July 2020 - 1

OSU professor shares
benefits of
controlled-environment
berries
Growers pursue
expanding niche for
blueberries
6
14
20
Rice Fruit shows
business path during
COVID-19
July 2020 | Volume 59 |
Issue 7
Pandemic
PACKING
Produce growers fill up food box program
Angela Sommers of Michigan
Fresh Marketing and Belleharvest
was involved in setting up a
packinghouse for the USDA's food
box program. Left photo: USApple.
Right photos: USDA
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Amid marketplace chaos wrought by the
new coronavirus, produce growers, packers
and shippers are evolving their operations
to work for Uncle Sam.
The USDA's Agricultural Marketing
Service this spring rolled out $1.2 billion
of contracts for its Farmers to Families
Food Box Program, which allows approved
contractors to distribute surplus food
to food banks and other non-profit
organizations. The initial contracts
included $461 million for fruit and
vegetables. Some of those contracts have
since been extended and an additional
round of contracts is planned.
" Through this innovative program, small
and regional distributors are bringing
back their workforce to procure food
directly from our American farmers and
ranchers, the president's daughter and
advisor, Ivanka Trump, said in a news
release. " Fresh food is getting to those in
need, even in the hardest to reach places,
through partnerships with food banks,
non-profits and faith-based communities. "
Welcome business
The farm box contracts came even as the
industry reeled from a disruption in the
foodservice space.
Gene McAvoy, a retired University of
Florida Extension professor, said the state's
produce growers enjoyed a great fall and
winter growing season before COVID-19
shut down restaurants, Disneyworld and
the cruise lines that they usually supply.
South Florida tourists " eat out every
morning, every evening, every noon, " he
said in early June.
Millions of pounds of vegetables were
destroyed or plowed under by growers
managing their inventory, he said.
Others got creative. McAvoy said he
knew of one South Florida grower who
began trading crops with other growers to
sell mixed produce boxes.
" He was doing his own (boxes) in the
local market, " before receiving a $1.5
million contract to ready for the food
boxes program, McAvoy said.
California companies were awarded
approximately $115.9 million in the first
round of funding.
In Michigan, produce growers who
received contracts included growers such
as Comstock Park's Heeren LLC, which
received a contract worth more than $28
million, and LaGrasso Bros., which received
a contract worth nearly $4.5 million.
Tom Lagrasso III, who is president of the
Detroit-based shipper said in a press release
the program had been " perfectly timed. "
" The USDA Farm to Family Food Box
Program is critically important to helping
great American farmers, distribution
companies, such as LaGrasso Bros., and the
families that are economically impacted by
the COVID pandemic, " he said.
In the Pacific Northwest, Portland's
Pacific Coast
Fruit Co. was
awarded a
contract worth
about $24.8
million for the
production of
810,000 produce
and dairy boxes,
beginning May
18 through June
30, reaching
The initial contracts
included $461 million
for fruit and vegetables.
135,000 people every week.
" Something my dad, co-founder Emil
Nemarnik, always said was, 'Take good
care of your employees, farmers, shippers
and customers,' " said Nancy Nemarnik
Brugato, vice president of development
at Pacific Coast. " By being awarded this
generous USDA grant, we are able to help
our food industry and community during
a time when they need it most. "
Evolving operations
Packers supplying the distributors
navigated some of the idiosyncrasies of
the new program.
2020 Young Apple Leader Angela
See BOXES, page 5
July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2020
