UNSPSC 50526309: Non GMO macdonald rhubarb

The variety of non GMO rhubarb known as non GMO macdonald rhubarb. 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 50526309, Non-GMO MacDonald rhubarb (Commodity), describes fresh produce sourced for school nutrition programs, though recent state and local opportunities show the code capturing a much broader range of fresh fruits and vegetables — bananas, apples, berries, leafy greens, root vegetables, citrus, and prepared produce items — rather than rhubarb specifically. School districts dominate the issuing-body mix, with individual districts and cooperative purchasing groups competing for annual nutrition contracts; Georgia school systems account for the largest recent concentration, followed by Texas and Florida districts. The work entails weekly or twice-weekly delivery of produce to multiple school sites, compliance with USDA food safety and Buy American standards, HACCP documentation, product traceability, liability insurance (typically $500,000 to $2 million per occurrence), and adherence to strict quality, ripeness, and shelf-life specifications.

Recent activity spans Georgia (Hancock County, Bartow County, Bulloch County, Liberty County, Muscogee County, Savannah-Chatham County, Glynn County, and Douglas County school systems via GEC Buying Cooperative), Texas (McAllen and Austin independent school districts), Florida (Hillsborough County Public Schools), and Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan School District). The Douglas County School System RFP (SN 26-004, due March 4, 2026) exemplifies the larger cooperative-purchasing scale, covering 30 school districts across two Georgia regions with approximately $5.5 million estimated annual spending on roughly 72 produce line items including apples, bananas, berries, leafy greens, eggs, and specialty items; proposals are evaluated on vendor qualifications (minimum five years' school-system experience), cost-plus pricing capped by USDA market reports, and line-item awards to multiple vendors. Madison Metropolitan School District's RFB 4162 (due July 29, 2026, 2:00 p.m. Central Time) solicited petite bananas specifically — 70–90 cases weekly during school sessions, $78,000 annual contract value, September 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 — illustrating the commodity-specific, transactional contracts also common in this code. Hillsborough County Public Schools' FFVP (Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program) procurement (RFP 26039RFQDST, estimated annual budget $600,000) demonstrates federal-grant-funded produce distribution focused on elementary schools. Geographic and organizational diversity remain high; no single buyer or region dominates, and activity accelerates in spring (January through May) ahead of July 1 contract starts, with response deadlines typically clustering in April and May.