2011 FDRS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011
Keynote speaker at 8:45AM – Karla Chambers, Stahlbush Island Farm and Director Federal Reserve Board
PANELS AND SPEAKERS
TRADE (10:00-12:00 Noon)Moderator, Bradley Rickard, Cornell University
In this session you will get a perspective on current trade trends and markets for agricultural producers and processors and how product quality in terms of taste and product safety has been critical for expansion of Northwest trade.
Patrick Mayer, Global Trade and Compliance Manager, Oregon Department of Agriculture Development and Marketing Division
Patrick Mayer is an international trade professional with over 15 years of experience in relationship building, consumer product business development, transportation, and global project management, with expertise in Japan and East Asia. In addition to his work at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Mr. Mayer’s private sector experience includes grain and agricultural product trading with major Japanese trading house Sojitz Corporation, and export sales and transportation management for Pacific Seafood Company. Patrick currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Japan America Society of Oregon, and routinely presents on international trade topics for a variety of local and regional business interests.
Michael J. Fay, Director, US Agricultural Trade Office, American Embassy, Seoul, Korea
Michael Fay is a career Foreign Service Officer with the United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The mission of FAS is to promote U.S. agricultural exports and support global food security. Mr. Fay assumed duties as Director of the Agricultural Trade Office at the American Embassy in Seoul, Korea on August 3, 2009. The mission of the Trade Office is to promote the export of U.S. agricultural products through USDA market development programs. Prior to assignment in Seoul, he served as Agricultural Attaché in Morocco, Russia and Argentina. Mr. Fay earned Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s of Science degrees in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University.
Craig Messmer, Senior Sales and R&D Manager, Gingerich Farms Products, Oregon
Gingerich Farms is an integrated producer and processor that packs and sells fresh and frozen blueberries, that cleans and dries their own hazelnuts as well as that of surrounding growers for their sister company Northwest Hazelnut, and harvests and sells their own grass seed to local and international seed companies. They export their blueberries and hazelnuts to the Pacific Rim and the UK. The farm incorporates holistic and sustainable agricultural practices and won the Oregon Governor’s Sustainability award in 2009. Visit www.gingerich.com.
John Szczepanski, Director Export Processors Council of the National Hay Association
The Export Processors Council (EPC) represents a billion dollar export industry. The EPC (www.nationalhay.org/exportpge.html) strives to ensure a science-based and rational approach to international forage trade, seeking to remove trade obstacles to develop new and larger markets. John has twenty-five years international business experience with work in private and public sectors, including marketing and sales positions in England, Ireland and Japan. In the public sector, he worked for both the federal and state departments of agriculture. John earned his MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and is an adjunct instructor at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon. He is president of OnyaCobber, Inc. (onyacobber.com) a research & communications company based on storytelling in business.
APPLEBAUM LUNCHEON (12:30-1:30PM)
TRACEABILITY (1:30- 3:00PM) Moderator: Michael Morrissey, Oregon State University
The traceability panel will explain the market and regulatory forces driving the need for traceability and the industry and research responses to those forces. Panelists will come from a variety of industries for a diverse set of perspectives.
Justin Porter, Technology Director, Westside Produce, California
Westside Produce (www.westsideproduce.com) is a grower, packer and shipper of cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Justin joined Westside Produce full-time in 2004 after two years of seasonal employment while finishing his undergraduate studies in Communication and Sociology-Organizational Studies at the University of California, Davis. In 2010, he received his MBA from Santa Clara University with concentrations in Finance and Food and Agribusiness, completing his thesis on the Produce Traceability Initiative and its potential impacts upon the produce supply chain. Justin is responsible for implementing and troubleshooting all aspects of the Westside Produce technology program.
Polly Owen, Manager, Hazelnut Marketing Board and Executive Director, Hazelnut Commodity Commission
Polly will discuss the hazelnut industries’ development of an agricultural handling practices manual and other activities to promote food safety and traceability.
Duane Evans, Senior Director of Quality and Technical Services, J.R. Simplot Company
The J. R. Simplot Company is one of the largest privately held firms in the country, with annual sales of about $4.5 billion. 10,000 employees serve markets in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, China, and other Asian countries. Simplot food products serve a wide variety of end users, including national and international quick-service restaurants, regional chains, full-service restaurants, foodservice distributors, ingredient users, and consumer-product companies. www.simplot.com/home/index.htm
Qinqyue Ling, Senior Research Scientist, Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center (FIC)
Ling directs research, education, and service programs in food processing and packaging for the FIC. His activities include non-thermal processing, laser technology, process evaluation, food packaging innovation and shelf-life testing. He developed a RFID Food Application Laboratory and education facility at the FIC. Further traceability activities include two traceability pilot projects with the Northwest Food Processors Association, and he is currently a participant in the IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) Traceability Improvement Initiative working group. Qinqyue has his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from Auburn University. Visit fic.oregonstate.edu/RFID_lab
TASTE (3:15-5:00PM) Moderator: Cathy Durham-Oregon State University
In this session you will learn how sensory scientists conduct research and how processors and scientists use sensory and consumer tests to evaluate product quality and develop new products.
Ann Colonna, Sensory Program Manager, Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center.
Ann holds an MS in Sensory Food Science from UC-Davis, a culinary degree from the Cooking School of the Rockies, and a BS in Biochemistry from U. of Arizona. Ann is in her tenth year as the Sensory Program Manager at the Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon, an off campus Oregon State University Experiment Station. She assists industry clients with sensory and consumer testing and collaborates in mission oriented research designed to advance Northwest agriculture and food products. Over her tenure, she has conducted hundreds of sensory tests both at the FIC in their state of the art testing facility and at many off site locations such as specialty food festivals, grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Ann will review the recruitment of panelists, offsite and on-site testing needs, sensory testing questions, costs of panelists and recruitment, and the restrictions some sensory tests may place on asking other marketing questions. Visit fic.oregonstate.edu/sensory-page.
Karina Gallardo, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center
Karina holds a BS in Food Science from the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Lima, Peru), a Master in Science in Agricultural Economics from Mississippi State University and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. Karina will review the use of sensory testing by horticulturalists and food scientists to look at new varietals as well as new handling and distribution technologies on fruit quality and consumer acceptance. She will discuss the funding of those studies by fruit commissions and others, and introduce the idea of using a sensory test to look at WTP. Visit extecon.wsu.edu/pages/Karina_Gallardo
David Lakey is the Vice President of Marketing, Reser’s Fine Foods Inc. in Beaverton, OR.
Oregon-based Reser’s is the leading national provider of deli salads, side dishes, and prepared refrigerated foods. Founded in 1950 by Earl and Mildred Reser, the company remains privately owned and operated and committed to providing delicious comfort food classics. Visit www.resers.com.
Tess Villas, Sr. Manager, Innovation and Steve Marko, Associate Brand Manager, Innovation, Pacific Natural Foods, Tualatin, Oregon.
Founded in 1987 as a soy-milk producer, Pacific Natural Foods is a recognized market leader in natural foods and its mission is to be the most respected brand in the natural foods industry. The company is still expanding its product line and in addition to non-dairy beverages, they produce all natural soups, broths, gravies and, ready-to-eat meals. They are actively creating, testing and introducing new products among different categories. The Innovation group leads consumer research, product development, process improvement, and technological research. Recognized as one of the nation’s innovative producers of all natural and organic food and beverages, their products are widely available in natural foods chains and co-ops nationally, and as well as in the mainstream grocery and club store channels. Visit www.pacificfoods.com.
TUESDAY OCTOBER 18TH
7:30 am – 8:30 am Business Meeting and Breakfast
SESSION IV (8:45AM) JOINT SENSORY AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Moving on from Mondays ‘Taste’ this session’s attendees will learn how a sensory test can expand as well as limit an economic study by looking at three recent studies: (1) “Do Economists and Sensory Scientists Mix? Logistics and Results of Estimating WTP for Oak Attributes in Washington State Chardonnay” Jill McCluskey, Christina Holmquist, and Carolyn Ross, Washington State University, (2) “Integrating Sensory Analysis in a Valuation Study of Credence Attributes” Dawn Thilmany, Marco Costanigro and Stephan Kroll, Colorado State University, and (3)Using a Sensory Laboratory Consumer Test to Evaluate New Potato Variety Purchase Intent” Linda Weschler, Pacific Foods, and Catherine Durham, Oregon State University.
Session V (10:15AM)- Managing Local Produce Supply Chains for Flavor, Traceability and Economic Viability
A team of agricultural economists will engage in a lively discussion with a Portland-area natural foods retailer and a grower about the complex arrangements used to bring locally grown produce to consumers with maximum freshness, flavor and traceability. In addition to buying produce from local growers, the retailer supports them by providing web links to their farm stands and financial support to farmers markets and other local food system initiatives. The grower manages price differentials and product flows while selling his produce both direct to consumers and through retail markets. The agricultural economists will also share some related findings from the case studies they conducted that compared local and mainstream food supply chains for five product-place combinations. Presenters and Discussants include Shermain Hardesty UC-Davis, Larry Lev-Oregon State University, Rob King-U. of Minnesota, Additional Panelists: Jeff Fairchild, New Seasons Market, Portland, Oregon www.newseasonsmarket.com, and Matt Unger, Unger Farms, Cornelius, Oregon, www.ungerfarms.com/index.html.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON TOURS
Tour Option 1 Meet After Lunch at 12:45PM, Ends at 7:00.
You will have short rides in the bus and go to three locations:
Boedecker Cellars www.boedeckercellars.com where “Husband and wife winemakers Stewart and Athena hand craft local, sustainable and critically acclaimed wines grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.” We will have a tour of the winery they may even be crushing grapes next week.
Clear Creek Distillery www.clearcreekdistillery.com where they “have married European traditional brandy-making techniques with the finest fruit from our own Oregon orchards to produce fruit eaux de vie, grappas, and wine brandy. We use the traditional European pot still along with techniques learned in Alsace and Switzerland. We will have an informational tour of the distillery.
The final stop is at the Food Innovation Center Oregon State University’s urban Agricultural Experiment Station. At the FIC you will see the RFID laboratory, laser technology applied to fruit, and visit with our product development and sensory program managers in their laboratory and consumer testing facilities. Expected guests include Salt&Straw, Portland’s farm-to-cone ice cream shop saltandstraw.com, Dundee Fruit Company, bottler and copacker (www.dundeefruit.com), New Cascadia Traditional, a dedicated gluten-free bakery, specializing in hand crafted artisan breads, pastries, cakes and cookies www.newcascadiatraditional.com, Simple Fare Nuxy Grahms simple-fare.com, Oregon Dukkah a delicious, crunchy mixture of nuts, seeds and spices www.vibrantflavors.com, and a selection of Oregon artisan cheeses with our Artisan Cheese Maker Financial Spreadsheet developer.
Tour Option 2
A great map for walking or staying inside in Portland has been developed. It includes a lovely walk on the riverfront, museums, and notable landmarks such as the Chinese Garden, brewpubs, and IMAX possibilities.
Cheers,
Cathy Durham, VP for Programs