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Greetings

Charles W. Parrott, Deputy Administrator, AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program

In This Issue

 Specialty Crops Inspection 

Division – Consolidating to 

Serve you Better

 Interested in Selling to 

USDA?

 USDA Market News—

Information for the World

 An Ounce of Prevention—

Sweet Peppers

Winter/Spring 2013

I’m honored to introduce myself as 

the new deputy administrator of the 

Agricultural Marketing Service’s Fruit 

and Vegetable Program (F&V Program). Last fall, we bid a warm farewell to my predecessor, Bob Keeney, 

as he headed off for retirement in 

warmer climes. 

While this technically is an introduction, I am already a familiar face to 

many of you. I’ve been privileged to 

serve the fruit and vegetable industry 

as part of the F&V Program throughout my entire career. After graduating 

from Virginia Tech, I joined F&V’s 

Perishable Agricultural Commodities 

Act (PACA) Division, eventually serving as its assistant chief. From 2001 

until my recent selection as deputy 

administrator, I was F&V’s associate 

deputy administrator, where I helped 

Bob Keeney administer and coordinate the activities and policies of the 

F&V Program. 

One of my first actions as deputy 

administrator was to share my vision 

for the F&V Program with my staff, 

and now I’m pleased to share it with 

you as well. The F&V Program will 

continue to help the fruit and vegetable industry successfully compete 

in domestic and international markets while providing consumers with 

a wide array of healthy food choices. We will build on our past successes and continuously improve to 

ensure that we accomplish that mission today and into the future. 

This is a time of tremendous 

change in our industry. The growth 

of new markets and the need to 

increase efficiency and do more 

with less are shaping and reshaping 

the industry. I’m committed to working with you to ensure that our services adapt to meet your evolving 

needs. I also will work to ensure 

that our services help boost the produce industry’s efforts to increase 

the per capita consumption of fruits 

and vegetables, which achieves the 

complementary goals of strengthening your business and improving the 

health of U.S. consumers. 

We are increasing our outreach 

and educational programs to more 

effectively provide the information and 

tools you need to help your business 

succeed. 

Continued, see Greetings on page 2.

Agricultural Marketing Service
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Cover photo courtesy of Camknows.

Greetings, from page 1.

Our expanded outreach tools include 

our ongoing webinar series and produce inspection training program, as 

well as this newsletter. In this and 

future issues of the newsletter, I’ll update you on changes we’re making to 

improve our service delivery and efficiency. For example, on this page, 

you’ll meet Lorenzo Tribbett, director 

of the Specialty Crop Inspection (SCI) 

Division. SCI is a streamlined new 

organizational unit resulting from the 

consolidation of our former Fresh and 

Processed Products Divisions. SCI is 

providing the fresh and processed 

fruit and vegetable industry with highquality, efficient inspection, grading, 

and audit services on a farm-to-retail 

basis. 

I look forward to working and communicating with you. Please feel free 

to contact me via email at 

charles.parrott@ams.usda.gov or by 

phone at (202) 720-4722. And, next 

time you are in Washington, DC, 

please stop by for a visit. 

Chuck Parrott is the 

Deputy Administrator 

of the AMS Fruit and 

Vegetable Program. 

Specialty Crops Inspection Division -

Consolidating to Serve You Better

Lorenzo A. Tribbett, Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide you with the best possible service in a 

fiscally responsible way, the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Fruit and Vegetable Program has merged the Fresh Products and Processed Products Divisions to form the new Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division. SCI offers the 

produce industry inspection, grading, and audit services on a farm-to-retail 

basis for fresh, frozen, and processed products. 

 SCI is comprised of more than 800 highly 

trained and experienced employees who grade, 

certify, and provide quality control and other services for fresh fruits, vegetables, and specialty 

items throughout the United States and Puerto 

Rico. We are located in all major terminal markets and other sites across the country where 

our customers need us. In addition, we work with 

thousands of employees of our State partners who serve hundreds of additional growing and shipping locations. 

Recently, I was honored to be named the 

first director of the new SCI Division. I have 

been with USDA since 2001, working first as 

the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act 

(PACA) Division’s training officer, and then as 

its deputy director. I led the team that reorganized the PACA Division in 2006. Prior to 

joining USDA, I served for 27 years in the U.S. 

Air Force and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant. In the Air Force, I was responsible for 

over 4,200 military and civilian employees and 

240 offices worldwide. 

I look forward to working with all of SCI’s 

stakeholders and customers. Please feel free 

to contact me directly via phone (202) 720-5870 

or email at lorenzo.tribbett@ams.usda.gov. I 

look forward to meeting many of you in person 

at produce industry events and invite you to 

visit if you are ever in Washington, DC.

Lorenzo Tribbett is the director 

of the AMS Fruit and Vegetable 

Program’s Specialty Crop 

Inspection Division. 
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Interested in Selling to USDA?

Dianna Price, Small Business Coordinator, AMS Commodity Procurement

Last year, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service bought 1.1 billion 

pounds of frozen, processed, and 

fresh fruits and vegetables. These 

healthy, American-grown foods help 

feed tens-of-millions of school children and are also distributed to food 

banks, disaster areas, and other areas where the need exists.

 USDA buys many varieties of frozen, processed, and fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other specialty

crops. USDA foods like these are 

often low in fat, sugar, and sodium and are always grown and processed in the 

United States. If you would like more details about what we buy, a Purchase 

Summary Report is posted on the AMS Commodity Procurement website. The 

report is updated frequently with year-to-date procurement totals (pounds and 

dollars) for the current fiscal year (FY) and includes historical totals back to FY 

2007. 

Think you need to be big to sell to the USDA? Think again! We buy product from qualified companies of all sizes, in volumes of several truckloads to 

several hundred truckloads. We encourage small, socially disadvantaged, 

women -and veteran-owned businesses to consider selling to USDA as well. 

So, regardless of the size of your operation, AMS would like to do business 

with you!

 Vendors wishing to sell fruit and vegetable products to USDA can access 

all necessary documents through the Internet under the “Vendor Selling Kit” 

section of the Commodity Procurement website. If you are new to USDA, you 

will want to view the New Vendor Information page for a complete description 

of the steps necessary to begin selling to USDA. In addition, Commodity Procurement has a new subscription service that automatically sends alerts about 

order solicitations and other important announcements. Subscribe here. 

If you have questions about vendor requirements or how to start selling to 

USDA, please contact me by phone at (202) 720-4237 or by email to Dianna.Price@ams.usda.gov.

Dianna Price is the Small Business Coordinator for the AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program’s Commodity Procurement Division.

Other Resources

Christopher Purdy, 

Business Development Specialist

Webinar Series. In 2012, AMS Fruit 

and Vegetable Program hosted a 

webinar series covering various areas 

of interest to the fruit and vegetable 

industry. To view 2012 webinars you 

may have missed visit our Webinar 

Archive. 

To see our recent webinar on PACA Trust Provisions, go to https://

amsfv.webex.com/amsfv/lsr.php?

AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=6304712&rKey=

6544be041a4babba. 

For information about 2013 webinars, contact Christopher Purdy by 

phone (202) 720-3209 or via email at 

christopher.purdy@ams.usda.gov.

U.S. Grade Standards. Copies of 

U.S. Grade Standards are available 

for free on the Internet. 

 Processed produce standards: 

www.ams.usda.gov/processed 

inspection. Click on “Find a 

Standard” in the right column. 

 Fresh produce standards: 

www.ams.usda.gov/fresh

inspection. Click on “U.S. Grade 

Standards” in the right column.

Christopher Purdy is 

the Business Development Specialist for the 

AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program. 
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An Ounce of Prevention—Sweet Peppers

Robert Parker, Assistant to the Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, PACA Division

Welcome back to another edition of the Perishable Agricultural 

Commodities Act’s (PACA) “An Ounce of Prevention” for the produce business. Do you make half your plate fruits and vegetables at every meal? Do you exercise regularly? That’s good 

advice when it comes to maintaining health and wellness, but 

let’s talk “Preventative Medicine” for the produce business. As 

mentioned in our previous articles, PACA has identified certain 

commodities that may experience disputes in trade.

In the case study below, we are addressing common problems encountered when trading sweet peppers. Sweet 

peppers, also known as bell peppers, are terms used to describe a type of pepper that can be green or various colors.

Q. We brokered a load of “Choice” sweet peppers from a Nogales shipper to be delivered to our customer in Chicago. 

When the load arrived, the buyer was not happy with them, and the shipper decided to call for a USDA inspection. 

When we received the results of the inspection, it stated that the lot “Meets U.S. No. 2” and makes no mention of 

“Choice.” The shipper claims that everyone knows that “Choice” means the packer’s second label or No. 2. The 

sweet peppers are really rough, but based on the inspection, the shipper wants to be paid in full. Can you help us?

A. The term “Choice” is commonly used in conjunction with the sale of sweet peppers. However, there is no uniformly 

accepted written definition of “Choice,” and it cannot be assumed that it means U.S. No. 2, even if the shipper claims 

it does. AMS’ fresh products inspectors use standards for commodities that have been accepted by the industry. 

Standards for sweet peppers can be found on our website for fresh fruit, vegetable, nut, and specialty crop grade 

standards. 

Q. Because the inspection states “Meets U.S. No. 2,” does that mean that the buyer has to pay the shipper in full?

A. Not necessarily. Because you brokered the sweet peppers as “Choice,” under PACA, this transaction has a “nograde” contract, and you should ask for a condition-only inspection based on the U.S. No. 1 grade standard in order 

to determine if there is a breach of contract and allowable damages.

Q. If the shipper and I agree on what constitutes a “Choice” sweet pepper; can the AMS’ fresh products inspector perform an inspection based on our particular specifications?

A. Absolutely. If you provide the inspector with clear specifications, then an inspection can be performed tailored to your 

individual requirements.

Q. I called for an inspection on a load of sweet peppers because the stems were slimy and decayed. The inspection did 

not list any of the stem decay in the decay column. Why not?

A. Based on the USDA grade standard for sweet peppers, the AMS fresh products inspector does not score stem decay 

against the decay tolerance, only the serious damage tolerance. In an freight-on-board, no-grade contract, the maximum amount of stem decay and/or serious damage would be 8 percent after five days in shipment.

Q. Is there a guideline that PACA provides on maximum allowable defects for a 5-day shipment?

A. Yes. PACA provides a chart of good delivery guidelines on its website at www.ams.usda.gov/paca.

We hope this sheds some light on issues that come up frequently when buying or selling sweet peppers. You can always reach PACA at our customer service line (800) 495-7222. Keep an eye out for the next dose of “Preventative Medicine” on a commonly traded commodity.

Robert Parker is the Assistant to the Chief, 

Dispute Resolution Branch, PACA Division. 

He can be reached at 202-720-2890 or 

robert.parker@ams.usda.gov.

Cucumbers Sweet Peppers

Asparagus Stone Fruit

Lettuce Strawberries

Onions Tomatoes

Oranges Watermelons/Cantaloupes
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Mention of a trade name or brand names does not constitute endorsement or recommendation 

by USDA over similar products not named.

USDA Market News — Market Information for the World

Terry Long, Director, Market News Division

USDA’s Market News Service was created in 1915 in 

response to industry requests for a neutral, third party 

to track the Nation’s markets for agricultural products. 

The thinking was that giving everyone the same reliable, accurate information would allow the market to 

trade more efficiently and transparently. The Agricultural Marketing Service responded to this pressing 

market need by issuing the first Market News report 

that same year. 

In the 1950s, Market News staff began working with international governments and other organizations to gather data 

that would help U.S. businesses seeking to buy and sell produce in the burgeoning global marketplace. Our first collaborative effort was with France, followed by work with South Korea in the 1960s and Mexico in the 1980s. With the fall of

the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Market News joined other USDA agencies in 

supporting the development of modern agricultural systems in the former Soviet Union and its satellite countries through 

technical assistance projects. 

Today, nearly 100 years after its founding, Market News disseminates detailed information on marketing conditions 

for hundreds of agricultural commodities at major domestic and international wholesale markets, production areas, and 

ports of entry. 

Domestically, Market News reporters use direct contacts with sales persons, suppliers, brokers, and buyers to collect, validate, analyze, and organize unbiased data on product price, volume, quality, and condition. Within hours of collection, this wealth of information is provided to all interested parties at no cost. 

As the year-round supply of fresh fruits and vegetables has created a truly global marketplace for produce, Market 

News has expanded its relationships with international partners to help develop their information systems to promote the 

international movement of produce. It has supported technical assistance projects in India, Nigeria, Serbia, El Salvador, 

China, Morocco, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Jamaica, Hungary, Japan, Venezuela, and many other countries. 

Many of these projects were funded by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the World Bank. Recently, the G20 agreed to house a global food market information system at the 

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to “share data to enhance existing information systems.” Market News also is cooperating with the Market Information Organization of the Americas, a consortium of 32 member 

countries throughout the Western Hemisphere, to create standards for methodology, terminology, and technology for 

market information systems. As we work with these and other global partners, the international pricing and movement 

information we provide to you expands and improves. 

Market News has spent nearly a century evolving to meet changing and growing produce market needs. You can be 

assured that we will continue to be there to provide you with the timely, accurate, and unbiased market information you 

need. 

If you have any questions about domestic or international Market News, contact me via phone at (202) 720-2745 or 

email terry.long@ams.usda.gov.

Terry Long is the 

director of the AMS

Fruit and Vegetable 

Program’s Market 

News Division.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, 

etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800)795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-

6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.