Processing...
Fresh Talk with Tom Karst

The freshest blog in the industry!

03/10/2010 04:10AM

More from the FDA docket on Product Tracing Systems for Food. This submission comes from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. This group wants a very robust system of traceability - even "leveraging consumer loyalty programs" and also calls for stepped up routine inspections of company records and providing more information readable by consumers.

.

03/09/2010 02:26PM By Tom Karst

Again, this is a bookmarrk-worthy blog post, as we capture the stream of thought, opinion and news about Wal-Mart. The Twitter search for the world's largest and most controversial retailer.:

03/09/2010 01:56PM By Tom Karst

Again, here is a blog entry that strawberry marketers may want to bookmark. Catching random comments, raves and rants, here is a real-time Twitter search for strawberries:

03/09/2010 09:07AM By Tom Karst

The FDA docket on Product Tracing Systems for Food closed March 4, and I will reprint some of the comments from stakeholders in this space. Here are the comments about traceability from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.

03/07/2010 12:49PM By Tom Karst

Europe has approved a GM potato. Though not for food use - the potato will produce high quality starch - the event seems to promise a new era for GM crops in Europe. As an article in Treehugger.com asked  "How Did a Genetically Modified Potato Gain Approval in Europe?"

From Treehugger:


After a 13-year battle, the largest chemical company in the world, BASF won approval from the European Commission to begin commercially growing a genetically modified potato for industrial use. Many onlookers were more than a little surprised by the decision considering the Commission's formerly skeptical approach to GMOs. The decision has incited fury amongst harsh critics which included Italy and Austria who fear a health disaster.


The EU decision comes about a month after India halted the release of its first GM food crop -  the Bt Brinjal,  an insect resistant eggplant variety.

03/07/2010 09:12AM By Tom Karst

A quick note of welcome to Perishable Pundit Jim Prevor to the world of Twitter. I followed Jim at @perishablepundt. Better late to the party than not show up at all, though I must say I have "scoreboard." At more than 4,200 tweets, @tckarst will be hard for Jim to catch.

03/06/2010 11:05AM By Tom Karst

Here are some tables from the recent vegetable and melon outlook report. Find the report here.

03/05/2010 04:21PM By Tom Karst

Here is the latest  (March 5) USDA National Retail Report. I couldn't link to the actual report because the page was crashing my Firefox browser.

Perhaps the most important line to watch in the next few weeks will be the numbers for grape promotions at retail. With 3,000 fewer stores promoting grapes this week compared with last week, I would anticipate the number plummet quite low for the report that will be published March 19 in view of the supply disruption in Chile. However, the pipeline is expected to again fill and provide opportunities for promotion the week of March 29.

03/05/2010 01:46PM

I had the chance on March 3 to visit with Tom Tjerandsen, managing director for North America for the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, Sonoma Calif.

03/05/2010 01:29PM By Tom Karst

Here is a nicely topical blog post from our accomplished guest blogger, Jay Martini.


From Jay:


When I stopped at the local convenience store early this morning to pick up a cup of coffee and the newspaper, I glanced down when paying and saw a flash of red on the front page. Instinctively, I figured it was blood...or tomatoes.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  ... Items: 1-10 of 368Display Items:
Google Groups Beta
Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group
Visit this group

About Us  |  Contact Us  |  Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy
The Packer, Produce Merchandising, Produce Availability & Merchandising Guide and Fresh
Trends are registered trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Copyright 2010 Vance Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.


PGT: 0.22 sec