Weekly Top 5: Organic News You Need to Know #50
February 7, 2018
Sunview Marketing International adds Mitchell Wetzel as Vice-President of Sales
Sunview Vineyards of California, Inc., is pleased to announce the addition of Mitchell Wetzel to the Sunview family of companies. Mitch will assume the position of Vice-President of Sales at Sunview Marketing International effective Tuesday, January 16.
Mitch has a vast background in agricultural sales management, including 16 years as General Manager for Alliance International. He has also previously held positions with BuyProduce.com, Periccone Citrus and Sunworld International.
With more than sixty years of history, the roots of the Sunview brand run deep and has farmed in the Central Valley of California for over 3 generations offering both conventional and organic grapes.
Learn more about Sunview Marketing International.
Annual CCOF Meeting Takes Place in Sacramento, February 22-23
Members of the nation’s largest organic farmer-governed organization—California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) —will gather February 22-23, 2018, in Sacramento, California to discuss the phenomena of Organic Hotspots, the subject of a recent study commissioned by the Organic Trade Association and conducted by Penn State Agricultural Economist Dr. Edward Jaenicke.
This event is open to the public and registration information is found at www.ccof.org/2018-event.
Kroger's Organic Produce Sales Achieve $1 Billion
"Kroger offers one of the largest organic produce departments in America, and we are proud to have led the way in making this category more mainstream, accessible and affordable," said Robert Clark, Kroger's senior vice president of merchandising. "We have a dedicated procurement team that partners with more than 300 organic produce growers and suppliers every year to bring our customers an exciting selection of organic fruits and vegetables."
According to IRI, the U.S. organic produce market reached $5 billion in 2016 and it is growing.
Read more here.
World Vegetable Map 2018: More than Just a Local Affair
The 2018 World Vegetable Map shows essential vegetable trade flows and highlights some key global trends in the sector, such as the growing importance of production in greenhouses and vertical farms, as well as the popularity of organic vegetables.
Organic foods are gaining market share around the world. The share of organic fruit & vegetable sales (in total fresh fruit & vegetable sales) has already passed 10% in wealthy countries such as Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Denmark (see Figure 1). In the US, this share is 9% and quickly growing. Income is not the only determinant for organic vegetable consumption. In the Netherlands, where the average income per capita is similar to that of Sweden and Austria, the market share of organic vegetables is only 5%. The reasons behind this are not clear, but it is likely related to supermarkets’ decisions on the category, price, availability, and quality of conventional vegetables, as well as cultural factors.
Read more here.
California Organics Industry Considers Cannabis
The California Organic Products Advisory Committee (COPAC) started the year with its traditional meeting at the EcoFarm Conference on January 25, 2018. Topics covered included the approval of a motion recommending that the Secretary consult with COPAC on the state’s cannabis program. California’s Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act requires that CDFA establish a program for cannabis comparable to federal and state organic regulations by January 1, 2021.
Read more.
"The Organic Produce Summit is our favorite show of the year. There's no dilution to this concentrated event, with only organic shippers there to seek out quality organic suppliers. Every person that comes to our booth is interested in talking."
Scott Mabs
Homegrown Organic Farms