AMS Creating Opportunities for 

American Farms & Businesses 
Introduction to Specialty Crops 

Market News 

FVIAC 

April 20, 2023 
Market News is... 

The Eyes and Ears 

of American Agriculture 
Mission 

To provide timely, accurate, 

and unbiased information on 

current agricultural markets 
Motto 

•Get It 

•Get It Right 

•Get It Out 
Market Levels Covered 

•Shipping point or f.o.b. 

•Terminal/wholesale (12 domestic markets) 

•Retail – advertised weekly specials 

•Farmers markets and producer auctions 
 

Staffing 

Specialty Crops Market News has around 

50 Market Reporters, state and Federal, 

covering domestic and international 

markets for hundreds of products 
 

Other Information Products 

• Grape Cold Storage •Honey and Beekeeping 

• Apples for •Imported Nuts and 

Processing and Juice Frozen Berries 

Concentrates •International markets 

of interest 
 

Movement Data 

• Shipments, domestic 

• Truck, rail 

• Crossings from Canada and Mexico 

• Trucks, air, boat 

• Imports – 63 countries 

• Air, truck, boat 
Key Reports Issued 

•Fresh Fruit and Vegetable National Shipping Point Trends 

•National Retail Report – Specialty Crops 

•Fruit and Vegetable Truck Rate Report 

•Daily Movement Report 
 

National Retail 

Report – 

Specialty 

Crops 
Specialty 

Crops Truck 

Rate Report 
Fresh Fruit 

And 

Vegetable 

National 

Shipping 

Point 

Trends 
New Report – 

National 

Weekly 

Hemp 

Report 
Specialty Crops Market News 

Program Profile 

• 1,453 markets covered 

• Over 4,000 buyers and sellers interviewed 

• Over 786 commodities reported (includes 141 organic) 
Specialty Crops Market News 

Data Users 

• Other USDA Agencies: RMA, NASS, ERS, MDD, PACA 

• Researchers and Universities 

• Trade and Commodity/Grower Groups 

• Shippers, Brokers, Wholesalers, Retailers, General Public 

• Court System 
What’s New? 

• New data source: 

• ACE replaced Cognos as data source for border crossings 

2020-2021 providing more complete and accurate import 

volumes 
What’s New? 

• Newest reports: 

• U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement Seasonal Perishable 

Products Weekly Update 

• Monthly Nut Import Report 

• National Weekly Hemp Report 
What’s New? 

• New commodities reported: 

• Hemp – import volumes and retail prices 

• Frozen wild blueberries – import volumes 

• Frozen mixed berries 

• Frozen organic blueberries 
 

 

What’s Next? 

•MARS – the Market Analysis and Reporting System 

• New data collection and dissemination system to add greater data 

access and functionality New public facing site – My Market News to 

replace the Market News Portal 

• Market News Mobile App available on Google Play and App Store 
What’s Next? 

•My Market News 

• Enhanced search tools, including an Application Program Interface 

(API) 

• Created ability to receive more information directly, requiring less 

manual input and data handling 

• Expanded public access to larger data sets 
 

Key Partnerships 

• MIOA – the Market Information Organization of the Americas 

• AMS serves as the Chair for network of 33 member nations within 

the Hemisphere to promote market data and transparency 

• FAS – USDA Foreign Agricultural Service 

• AMS provides technical assistance and training for targeted incountry projects 
 

Future Market News Webinars 

• April 18, 2023 - Price Reporting: 

• Wholesale Markets, Shipping Points, Retail Advertised 

Specials, Organics and Hemp 

• April 25, 2023 - Movement/ Transportation: 

• Shipments, Truck Rates, Imports, HTS Codes 

• May 2, 2023 – Technology Updates: 

• MyMarketNews, Market News Mobile App 
 

Questions? 

John T. Okoniewski, SCMN Director 

John.Okoniewski@usda.gov 

(202)720-2175