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P ro d u c e S h o w D a i l y 3 5 S u n d a y, O c to b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 NORTH SHORE LIVING HERBS BRAND INDEPENDENTLY CERTIFIED BY SCS GLOBAL SERVICES North Shore Living Herbs© brand pack- aged herbs have been certified as "Sustainably Grown" under one of the world's toughest standards for environ- mental, social and economic sustainabili- ty. The company, which uses hydroponic growing methods inside state-of-the-art greenhouses, produces a variety of pack- aged herbs all year. Packaging for North Shore's entire product line will now fea- ture the SCS "Kingfisher" certification mark, becoming the first fresh herb to be certified Sustainably Grown. "We have always taken sustainabili- ty seriously at North Shore, and we work every day to maintain our commitment to protecting the environment and con- tributing to our community," said Leo Overgaag, North Shore's President and CEO. "Achieving independent recogni- tion of our sustainability efforts helps to communicate that dedication to our employees, venders, retailers, partners and customers." Its greenhouse hydroponic growing methods use 70 percent less water than conventional open-field agriculture and can be operated year-round. Its Thermal, California-based company has adapted its growing practices to work in harmony with the arid, desert climate located near the shores of the Salton Sea. Hydroponic greenhouses eschew normal soil planters for peat moss, a natural plant medium that requires less water and keeps herbs alive even after shoppers take them home. No soil and less water use means that North Shore's operations protect against soil depletion and erosion, helping to preserve the surrounding community's ground water supply. It grows all of its products in southern California and it is vertically integrated, controlling the processes from seed to customer. This attention to quali- ty, combined with optimal customer serv- ice, has lead to the tremendous success of North Shore Living Herbs. "Sustainably Grown certification can only be earned by growers who meet exemplary environmental, social, eco- nomic and quality standards," said Linda Brown, SCS Senior Vice President. "North Shore's achievement gives cus- tomers an important new option when choosing herbs." The Original Living Herb of 21 vari- eties packaged with the roots intact and featuring the SCS Sustainably Grown certification are available in stores across the U.S. and Canada. Along with being SCS Sustainably Grown Certification the company is excited to announce that it has been Non-GMO Certified! North Shore believes that its customers should have the right be informed about what they are consuming. It is proud to be third party verified for NON-GMO products. It is happy for the partnership it has com- menced with the NON-GMO project. North Shore is dedicated to both working in harmony with the environ- ment and making sure that consumers get a safe quality product for consumption! For more information, visit www .livingherbs.com and www.northshore greenhouses.com or stop by booth #4110. PEAKFRESH'S REUSABLE HOME USE PACK GAINING POPULARITY By Greg Ganzerla, President and CEO This year at PMA, PEAKfreshUSA is pleased to announce that our box liner and pallet cover business is growing stronger every year. Also, our retail pack or reusable home use pack is catching the eye of many retailers and distributors throughout the U.S., Canada and South America. The economic uncertainty of the past few years and current drought has affected the produce industry and PEAKfresh is ready to take on the chal- lenge. More retailers are requiring longer shelf life for the produce they purchase, and now more than ever, it is imperative that suppliers deliver quali- ty produce at competitive prices. Using MAP products like PEAKfresh, and because of the lower costs compar- isons, it allows shippers to supply their customers with longer lasting produce at a low cost of added value. Because we are one of the pioneers in modified atmosphere products, shippers around the world are transporting more than 300 million a year of produce in PEAKfresh modi- fied atmosphere products. We understand that some growers are not prepared to use a product that needs pre-cooling prior to packing or also some that pack in the field. We have PEAKfresh products that can be used in every situation. Our new vented PEAKfresh box liners and pallet covers are made to withstand temperature varia- tions during packing, transportation and inspections, giving the grower the peace of mind that their product will be received at retailers with PEAK fresh- ness and when pallet covers are used, retailers can keep their produce covered all the way through distribution, which turns into PEAK profit. PEAKfresh is dedi- cated to creating bene- fits for its customers by lengthening shelf life. When our cus- tomer's reputation is based on providing the best produce possible, we feel that they can't afford not to protect their goods during long shipping distances. Using PEAKfresh allows our customers to pay a small price to ensure their prod- uct arrives in the same condition in which it left. This turns into PEAK profit. Swing by our booth for a free sample of our reusable home use retail pack. For more information, visit booth #1168 at Fresh Summit. After the show, visit www.peakfreshusa.com, call 877-537- 3748 or email sales@peakfreshusa.com. GREATER VISIBILITY FOR BETTER BUSINESS, COURTESY OF BLUE BOOK SERVICES Blue Book Services is pleased to intro- duce its Claims Activity Tables, offering members access to additional propri- etary information and greater visibility into its database. This new feature is available to all members at www .producebluebook.com. The Claims Activity Tables allow members to view information about pending and histori- cal claims filed against an industry firm within the last two years. "As long as I can remember, mem- bers have called us as part of their due diligence process to inquire about the number, type and dollar amounts of any claims filed with Blue Book against firms they are researching," explained Jim Carr, President of Blue Book Services. "Giving members the ability to access this information online just makes sense." Members will be able to view the date a claim was filed, the type of claimant (e.g., produce vendor or trans- portation firm), dollar amount, qualita- tive information describing the nature of the dispute and the status of the claim. Doug Nelson, Blue Book's Vice President of Special Services, stated, "Information on a single claim may not be particular- ly meaningful, but if credit managers can see a pattern of claims activity, that's where we think there's some real value to this information." In addition to claims filed through the Blue Book's Trading Assistance department, members will also be able to view federal civil cases, including cases filed under the trust provision of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). "If we're tracking a federal civil case, credit managers can now check our Claims Activity Tables for status updates," stated Carr. "It's about giving members easy access to information." Claims filed with the PACA administrative branch are not presently included in the tables. There is no charge for Blue Book members to view the Claims Activity Tables. "Blue Book Services has many new and exciting innovations to share at this year's Fresh Summit," stated Carr, who encourages attendees to visit Blue Book Services at booth #2258 to learn more and enter to win an iPad mini. For more information, visit www .producebluebook.com, call 630-668- 3500, email info@bluebookservices.com or stop by booth #2258. 'THE BIG MOVE!' At the end of the summer months, much of the Salinas Valley agriculture compa- nies move their growing and processing operations to the desert for quality rea- sons. Church Brothers has been making this transition for close to 15 years. Having its feet on the ground locally and maintaining a tight Cut-to-Cool-to- Process time has ensured preservation of freshness for all products. From approxi- mately April 1 through October 31, it grows its crops in Northern California and between November 1 and March 30th it operates out of Yuma, Ariz., Imperial Desert and Central Mexico. The growing conditions in the desert are slightly better during this time of year. Approximately 80-90 trucks will move all sensitive equipment to its desert loca- tion including 11 production lines. Sixty hours total from the start of tear down in California to the end in Arizona when it's completely up and running adhering to the highest operating, quality and food safety standards. Moving the entire operation is no easy feat. The head of Church Brothers Harvesting Operations, Pat Stafford, has been adamant about maintaining optimum standards when trans- porting approximately 60 people from Salinas, Calif., to Yuma, Ariz., Imperial Desert and Central Mexico. All of its harvesting employees including mechanics, foreman, managers and supervisors join the trucks as they make their way down to the desert. During the 2013 move down to the desert, the company cre- ated a video showing the tear down of the plant in Salinas and follows the trucks as they make their way down to the desert and set up again in the new plant for the next few months. To view this video, please visit www.churchbrothers.com. To learn more, stop by booth #1538D.