The Seam Newsroom
The 2020 Pre-Harvest Meeting, conducted by the American Peanut Shellers Association and the National Peanut Buying Points Association, was held Wednesday, August 12. While the format was forced to go virtual this year, attendees were still presented with great information on a wide range of industry topics.
Congressmen Austin Scott (R-GA) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) shared a few insights from the Hill, including an update on future relief packages and upcoming hearings on support programs for growers, as well as an update on trade.
Karl Zimmer (CEO, Premium Peanut) spoke about the impact of aflatoxins on peanuts and the effects on international trade. Aflatoxins are causing increased issues with trade into the EU, with a higher percentage being tested now due to not meeting the EU aflatoxin specs. Japan also reported issues with not meeting specs. This is causing a $120 million impact to the peanut industry, or an impact of $84/acre, as exports account for 25% of the peanut sales. Zimmer also spoke on the efforts of the Aflatoxin Task Force to counter the effects on trade and further aflatoxin research.
Attendees also heard from brands, including Jif and Hershey’s. New information and insights were provided on sustainability and the impact of aflatoxin from the brands (see below).
The annual meeting was rounded out with a crop update from each producing state and an update from The Peanut Institute.
The Seam is proud to be a longstanding member of the American Peanut Shellers Association, the National Peanut Buying Points Association and many other organizations that are working tirelessly to move the industry forward.
Just because it felt like 40 days of blizzard shopping during the pandemic stock-up this spring doesn’t mean that blizzards won’t send shoppers scrambling again to empty store shelves. And don’t forget hurricane season is here, along with back-to-school season and autumn rife with concerns about ongoing spread of COVID-19. In short, the food industry needs to prepare for any eventuality.
The new Food Industry Exchange, an electronic, subscription-based sustainable marketplace developed for FMI-The Food Industry Association powered by The Seam is a valuable tool in shoring-up supply chains in anticipation of disruption. The Food Industry Exchange launched during the early weeks of the pandemic, when demand at retail was swelling and foodservice vendors were faced with high levels of supplies. Since then, the platform has addressed the urgent needs of retailers, wholesalers, suppliers and, ultimately, consumers.