DRC at Fruit Logistica February 6-8, 2019 Berlin, Germany

DRC will be participating in this year’s Fruit Logistica Trade Show to be held in Berlin, Germany. On February 6-8, 2019 the DRC team will be on hand at their booth in the Canada Pavilion to meet with members and potential members. If you have a trade partner who is not currently a member, please encourage them to stop by the booth to discuss the benefits of membership.

Visit us to learn more about DRC’s full range of member benefits and services. As a private commercial dispute resolution body, we provide the produce trade with harmonized trading standards, education, mediation and arbitration procedures and services necessary to avoid and resolve commercial disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Exporting to Canada? The new Safe Food for Canadians Regulations include key trade and commerce requirement for buyers and sellers of fresh fruits and vegetables. A DRC Membership is a CFIA regulatory requirement for Canadians to buy, sell, import or export fresh fruits or vegetables, unless exempt. Make sure you are selling only to DRC members in Canada and feel free to share our information with your industry peers.

To learn about the DRC’s full suite of services and tools visit us at the Canada Pavilion on Hall 23, A-19.

Accuracy of Transaction Documents

Sometimes when DRC Trading Assistance Staff is reviewing a dispute file, we find contradictory information on the transaction documents which are not part of the disputed matter between the parties.

Since a high percentage of the produce industry’s transactions do not have a written contract, the contract between the parties is established by the documents supporting the transactions. This includes, but is not limited to documents such as a purchase order, invoice, bill of lading, passing, broker’s confirmation of sale and any written communication.

When there is conflicting information on any of these documents, more fuel could be added to the dispute because we are now dealing with an additional element that was not part of the original matter under dispute. Therefore, these are some of the items we recommend verifying prior to issuing documents such as a purchase order, an invoice, bill of lading or a broker’s confirmation of sale:

  • Make sure you have the buyer or seller’s correct legal entity name or trade name. You can contact DRC, PACA, or the Blue Book (if you are a member) to see if the name matches what you have.
  • Invoices normally have a “sold to”, “shipped to” field. The grower-shipper needs to be advised by the buyer/receiver where the load is being shipped to, including any stops before reaching final destination as good delivery determinations are based on the named destination.
  • US#1, CAN #1, CAT 1, etc. are not the same. All grade standards are different. These terms need to be discussed, understood and agreed upon.
  • Consignment and Price After Sale (P.A.S.) or Open Price, are not the same. These terms need to be discussed, understood and agreed upon. Solutions Blog Article
  • A broker’s confirmation of sale must be sent to both parties, and both parties must verify the information on this document is accurate.
  • Suggested transit temperature noted on the bill of lading should match the load instructions provided to the carrier by the shipper or the receiver. If conflicting information regarding temperatures is found, the carrier needs to contact the freight contractor or the shipper/receiver to confirm the right temperature setting on the reefer unit.

When noticing conflicting information on the documents related to a transaction, it is your responsibility to promptly let the parties involved in the transaction know that you have found an error or omission and request that document be amended accordingly.

My DRC membership: compliance and protection

DRC specializes in business-to-business commercial dispute resolution for produce and understands the breadth and variability of relationships and transactions in the produce industry.

Canada’s Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) includes a regulatory requirement for Canadians who buy, sell, import or export produce to have a DRC membership unless specifically excepted from the requirement.

Beyond DRC’s specialized knowledge and the regulatory requirement for Canadians subject to the SFCR, here are some top of mind reasons for being a DRC member:

  • DRC is a credible and recognized due diligence resource to turn to when researching prospective new accounts.
  • The Trading Assistance team is able to assist in identifying potential new clients or suppliers.
  • The Help Desk offers the knowledge and expertise to prevent and help resolve many matters prior to filing a formal complaint.
  • DRC is truly a referee between parties when a purchase and sale do not go as planned. When a file is open, DRC’s Trading Assistance team does not represent either party.
  • Filing a Notice of Dispute (NoD), which initiates the informal consultation process, bears no cost. The service is included in membership fees and a member may initiate as many NoDs as required.
  • Filing a NoD does not raise a red flag or impact the standing of either party. The informal consultation process is private, confidential and results in a settlement in 80% of the circumstances.
  • The goal of the Trading Assistance team is to help parties reach an amicable and timely resolution by pointing out the respective pros and cons of each party.
  • DRC Trading Assistance Staff provides guidance to members for disputes that fall outside DRC’s jurisdiction.
  • DRC provides seminars and webinars, including in-house seminars, to educate and help avoid future disputes between members.

A DRC membership is more than good business, it assures protection and compliance.

Have you paid your membership fees?

A friendly reminder that a few of you have DRC membership fees that are past due. In accordance with the By-laws of the Corporation, failure to pay your annual membership fees may result in termination of your membership. In order to stay in good standing, if you have yet to pay your yearly membership fees, please contact us asap at: DRC Help Desk | 613-234-0982 | [email protected]

Let them know!

The start of a new year is a good time to take stock of assets. A DRC membership is an asset of great value to you and your trading partners.

As a DRC member you are encouraged to proudly display the DRC logo on your website, signature block and promotional materials.

For more information, please contact the Help Desk and we’ll send you the information you’ll need to let them know!

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