Some believe it doesn’t go far enough in its support of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry, but there are certainly positive attributes. “We seem to be making great strides in getting produce to the people who need it, and especially schools,” comments Rahll, “we’re definitely moving in the right direction.” Salins believes increasing freight rates related to legislation will seriously affect shipping. “Transportation is going to continue to be tough; all the new laws trucks have to abide by complicate things. People don’t want to truck anymore because all the new equipment is so expensive.” Steve Covey, executive vice president at Choptank Transport, Inc. in Preston, MD, knows a thing or two about transporting produce. The last year was particularly trying due to legislation and weather. At times, he says, “Rates spiked based on people’s uncertainty,” which led to some corporate changes. “We’re rethinking some of our process and creating a concise plan for next year—with a focus on timely communication to all parties.” Rates were also affected by legislative changes: “Fuel standard regulations definitely place a burden on transporters,” he explains. “But the biggest buzz has been on hours of service regulation, which caused an uptick in rates of about 10 to 12 percent—an increase that wasn’t actually related to the weather earlier this year.” Regardless of the cause, however, Covey says, “This year and next, we’re going to make solutions not excuses, and hope our hard work pays off.”
FRESH FORUM
How much did the exceptionally harsh winter affect your business?Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary
Buddy Hance
There is some good news to report about the wild winter: as a result of the high moisture, water reserves are up. Additionally, the cold may have helped reduce populations of invasive species and insects.Steve Covey,
Choptank Transport, Inc.
We’d have to wait on the weather to haul a load, putting everything behind schedule. This year alone, we rescheduled 225 loads. We always have a plan B, and communication is essential.T.J. Rahll,
Edward G. Rahll & Sons, Inc.
The weather has been the most dramatic influence I’ve seen in the industry. The cold winter affected sales all around, you just couldn’t get product sometimes. It was so cold people just couldn’t work.Tony Vitrano,
Tony Vitrano Company
We were seriously impacted by the weather, with the sudden snow and ice storms employees couldn’t get in to deliver, or if they could, the customers were closed.Lee Salins,
Lee Salins, LLC
I think it has really affected us, especially with the Friday and Saturday business; weekends just haven’t been the same.
Parting Words
Despite the challenges facing growers, packers, wholesalers, and retailers in the Washington DC and Maryland region, local businesses are resilient and ever hopeful. A long cold winter always breaks and allows for the progress and productivity of the spring and summer. As memories of the tough winter and volatile spring abate, overall, most at the Jessup Market are optimistic, as Vitrano quips, “Things can only get better.”
Image: Shutterstock
