Small steps

The new year is pretty uneventful so far.  No outrageous weather, but business seems sluggish overall.  The economy is weighing heavily on most people in the produce business.  The consumer is holding onto food dollars and spending on what is generally perceived as expensive produce items is off.  It doesn't help that when people cocoon during the winter months, it seems produce consumption falls off.  Despite abundant evidence produce is better for you and actually costs less than processed foods there is resistance to eating for health or economic reasons.  Salt and fat taste better and unfortunately, the produce business does not have the advertising budget to counteract the blizzard of commercials we are subjected to in the run up to Superbowl Sunday, when even I will indulge in an orgy of unhealthful eating.  This is the apothesis of the junk food year.  I guess we will have to hold on til the last bag of Doritos is consumed and perhaps some sanity returns to the mind of the consumer.