MANCHESTER, N.H. & OXNARD, Calif. – July 2, 2024 – Working in close collaboration, Global Agricultural Technical Experts (GATE), Lobo Products, a major southern California-based citrus producer and Velcro Companies co-developed and introduced patent-pending VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners, an easy to use and cost-effective solution to help solve food safety issues at the critical control point of picking operations.
The iconic and easy-to-use VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fastening technology allows harvesting crews to quickly attach and secure the VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners to Lobo Products HarvestSafe™ Fruit Picking Bags in the field. Available at California Agricultural Distribution Centers, including Fruit Growers Supply Company, Sierra Packaging Solutions and Grangetto’s, VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners come in two sizes:
• Regular – (50- and 60-pound bags) 22.5 x 35 inches (570 x 890mm)
• Large – (80-pound bags) 22.5 x 37 inches (570 x 940mm) sizes
“With HLB (Huanglongbing) becoming a real concern for Central Valley growers, VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners create a real solution to isolate issues in the field and eliminate cross-contamination,” said Mark Buhl, GATE. “The days of subcontracting with third-party labor crews that transit the entire state without proper cleaning protocols for their bags is coming to an end.”
The Risk of Cross Contamination in Agricultural Harvesting
Picking Bags are typically made of materials, including canvas, cotton, cordura or nylon. While durable, these materials are also susceptible to contamination from dirt, moisture, pests and fruit waste. VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners provide a protective barrier that isolates fruit from pathogens and contaminants that could otherwise pass through the fabric of unlined bags from the wet orchard floor.
“Cross-contamination from one field to the next is a major concern for farmers looking to export, and basic issues like sooty mold can be carried from one field to the next as dirty pick bags are used without functional cleaning protocols,” Craig Hornung, Director of Technical Services, AC Foods. “VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners create an easy solution to manage this common field problem.”
How VELCRO® Brand Products Provide an Easy Solution for Food Safety
A major southern California-based citrus producer sought an innovative and environmentally friendly way to ensure food safety and worker efficiency. The durable VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners ensure food safety compliance by protecting picking bags from dirt, field borne pathogens and cross-contamination, allowing growers a practical way to manage these issues. Additionally, the citrus producer was interested in understanding reductions in damage to the rind of fruit and if VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners would reduce friction to the fruit surfaces.
“Combining the VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners with the Lobo Picking Bags creates an easy-to-use and cost-effective solution to protect grower investments in their harvesting operations,” said Andrew Ellis, Chief Commercial Officer – Americas, Velcro Companies. “VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners provide an environmentally friendly way to manage picking operations hygiene, reduce mechanical damage and eliminate cross-contamination.”
VELCRO® Brand Products Provide a Durable & Recyclable Fastening Solution
Made from 100% recyclable LDPE, the liners feature the 100% recyclable Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) VELCRO® Brand PRESS-LOK® 952 Hook fastener. Utilizing an innovative new technique to weld the two materials, Velcro Companies has homogenized the recyclability of the VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liner to create a 100% recyclable finished product. VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners are attached to VELCRO® Brand Loop 3610 that is sewn to the Lobo Products HarvestSafe Fruit Picking Bag.
“The high-quality materials of VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners complement our HarvestSafe Fruit Picking Bags and enhance the overall durability of our products,” said David Romero, Lobo Products Inc. “Growers appreciate products that impact their bottom line and increase market opportunities.”
Durable and strong, VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners are 4 mil (100 microns) thick and resistant to cuts and tears during picking. This LDPE film also reduces in-bag friction, reducing damage to fruit. Reduced exposure to contamination can also extend the life of the picking bags.
Known for strength, reliability, durability and versatility, VELCRO® Brand products are ideally suited for a wide variety of fastening solutions, including securing food packaging. Velcro Companies is BRCGS certified for Food Packaging and Food Packaging Materials for the manufacture of the VELCRO® Brand PRESS-LOK® 952 Hook fastener.
For more information about the Lobo Products HarvestSafe Fruit Picking Bag System and VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners, view our instructional video.
About GATE
A group of top agricultural subject matter experts. Developing solutions for the entire agricultural food chain. Specializing in large scale agriculture, global logistics, packaging development, post-harvest environmental science, cultural management and marketing. Visit www.gate.cl.
About Lobo Products Inc.
Lobo Products Inc. was founded in 1996 and has become an agricultural leader. Lobo Products Inc. manufactures locally and sells their own style of gloves, fruit picking bags, picking poles, canvas sleeves and clippers as well as other brands. Lobo Products provides best-in-harvesting equipment and is innovating to enable more efficient harvesting. For more information, visit www.loboproductsinc.com.
About Velcro Companies
Velcro Companies is a technology-driven, global organization providing fastening solutions that solve problems in simple, elegant, and surprising ways for businesses and consumers worldwide. With more than 60 years of experience, Velcro Companies are proud of their heritage in innovation. Velcro Companies owns over 400 active patents and numerous trademarks, including the VELCRO® Brand mark, which is registered throughout the world. Velcro Companies offer global resources for world-class solutions, with manufacturing locations in Spain, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, Uruguay, and China and sales offices around the world. To find out more about our company, visit www.velcro.com.
Media Contacts:
Mark Elliott, APR
Velcro Companies
melliott@velcro.com
(603) 260-1336
