Since the association's annual show in Las Vegas in April, United Fresh and its partners in the Produce Traceability Initiative - the Produce Marketing Association and Canadian Produce Marketing Association - have been engaged in ongoing discussions regarding the on the future course of the PTI.

Key to these discussions has been a conversation on adjustments to the initiative that might be appropriate to help the produce industry move forward in enhancing whole-chain traceability through industry standardization.

Following the release of a restatement of the PTI Steering Committee's commitment to the initiative, United Fresh Chairman Steffanie Smith released the following statement.

"I am pleased that our Boards and staff leadership have all worked well together to develop a consensus view for future direction of the initiative. In the days ahead, all three of our associations will be sharing additional information through meetings, webinars, and regular communications with our members.  We also look forward to working with many [members] directly in pilot projects to help bring clarity to some of the complexities involved in each stage of the PTI."

For more information on the PTI or the Steering Committee's restatement, please contact United Fresh Vice President of Supply Chain Management Dan Vaché at 202-303-3400.