Cranberry Stressline Archives

3/1- 3/7/01

Growers and media react to Cranberry Marketing Committee vote.

Op-Ed

"In the end, the numbers meant nothing."

It is my intent to pursue all political and legal means necessary to demand that any Order can be justified and as a fellow grower I encourage you to do the same.

 by John Swendrowski

3/7/01 - Throughout the entire length of the discussion on the Marketing Order I have attempted to focus the discussion on the numbers. Many other growers and Ed Jesse, also tried to search for an answer by diligently studying the numbers. CONTINUED 


Ocean Spray may be encroaching on French company's legal rights

3/5/01 Communiqués from the French company DD & Cei have clarified the misunderstandings from the previous article on Stressline which arose from translating the French legal terms for the doctrine in French law of "registered Savoir-Faire protection." This French company appears to have a case, and is serious about taking legal action. Read Article.


CMC passes 5.0 mil. bbl. in surprise handler compromise

Update: 3/6/01 On Monday the CMC met and clarified the language in Sunday's vote. The marketable quantity was reduced from 5.0 to 4.7 mil.bbl. to reflect the fresh fruit exemption. This has no effect of the producer allotment for processed fruit, which remains at approximately 33%.

3/4/01-- Special report from Linda Rinta in Wisconsin Rapids: The Cranberry Marketing Committee voted today 6 to 2 to recommend to the USDA a crop reduction to a marketable quantity of 5.0 million barrels with a fresh fruit exemption, despite the fact that the numbers previous being debated were for a marketable quantity of between 4.0 mil. bbl. and 4.8 mil. bbl. The vote for an increase of 200,000 barrels over the  4.8 mil. figure, which was acceptable to Ocean Spray, was not anticipated by growers. Gary Jensen (WI) and Richard Ducklow (WI) were the two dissenting votes on the committee. The compromise was worked out between Cliffstar, Pappas, Hiller, Decas and Ocean Spray. Northland was not in favor of this.  Added to the 5.0 mil. bbl. would be the carry-over and the Canadian fruit. 

Approximately one hundred growers were present at the meeting. Before the vote was taken, at the request of Gary Jensen, a show of hands indicated that less than ten supported the committee's decision.

The 5.0 million barrel figure represents approximately a 33% reduction on sales history, plus ramp-up of processed fruit, and will not lead to a significant price increase for growers or a meaningful reduction in the surplus unless the most optimistic sales projections for new products and expanded markets are realized.


Updated Noon 3/7/01 - New: Ocean Spray's Chris Phillips and independent grower Russ Lawton were interviewed live on Boston NPR  station WBUR's popular show, Here and Now, which you can hear replayed when it is put online by clicking here. On-the-scene reports from Monday's CMC meeting in The Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune article 1 on the "clarified" motion voted on Monday, and article 2 on how the order may impact fresh fruit growers. Also, a new article in the Brockton Enterprise.  

Read extensive coverage of the CMC Sunday meeting in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune | Also articles from the Associated Press and in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Patriot Ledger


Op-Ed

Handlers compromise growers

by Linda Rinta

3/5/01 Wisconsin Rapids, WI -  When I left for Wisconsin I joked that this was Ground Hog Day. Did you see the Bill Murray film where his character was forced to relive the same day over and over again in agonizing detail? That's me, and this is Ground Hog Day. Yesterday's version of Ground Hog Day was simply unbelievable. I'll give you some bullets to chew on. I have found that chewing on bullets is a pretty good appetite suppressor. One bullet:

  • the compromise was done before we even got here

  • the order is  an arrangement between Ocean Spray and the handlers to divide up the cranberry wealth and it involves power shift adjustments from time to time

  • the volume regulation enacted sets the marketable quantity at a number that cannot return cost of production

  • the volume regulation was passed yesterday with full knowledge that enacting it would condemn a segment of growers. Gary Jensen, a member of the committee that voted against the order, stated  before the vote was taken that by enacting this order a significant number of growers would go out of business.

  • the order was passed against an overwhelming show of hands from the hundred or so growers who packed the room.

  • and this is the best bullet which I saved it for last because it is the "quote of the day." This is from John Decas when Ocean Spray was severely criticized by growers: "Cut Ocean Spray some slack here folks, it's a new management team." What in the world have we been listening to all these months?

The love fest between Decas and Ocean Spray went well into the night. If we weren't talking about restoring cost of production to growers, it might have been fun to join in.

I want to come home. The "storm of the century" which is predicted to close airports in New England for the next two days, threatens to keep us here for another Ground Hog Day, unless I can change my reservations. I'm not sure how I can endure another minute of this. With a storm coming to Wisconsin later this week, I'm going to get as far east as I can, because I'd rather sleep in Detroit Airport on the floor than endure one more Ground Hog Day.

Print version



3/2/01 Massachusetts' Attorney General Tom Reilly
accepting an award from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association after delivering the luncheon
address at their winter meeting in Plymouth, MA.


Op-Ed

Response to Joe Darlington's ExtraNet letter

By John Swendrowski

3/1/01 -- John Swendrowski responds to a letter which was posted by Joe Darlington on the Ocean Spray ExtraNet Grower-to-Grower message board. He calls what he believes is a strong suggestion by Darlington that Northland is advocating a large reduction in order to increase the value of their inventory totally false and inaccurate. Read Swendrowski's response here.

 

John Swendrowski responds to an email from Joe Darlington and Brenda Connor which was also posted on the Ocean Spray ExtraNet


Massachusetts and Wisconsin growers surveyed favor marketing order

3/2/01 Read the results of Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association survey here; and result of the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers' Association survey here.


"Independent growers form cranberry alliance"

3/1/01 - The new chair of the Massachusetts Cranberry Growers Coalition, Kristine Keese, is quoted in today's  New Bedford Standard Times as saying "It is an idealistic hope, that we could regain control of our crop...This loss of control is very scary to the growers." Article


Previous Edition

Lawsuit against Ocean Spray withdrawn
Zeadey's group now Massachusetts Cranberry Growers' Coalition
Minute Maid enlists Mickey and Pooh to target kids market worldwide
Open Letter to Ocean Spray Growers,
by John Swendrowski
Associated Press goes national with cranberry story

Op-Ed
- Free Market vs. Volume Regulation: Who will make this decision by Doanne Andresen
 Op-Ed - Northland's view on reaching a compromise on a 2001 marketing order:
Let’s look at the numbers to see where Ocean Spray and Northland differ, by John Swendrowski.
Seeking a Cranberry Compromise:
Ocean Spray, others need to strike agreement on details of 2001 crop limit
, by Jack Crooks, Director of Grower Relations, Ocean Spray.
Coke , Procter & Gamble create giant world-wide juice and snacks company

FSA: Update on Cranberry Market Loss Payment
French company goes public with complaints about Ocean Spray
Is Ocean Spray missing a sales opportunity in France?
Purple Grapes vs. Oranges
Harry Potter's Juice Express
FDA warning reverberates through food industry

Op-Ed
- No need for a marketing order, by John Andresen
Op-Ed
- Marketing Order Referendum,
by Doanne Andresen
Editorial - On the FDA and doing what's right
 

Previous Edition