UNSPSC 50521539: Non GMO honeycrisp apples

The variety of non GMO apples known as non GMO honeycrisp apples. This means that they are produced without the use of methods that genetically modify organisms by means that are not possible under natural conditions. Such methods include cell fusion, microencapsulation and macro-encapsulation, and recombinant DNA technology (including gene deletion, gene doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of genes when achieved by recombinant DNA technology).

Traditional methods of breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture are considered to be non-GMO.

UNSPSC 50521539 Non GMO honeycrisp apples (Commodity) describes fresh fruit procurement, particularly apples and mixed produce, that state and local governments source for school nutrition programs, parks and recreation food service, healthcare facilities, and county procurement operations. The code encompasses single-variety specialty fruit as well as broader produce categories when solicitations bundle apples with other fresh produce. School districts represent the dominant buyer category under this code, issuing sealed bids and RFQs for weekly or seasonal fruit delivery tied to National School Lunch Program operations and USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grants. Counties, regional health coalitions, and municipal parks departments also solicit produce under this code, typically through ITN or RFP vehicles with vendor qualification and local-preference scoring components. Recent solicitations emphasize food-safety compliance (HACCP plans, E-Verify authorization, debarment verification), domestic sourcing where applicable, and geographic preference—several school districts restrict vendors to produce sourced within 400 miles or in-state, with explicit price preferences for local and organic options. Vendor insurance requirements are consistent across jurisdictions, ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000 general liability coverage, and delivery logistics are tightly specified, with early-morning time windows (typically 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. or 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and firm case-count and ripeness standards.

Recent activity concentrates in Georgia and Wisconsin school districts. Madison Metropolitan School District issued two separate RFBs in July 2026—one for petite bananas at $78,000 annual contract value with 70–90 cases weekly, another for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks under the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program serving 5,900 servings weekly with a September–November contract term and contingency on federal grant approval. Hancock County Board of Education (Georgia) posted an IFB in June 2026 for fresh produce spanning over 200 line items including Honey Crisp apples, with delivery to three school locations and a July 2026–June 2027 contract term. Bartow County School System (Georgia) issued an RFP for local fresh fruits and vegetables due June 22, 2026, restricting vendors to 400-mile sourcing and weighting seasonal variety and cost equally at 25 and 30 points respectively. Early County Board of Education (Georgia) solicited line-by-line food bids in May 2026 covering 300+ items with delivery through June 2027. Outside school districts, Collier County Board of County Commissioners (Florida) posted an ITN for park and water-park food services due March 6, 2025, and Marion Health Care Coalition (Oregon) sought produce proposals due August 21, 2026. The State of Georgia solicited food, supplies, and kitchen products in May 2026 with limited scope detail in the publicly available posting.