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Produce Show Daily 4 3 Thursday, October 19, 2017 Leadership in Water Productivity By Stef Jenzeh, Vice President Marketing, Magnation Water Technologies Improving water productivity means maximum water utilization. Making every drop count. Magnation Water Technology leads the way with innova- tive chemical-free water softening treat- ment, improving water productivity by using 20 percent less water to produce more and better quality food. Magnation mimics nature by apply- ing principles of physics to moving water. A water molecule's potential is achieved by invigorating electrons through a specially engineered magnetic field … better electrons, essentially. This process transforms the water structure into a superior, life-giving water that embodies the qualities and unique effec- tiveness of rain. By improving your water quality, water is also stretched. Less is needed to do more. Why? When irrigation water passes through Magnation's proprietary magnetic field, a process termed "hydro- dynamic magnetic resonance" (HDMR) is applied. Its molecular structure is bro- ken down into smaller, more bioavailable clusters, allowing a greater amount of oxygen and nutrients to infiltrate the soil and root zone. Magnation's softened, rainlike water easily penetrates soil, spreads across a wider area of ground, helps soil retain moisture, stimulates soil nutrients and enhances plant growth, reducing irriga- tion requirements by 20 percent – with zero added chemicals – while boosting plant vigor and yields. Magnation helps mitigate all problems associated with hard water, and other water quality and soil health issues. "Our results have been remarkable. Where we installed the Magnation unit, the corn out-yielded our other irrigated corn but used 30 per- cent less irrigation water. The corn was 11 percent better than that fields' previous best yield, there was noticeably better uniformity across the sprinklers on the pivot, and our pumping costs were lower," said Lee Fintel, Superior, Nebraska. "There was a night and day differ- ence where we have the calcium issues. We're also seeing better water infiltration and moisture retention. Our soils are mel- lower and our trees look healthier in comparison to where we use sulfuric acid. I did a side by side test with Magnation's water system on one micro- sprinkler system and three gallons per hour of sulfuric acid on the other. The moisture probe showed deeper absorption with Magnation. The tree leaves had better color and less tip burn than I'd seen in 30 years," said Robert Jones, Fresno, California. Intelligent irrigation with Magnation is a corner- stone for furthering food security – sustainably and efficiently. Its systems are chemical-free, energy-free and maintenance-free, with a fast ROI and the benefits returning season after season. Thousands of farmers around the world use Magnation to grow more crops with less water. You can find testimonials in the Rave Reviews section at www.rainlikewater.com. For more information, call 888.820.0363, go to www.rainlikewater.com or email info@rainlikewater.com. 3 Ways New Fresh Produce Varieties Can Make an Impact in Stores By Michael Castagnetto, Vice President of Global Sourcing, Robinson Fresh Consumer purchasing and eating habits, emerging food trends and demand for high-quality fresh produce contribute to the quest to conceptualize new varieties of fruits and vegetables. Developing new produce varieties drives innovation in our industry, and carrying them in your store helps your produce aisle stand apart from the rest. After all, variety is the spice of life! Here are three ways that new varieties of fruits and vegetables can keep consumers coming back. 1. Keep up with consumer trends and eating preferences. Consumers continue to focus on healthy eating, and they want easy-to- prepare foods. New varieties of fruits and vegetables are developed to provide the flavor and nutrition profiles consumers want. New varieties are also designed to align with consumers' preferences for convenient, easy-to-enjoy items – like seedless watermelon or mini sweet pep- pers. 2. Carry more high-quality fruits and vegetables. New varieties can mean higher-qual- ity produce goes to market. For example, the possibilities of new varieties of pro- duce that are developed to have extended shelf life; varieties that yield firmer pro- duce and make it easier for growers and packers to handle from harvest to shelf; varieties that are more resistant to disease and pests; varieties that add higher yield and drought tolerance; or varieties that have shorter growing cycles or ripen ear- lier so they can get to market earlier in the season. And sometimes, it's about aesthetics – like getting the perfect color or size. 3. Add excitement with new, interesting options. Continuously looking at food trends and con- sumption rates helps evolve categories – and our indus- try. The popularity of particular fruits or vegetables can help catapult a positive reputation of a new variety of the com- modity. New varieties can boast imagina- tive flavors, bold colors or other interest- ing physical characteristics, which can help add a layer of excitement to your produce department. Robinson Fresh Brings Innovation to Your Produce Aisle Robinson Fresh is committed and invest- ed in the growing process, supported by two Product Development Centers (PDCs). There, through continuous trial and evaluation, we pinpoint opportunities to develop new varieties of fresh produce, utilizing findings from focus groups with consumers and the expertise of the grow- ers, agronomists and retailers we work with. From there, we bring exciting inno- vation to your produce aisle while sup- porting our growers with technology and sustainable farming practices. This spring, Robinson Fresh introduced Orangetti™ squash, a vivid- orange gourd that has unique preparation and eating qualities – it is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed as a healthier alterna- tive to pasta. Orangetti comes at a time when ease of consumption is a priority and spaghetti squash consumption is on the rise, and it's available in both organic and conventional offerings. The squash was trialed at the Robinson Fresh PDCs in Davis, California and Tifton, Georgia for multi- ple seasons, as well as other locations in North America and Mexico. From an agronomic perspective, it proved to be a winner in multiple growing regions. The company is excited about consumers' response to Orangetti, and is looking for- ward to the next innovative product. For more information, visit booth #1017 or go to www.robinsonfresh.com. WestRock & Grupo Gondi Provide Long-Distance Packaging Solutions An interview with Dwight Morris, Vice President Strategic Growth, WestRock. PSD: What are your plans for PMA this year? DM: WestRock is very excited about PMA this year because we'll be sharing our booth with our VC partner Grupo Gondi, located in Mexico. PSD: What can those coming to your booth expect to learn about? What are you hoping to get out of the show? DM: WestRock is in booth #1952 and we'll be showcasing the breadth of our produce container solutions and how we can meet customers' needs, not only in the U.S. but up and down the continent. As growers buy more land or create partnerships in Mexico, Central and South America, they are looking for a key source of corrugated materials that meet their needs for packing and shipping delicate fruits and vegetables – sometimes for very long distances. Together, WestRock and our partner Grupo Gondi offer packaging solutions that many growers are looking for. PSD: Why is this tradeshow an important one for your company? DM: PMA is a key show for this impor- tant segment of the business. We meet off-the-floor with key customers who are exhibiting there, so it's an efficient way to see a lot of important people in one place. The show also gives us an oppor- tunity to meet new potential customers and say hello to old friends. We're excit- ed about this year's show in New Orleans. PSD: What are you looking forward to most about participating? DM: We always enjoy seeing who is new to the show, and new trends produce growers are bringing to market. Of course, we like to see how the products are displayed and packaged. Trends such as single packs or convenience packs are really big now. All these items must get to markets and stores in safe and sanitary conditions – that's where corrugated is a real advantage over reusable plastic con- tainers or RPCs. PSD: What are the hot topics you expect to be talking about and why? DM: We'll be talking to attendees about the extent of our services for growers with products that need to move long dis- tances, from Mexico into the U.S., for example. PSD: What's the latest buzz at the company? What are you excited about? DM: Business has been very strong this year. We know we need to keep up with our grow- ers' needs and desires for innovative technology to solve their business issues. For example, automation can help relieve some of the pressure grow- ers are having with labor. With our inhouse machine division, we have a unique position in the marketplace – meeting customers' needs for equip- ment that is cost efficient, and corrugat- ed containers that exceed performance expectations. Learn more about WestRock's specialty produce corrugated containers at www.westrock.com/produce or stop by booth #1952.