The webinars also will explore child nutrition, food safety and provide insights and context on other industry issues, but the first webinar on E-Verify takes on special weight given next week’s anticipated announcement of a mandatory E-Verify bill by House Judiciary Committee Chair Lamar Smith (R-TX).

            A mandatory federal E-Verify law would require employers to electronically certify worker eligibility. United Fresh and other business organizations believe that any mandatory E-Verify requirement would be highly disruptive to the agricultural workforce, and advocate the inclusion of provisions in the legislation that will make the bill workable for agricultural employers.

            "These webinars, especially the first edition on E-Verify later this month, are a great way for our members to get the latest information on issues that will have huge repercussions for the produce industry," said Robert Guenther, United Fresh Senior Vice President of Public Policy and leader of the webinar series. "We cannot afford to sit with our hands folded while decisions that will have devastating ripple effects on our industry are made for us. After landmark legal battles and strict laws mandating E-Verify on the books in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana and Utah, and more on the way, it is extremely important that the members of the produce industry with a stake in the labor and immigration discussion—that’s all of us—be on hand to learn not only what’s next, but what they can do about it."

            The initial webinar will take place Tuesday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Subsequent webinars on July 26 and August 30 will address nutrition and food safety, respectively, and the final installment on September 20 will brief members on issues in advance of October’s Washington Public Policy Conference. The webinar series is free and is reserved for United Fresh members only. Registration may be done online by clicking here, and more information can be found by contacting United Fresh Political Affairs Manager Angela Tiwari at 202-303-3400, ext. 416 or atiwari@unitedfresh.org.