By Clint Thompson
Specialty crops were a focus of the House Committee on Agriculture’s special hearing on Wednesday that centered on increasing demand and opportunities for homegrown products.
One of the witnesses was Alexis Taylor, Chief Global Policy Officer with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) in Washington, D.C. She was asked about shipment of fresh produce and how Congress could improve the transportation network that Southeast fruit and vegetable growers depend on to ship their commodities.
“I would say the supply chain and supply chain reliability is so important for the specialty crop sector. From the moment that produce is harvested to the moment a consumer buys it and uses it, we’re under time constraints, right, because of the perishable nature,” Taylor said. “Many of the products that are being harvested in the field go directly into refrigerated trucks. I think having reliable infrastructure; roads, bridges, ports, rail; all become a really important part of how we can ensure that fresh produce gets to consumers in the fastest timeframe possible.
“I would also say that the fresh produce industry is maybe one of the most sensitive to fuel costs increases because those trucks are refrigerated and running on diesel fuel. Costs there hit us first and hit us more often at more stages in that supply chain.”
According to AAA, the average price for diesel is $6.31 per gallon, as of Sept. 16. That’s compared to $5.94 the prior week, $5.44 the month prior and $3.70 a year ago.
Diesel prices in Florida were $6.32 per gallon. Diesel costs were $6.31 per gallon in Georgia and $6.04 in Alabama.