 1999; this manual is still the go-to guide today.

Moffitt has continued to advocate for conditioning pears, working with a third-party consultant since 2001 to train shippers and retailers on best practices and advantages for conditioning pears to increase consumer satisfaction and repeat sales of fresh pears. The program has grown exponentially under his guidance and today, there are 58 retail banners in the U.S. and Canada carrying conditioned pears.

Moffitt was named president and CEO of the bureau in 2001, and he immediately began to encourage more creative thinking and entrepreneurial attitudes among the staff.

“As president, I led the Pear Bureau team to embrace change, as it is inevitable, and to adapt and evolve to stay relevant to consumers, the retail trade and our industry,” Moffitt said in the announcement.

As one of his earliest major innovations, he began experimenting with online shopping site promotions in 2001 with Webvan, one of the first online grocery delivery companies in the U.S. He and his team evolved and refined these initiatives over the years, and activations such as sponsored search and shoppable recipe ads are now a cornerstone of the organization’s retail promotions.

Also in the early 2000s, he developed consumer how-to guides for using pears in decor and created a wine, cheese and pear pairing wheel. In addition, he invented and patented the reusable, recyclable Pear Packer to protect delicate, easily bruised pears. Other accomplishments include petitioning the USDA to declare December as National Pear Month, introducing the first World Pear Day and having pears named as the official state fruit of Oregon.

Educating consumers has been a priority for USA Pears under Moffitt’s leadership. He developed the USA Pears website to be the world’s largest website dedicated to pears, adding innovations such as making every recipe in the site’s deep database shoppable, so consumers can download and order all the ingredients in the recipe to be delivered to their home. Marketing activations have also had a strong educational component. For example, in 2022, he developed an augmented reality activation as a fun and innovative way to demonstrate the versatility of pears in recipes and provide consumers with helpful information on ripening and storage.

“Kevin has embraced the role of being an advocate for growers and a champion for pears,” Jordan Matson, chairman of Pear Bureau Northwest, said in the announcement. “During his 23 seasons in this position, he has served as president for one-quarter of the bureau’s 93-year history. Throughout this time, he has demonstrated a passion for creative marketing with a high level of execution.

“He has been agile and open to change, ready to make bold moves and stay ahead of trends,” Matson said. “We thank him for his decades of dedication and effective leadership as he moves into his next chapters in life.”

Over the years, Moffitt has also been actively involved with national and international produce associations. His past and present appointments include chairman of the World Apple and Pear Association, chairman of the United States Agricultural Export Development Council, member of the Board of Trustees of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, member of the board of United Fresh Produce Association, member of the USDA’s Technical Advisory Committee for Fruit and Vegetables and chairman of the Produce Marketing Association’s International Trade Conference Committee.

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