UNSPSC 50521579: Non GMO russet apples

The variety of non GMO apples known as non GMO russet 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 50521579 Non GMO russet apples, a Commodity code, covers fresh apple supply and delivery to state and local food-service operations, including school cafeterias, parks and recreation concession facilities, and healthcare institutional kitchens. The concrete work under this code reflects school nutrition procurement (the dominant buyer), regional produce distribution to multi-site park and recreation networks, and healthcare coalition food sourcing. School districts source apples as part of broader fresh-produce line-item bidding for the National School Lunch Program and Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, alongside broccoli, carrots, berries, citrus, and other fresh fruits and vegetables delivered on firm weekly or daily schedules to central receiving points and individual school sites. Park and recreation departments solicit food-service concessions that include fresh fruit procurement as part of comprehensive vendor agreements. Healthcare coalitions and institutional food-service buyers request produce proposals on annual or multi-year cycles. Issuing bodies include independent school districts (the primary buyers), county boards of education, county park and recreation departments, and healthcare systems or coalitions.

Recent activity clusters in Georgia and Wisconsin, with school districts in Hancock County (Sparta, Georgia), Bartow County (Cartersville, Georgia), Early County (Georgia), and Madison Metropolitan School District (Madison, Wisconsin) issuing competitive bids for fresh produce in May through July 2026, all with contract periods spanning July 2026 through June 2027. Hancock County Board of Education released IFB #SN002-2027 on June 10, 2026, with sealed bids due June 26, 2026, for over 200 line items of fresh produce including multiple apple varieties (Ambrosia, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Jazz) across three school locations for the 2026-27 school year. Bartow County School System issued RFP 10-2026-019 on May 21, 2026, with proposals due June 22, 2026, requiring locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables (within 400 miles) for the school nutrition program through June 30, 2027. Madison Metropolitan School District released RFB 4163 on July 8, 2026, for fresh fruit and vegetable snacks sourced within Wisconsin and within 400 miles of Madison, with bids due July 29, 2026, for September through November 2026 delivery under a USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program grant. Collier County Board of County Commissioners issued an Invitation to Negotiate on October 8, 2026, for food services at North Collier Regional Park, including concession facilities, with proposals due March 6, 2025 (note: due date predates posting date in source; the ITN represents recent activity but the due-date discrepancy signals data inconsistency in the source record).