September 2007 NHC NEWS A Monthly Bulletin of the Northwest Horticultural Council FOOD SAFETY—INTERNATIONAL The complexities of successfully moving large volumes of fresh fruit around the world have always been with our exporters.  Proper cold storage, currency fluctuations, tariffs, carton labeling, phytosanitary restrictions, possible geo-political disruptions and simply getting paid all have loomed large whenever an apple, pear or cherry shipper considered launching part of his crop toward the distant off-shore market. In recent years, a new worry—food safety—has emerged. With the United States government cracking down on unsafe food imports, especially from the People’s Republic of China , and the general unease worldwide over biological and chemical issues related to the food supply, more countries are increasing the attention they devote to food moving across frontiers.  Fresh produce is especially susceptible to commercial market disruptions because of the limited time available to keep arrivals in good condition for the ultimate consumer.  An undue delay at a hot tropical dock to ascertain if some pathogenic microbial testing has occurred prior to shipment can destroy the cargo’s value.  And given the sometimes limited ethical standards of border officials in some third-world countries, the opportunities for abuse multiply in the context of enforcement procedures related to this highly technical area of trade. As a concrete example of this general problem, the Republic of Indonesia , a land of 245 million people, has officially notified the World Trade Organization of its new regulation concerning “Food Safety Control for the Import and Export of Fresh Food of Plant Origin.”  As a result, the Northwest Horticultural Council is now working with USDA’s Office of Scientific and Technical Affairs to point out some of the many commercial trade problems that would be put into play if this lengthy set of technical food safety rules were to be actually imposed. One example is a specific requirement to test all food for certain microbial contaminants.  We are urging our U. S. government to do its active best to prevent Indonesia ’s misguided initiative from putting at risk our apple industry’s fifth largest export market. ¨ CHICAGO The 2007 Annual Apple Crop Outlook and Marketing Conference was held in downtown Chicago on August 23-24, followed the next day by governance meetings of the United States Apple Association.  285 people signed up for the conference, with many of these being from the processor and supplier side of the industry.  Despite a hard summer storm raging outside, the mood was upbeat with predictions for a moderate-sized national crop this fall, down 7% from last year.  At the conference, The Packer announced a deserving Jeff Crist of New York (Crist Brothers Orchards, Inc.) as its “Apple Person of the Year.”   The board of trustees met on Saturday to hear committee reports, consider a new strategic plan, and elect officers for 2007/2008.  The strategic plan was adopted as presented, but a coupled suggestion that there be a dues assessment increase on member apple-growing states was set aside for further review due to concerns expressed.  (Because of the size of the state’s crop, the Washington Apple Commission now provides in dues payments over fifty percent of USApple’s annual budget.) A special committee was formed to consider the future of USApple’s annual Outlook and Marketing Conference after next year’s scheduled event in Chicago . Newly elected officers at USApple are: Ken Guise of Pennsylvania (Knouse Foods Cooperative, Inc.) chairman; Bruce Grim of Washington (Washington Apple Growers Marketing Association) vice-chairman; John Graden of Washington (Dovex Fruit Company) treasurer; and, John Teeple of New York (Teeple Farms, Inc.) secretary. The Northwest Horticultural Council was represented in Chicago by Chris Schlect , who serves on USApple’s Public Affairs Committee.  In addition, the NHC’s current chairman, Bob Price, was present in his capacity as a USApple trustee.  At the meeting, Mr. Price was elected to serve on this national association’s Executive Committee. ¨ Travel Christian Schlect   September 10-15 – United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association’s Government Relations Council meeting and United’s Washington Public Policy Conference, Washington , D.C. September 21-23 – Moderating a food safety panel at the annual Texas Produce Association’s convention, South Padre Island, Texas.   Mark Powers September 7-16 – Meetings on port congestion with Russian industry and government officials, St. Petersburg/Moscow, Russia . Mike Willett   September 20 – Board meeting of the Pear Bureau Northwest, Portland , Oregon . Because of LBJ’s congressional support for [the oil depletion allowance], a tax incentive for oil production that was the oil industry’s holy grail, liberal-leaning Democrats fitted Johnson into the wrong political slot.  They didn’t do their homework.  But in Texas , we knew better.  You supported the oil industry in Texas because it employed so many people, just the way Vermont and Washington senators support syrup and apple growers…. Jack Valenti This Time, This Place My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood Northwest Horticultural Council 105 South 18th Street, Suite 105 Yakima, Washington 98901, USA Voice: (509) 453-3193, Fax: (509) 457-7615 E-mail general@nwhort.org