Reflections on the Mid-Summers Organic Produce Summit

By Melody Meyer

Over a two day period last week, I was thrilled to see many friends and associates at the third annual Organic Produce Summit. Over 300 buyers visited the sold-out exhibition hall that featured over 130 organic growers, shippers and processors from across the globe.

The newly renovated Monterey Conference Center in old town Monterey was the perfect place for the organic produce industry to rub shoulders and share insights. A heady line up of education and keynote sessions left the audience at once informed and again entertained.

I cut my business teeth growing up in the organic produce world before it was even a legitimate endeavor. Through the whirling throng of 1400 attendees, I reconnected with people I hadn’t seen in years.

From the growers I bought citrus from back in 1984 to the spring mix innovators who had worked with me on private labels, I reconnected with past employees and previous bosses still going strong.

Forging new relationships was easily done as we imbibed at an unbelievable Wednesday night Opening Reception, followed by breakfast burritos mopped in sour cream the next morning. The gourmet lunch in the old town square was the perfect place to break tortillas with new friends.

All facets of our industry ---from the veteran organic grower to the young technology entrepreneur had the chance to have intimate and important discussions about the current state of affairs and the future we are creating together.

Misionero meet with Martin's Market and SpartanNash

The former is an older group of passionate advocates who spent their lives and careers planting the roots of the organic trade. They believed and toiled and committed with all their might to grow organic. I count myself as part of their ilk.

The latter is a new group not necessarily younger but more steeped in traditional agriculture. These new champions took up the organic baton and ran with it. Applying large swaths of acreage, manpower and technology they improved the quality, assured safety and afforded the folks in Des Moines an organic fresh option.

Some would say one is better than the other, but I believe both were needed then and especially now.

The educational session, The Organic Supply Chain - Opportunities & Challenges I and II were widely attended - the room packed as tightly as a carton of 48ct celery.

The Organic Supply Chain - Opportunities & Challenges I

The Organic Supply Chain - Opportunities & Challenges II

Grower shippers, retailers and distributors planted firmly in these sessions to learn from each other, as panelists spoke on their complex supply chains issues.  Water, shortages of labor and transportation and food safety aren’t unique to organic but organic adds a specific twist to their complexity.  

Dan Buettner, journalist and discoverer of Blue Zones, opened the keynotes with a dazzling array of stories on longevity across the globe.  By far the most entertaining part of the program, he described the similarities in diet and lifestyle in specific areas where people live longer and healthier lives.

Dan Buettner, journalist and discoverer of Blue Zones

He has determined that 80 percent of a person’s lifespan is determined by lifestyle and only 20 percent on genetics.

His findings on longevity include moving naturally, having purpose and community and eating wisely. Something we should all remember to talk about as we toil through our organic produce careers.  Remember, we are bringing something uniquely valuable to the America lifestyle!

Perhaps the educational session I most enjoyed was Organics and Media - New Landscape of Information. Registered dietician Ashley Koff led the insightful discussion with Anahad O'Connor of The New York Times and Laura Evans, President of Laura Evans Media.

The biggest takeaway:  everyone in the organic fresh industry needs to do a better job talking to the media. We must cultivate relationships with journalists and tell our business stories. 

We CAN promote organic produce without denigrating conventional products. Getting more people to eat more produce is really the key. We have the opportunity to educate consumers on what organic means while telling our own personal story. 

The organic produce journey is one worth telling and OPS was the perfect venue to remind everyone of just that.