Washington DC impacts the industry through legislation, while its neighbor Maryland supplies an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables to the region and surrounding states. Although it may be too soon to tell what recent legislation will mean in the long run, one thing becomes clear: politicians in the District of Columbia are keenly aware of the value of the country’s agriculture and the many crops that feed the world—and Maryland is a major contributor to this bounty. The Old Line State’s multibillion-dollar fresh produce industry is served by the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market, located in Jessup. The market is just over 100 miles southwest of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, with access to other markets farther north as well. The Maryland market enjoys connections up and down the East Coast and serves as a major hub for everything from apples and strawberries to more niche exotic commodities like boniatos and nopales. Maryland and DC enjoy a symbiotic relationship: growers supply the market with fresh produce, while distributors assure these fruits, vegetables, and herbs are shipped to retailers, processors, and vendors near and far. Consumers, of course, drive demand, and during the summer and fall months, Maryland is bursting with local pride and product.
The Market The Jessup Market is a major hub for the mid-Atlantic states, due to its prime location in the middle of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and unfettered access to DC. It is run by the Maryland Food Center Authority, and though its official name is the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market, most simply call it the ‘Jessup Market’ due to its location. The market is open to the public, but shoppers must still pass by a guardhouse to gain access to the facilities. Hours reflect the demanding schedule of the profession, opening at ten o’clock in the evening from Sunday to Friday, and from midnight to noon on Saturday (for additional information, see the sidebar). The facility covers approximately 400 acres with plenty of room for its two dozen tenants. The Jessup Market deals in the usual produce fare, with all the staple fruits and vegetables, but has become an increasingly important ethnic foods market for the region. T.J. Rahll, sales and office manager for Edward G. Rahll & Sons, Inc. of Baltimore—which recently completed a $250,000 renovation of its facility at the Jessup Market, says demand for ethnic produce is on the rise, and he believes the trend will continue throughout the summer. He also mentioned the growing popularity of kale over the past year, though the “classics” such as apples, potatoes, peppers, and onions, will always play a major role at the market. Pascual Ortiz, president of Baltimore-based Agrimex Produce, is new on the market and like Rahll has experienced high demand for ethnic or specialty commodities. For Ortiz, hot commodities from Latin America and Mexico include the now mainstream avocados, papayas, and chile peppers (poblanos, serranos, and jalapenos) as well as plums, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and cilantro. More exotic items gaining popularity are cebollines (chives) and nopales (cactus paddles).
Washington DC impacts the industry through legislation, while its neighbor Maryland supplies an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables to the region and surrounding states. Although it may be too soon to tell what recent legislation will mean in the long run, one thing becomes clear: politicians in the District of Columbia are keenly aware of the value of the country’s agriculture and the many crops that feed the world—and Maryland is a major contributor to this bounty. The Old Line State’s multibillion-dollar fresh produce industry is served by the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market, located in Jessup. The market is just over 100 miles southwest of the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, with access to other markets farther north as well. The Maryland market enjoys connections up and down the East Coast and serves as a major hub for everything from apples and strawberries to more niche exotic commodities like boniatos and nopales. Maryland and DC enjoy a symbiotic relationship: growers supply the market with fresh produce, while distributors assure these fruits, vegetables, and herbs are shipped to retailers, processors, and vendors near and far. Consumers, of course, drive demand, and during the summer and fall months, Maryland is bursting with local pride and product.
The Market The Jessup Market is a major hub for the mid-Atlantic states, due to its prime location in the middle of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and unfettered access to DC. It is run by the Maryland Food Center Authority, and though its official name is the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market, most simply call it the ‘Jessup Market’ due to its location. The market is open to the public, but shoppers must still pass by a guardhouse to gain access to the facilities. Hours reflect the demanding schedule of the profession, opening at ten o’clock in the evening from Sunday to Friday, and from midnight to noon on Saturday (for additional information, see the sidebar). The facility covers approximately 400 acres with plenty of room for its two dozen tenants. The Jessup Market deals in the usual produce fare, with all the staple fruits and vegetables, but has become an increasingly important ethnic foods market for the region. T.J. Rahll, sales and office manager for Edward G. Rahll & Sons, Inc. of Baltimore—which recently completed a $250,000 renovation of its facility at the Jessup Market, says demand for ethnic produce is on the rise, and he believes the trend will continue throughout the summer. He also mentioned the growing popularity of kale over the past year, though the “classics” such as apples, potatoes, peppers, and onions, will always play a major role at the market. Pascual Ortiz, president of Baltimore-based Agrimex Produce, is new on the market and like Rahll has experienced high demand for ethnic or specialty commodities. For Ortiz, hot commodities from Latin America and Mexico include the now mainstream avocados, papayas, and chile peppers (poblanos, serranos, and jalapenos) as well as plums, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and cilantro. More exotic items gaining popularity are cebollines (chives) and nopales (cactus paddles). Ortiz also notes that despite initial challenges competing with the mainstays of the market, he feels there is plenty of opportunity for everyone to serve the area. For Lee Salins of the eponymously named Lee Salins, LLC in Easton, across the bay, strawberries and all types of berries continue to enjoy robust sales. “Strawberries absolutely have high demand,” he says, though Salins admits “getting good quality strawberries has been tough this year, with the weather in Santa Maria”—referring to Southern California’s berry-rich growing region in Santa Barbara County, which suffered a number of weather-related setbacks in the growing season. Longtime Jessup market veteran Tony Vitrano, president of Tony Vitrano Company, emphasizes that in addition to the usual commodity trends, one thing in particular has benefited suppliers and consumers in the region. “I’ve noticed the quality of produce has continued to improve over the years,” he points out. “You’re no longer getting deteriorated or damaged loads like you would have twenty-five years ago.”
MARKET FACTS & FIGURES
Operated by the Maryland Food Center Authority, the Maryland Wholesale Produce Market is located in Jessup, southwest of Baltimore. Merchants are housed in six separate buildings, divided into even and odd numbered stalls. Building A has three units of even-numbered stalls, while Building B has three units of odd-numbered stalls. There is also a guardhouse and maintenance facility on the grounds.
Address: 7470 Conowingo Avenue Jessup, MD 20794
Contact Info: Dr. Donald J. Darnall, executive director Rose M. Harrell, director of facilities, rharrell@mfca.state.md.us; (also first vice president, National Association of Produce Market Managers, www.napmm.org)
Phone: (410) 799-3880
Fax: (410) 379-5773
Website: www.mfca.info
General Hours: Sunday to Friday 10:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday 12:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Maryland Production A recent release of the preliminary Census of Agriculture results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found Maryland had fewer but larger farms since 2007, with a total of 12,834 farms and 2,000,000 acres statewide— representing a third of the Old Line State’s total land. This land is put to good use, as the value of Maryland ag products reached $2.27 billion, up 24 percent from the previous census. Top commodities included apples, watermelon, potatoes, sweet corn, and snap beans for a total fruit and vegetable value topping more than $1 billion for 2012, which included nursery and greenhouse crops, a boon to the state when fluctuating temperatures and crazy weather takes their toll on production. Indeed, Maryland growers found themselves in a constant battle with nature, often struggling against pests, wildlife, and the region’s rather famously unpredictable weather. Late snowstorms delayed spring, which found some growers planting furiously, weeks later than usual. Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Secretary Buddy Hance com-mented: “Farmers operate on the average—they take the good and the bad, and hope to end up somewhere in the middle.” Aside from the many complications and challenges, however, Hance was quite optimistic that the state’s growers would “have a good year.”
Sustainability/ Buy Local The 2012 Census also highlighted the region’s changing demographics, including a rise in Hispanic and Asian populations. Purveyors at the Jessup Market continue to adjust commodity mixes as needed, offering exotic and specialty commodities like chayote, galangal (often called blue ginger), malanga lila, starfruit, yuca root, and others. The MDA has also been taking soil erosion and sustainability very seriously. The Census provided a dose of good news, showing a slight decrease in cropland losses—from 1.3 percent (25,874 acres) in 2007 to 1.0 percent (21,011 acres) in 2012—better than the 5.5 percent loss of more than 115,433 acres in 2002. Taking action to prevent soil erosion is only one of the many things the MDA has been doing to improve sustainability. Secretary Hance lauds the state’s efforts, highlighting several projects including the Maryland Farm to School Initiative, rising enrollment in cropland conservation programs, and more than $26 million in grants under the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost Share program. One of the MDA’s most popular programs remains Maryland’s Best, touting the state’s locally grown commodities. “One thing is for certain,” states Secretary Hance, “consumer demand continues to grow for locally-grown products.” And of course, Hance believes Maryland’s output is not only “among the freshest, best available” product, but is a major benefit to producers and consumers alike.
Challenges With one of the harshest and longest winters on record, the produce industry definitely felt the pressure—whether it be shaky supply, delays and delivery problems, or costly closings. Aside from the ever-volatile weather, new regulations stand to impact the industry in both the short and long term. The presence of Washington DC can certainly be felt by grower-shippers, brokers, and in the vast halls of terminal markets. In the middle of the pros and cons sits passage of the new Farm Bill. 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.”
