Online from publication. 3 pages., Executives for three global produce marketers report on the role of social media in reaching parents with children at home.
Online from publisher. 4 pages., Article features findings of a Packer survey about social responsibility. The summary includes brief responses by 11 leaders in the produce industry about the meaning of social responsibility.
Online from publication. 3 pages., Food store produce specialist urges produce managers to get summer extra-help staff members identified early and begin to train them by mid-April. "June is too late, you know." The busiest quarter of the year for fruits and vegetables is often run with the least-experienced people, due in part to summer vacation schedules of experienced personnel.
Online from publication. 1 page., Brief review of research reports indicated that beef demand has remained strong to date, online ordering for both groceries and meat ordering is likely here to stay, and positive consumer perceptions of beef increased during the pandemic.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12142
Notes:
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 1 page., Brief summary of findings from a data analysis by Catalina Marketing based on consumer behavior during the past year of the pandemic. Findings concluded that "several categories have experienced strong sales spikes, while others continue to struggle." Eight of the 15 top categories of sales growth during the past year involved food or beverages offering convenience and/or comfort.
USA: International Food Information Council, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12153
Notes:
Online from publisher. 3 pages., Author suggests that say one form of produce is safer and more nutritional than another should be avoided. Cites top seven things to remember about eating healthy and safe foods "when this year's (or any year's) "Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen" lists invade your social media streams."
17 pages, US farmers market managers must be strategic in deciding which vendors sell at their markets. They would benefit from understanding how market characteristics impact vendor sales, although the few studies that have explored this topic have found inconclusive results. We use a unique panel database of sales at 13 farmers markets to estimate how vendors' sales are influenced by the characteristics of their farmers market. We find that average sales at weekend farmers markets becomes increasingly large as farmers markets increase in size. At weekday markets, average sales increase as small markets add vendors but eventually decline as markets become larger. These results could occur if weekend markets attract shoppers from increasingly greater distances as they become larger, while average sales eventually decline as weekday markets increase in size due to vendor competition. Produce vendors experience higher average sales at weekend markets than weekday markets and experience a relatively small increase in sales as market size increases. Vendors of hot prepared foods experience higher sales at weekday markets [EconLit Citations: Q10, Q12, Q13].
15 pages, via Online journal, Critical food scholars have argued that activists’ political ideologies and environmental values are important influences on their food justice projects. However, this body of work has given little attention to religion and spirituality even though religious studies scholars maintain that religious values affect environmental and social action. Bringing together these perspectives considers the way religious values and meaning making intersect with actions toward food justice outside of traditionally religious spaces. This paper draws on qualitative research, including a dozen interviews and 11 months of participant observation, at Franklinton Farms, a nonprofit urban farm in Columbus, Ohio. I demonstrate that Franklinton Farms team members reference diverse religious values and practices when explaining the meaning and significance of their farming. In addition, I argue that they renegotiate their religious values in light of the injustices they see in the food system. By examining religion and spirituality within a secular food space, this paper sheds light on an underexplored influence on whether and how alternative food spaces realize food justice.
Online from publication. 1 page., Editorial examines the threat of 3-D bio-printed ribeye steak, as unveiled by an Israeli start-up focused on cultured meat technology.
