Dear United Fresh Members,
 
United is pleased that USDA Secretary Vilsack will soon reestablish the Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee. United worked for many years to encourage USDA to form this advisory committee, which was first established by Secretary Veneman in 2001.

President Tom Stenzel served on the first committee, and many United Fresh members have also served. The group has proved to be an important vehicle for the industry to provide direct input to the USDA on critical fruit and vegetable issues. Industry members will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and serve 2-year terms. Membership will consist of up to twenty-five (25) members who represent the fruit and vegetable industry and will include individuals representing fruit and vegetable growers/shippers, wholesalers, brokers, retailers, processors, fresh cut processors, foodservice suppliers, state agencies involved in organic and non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables at local, regional and national levels, state departments of agriculture, and trade associations.

United looks forward to continuing to work closely with USDA in this effort, and will be submitting a list of nominations to serve on the next committee. The USDA deadline is July 1, 2009. We welcome interest from any United Fresh members. To submit a name, please contact Andrew Marshall.

Contacts:

Robert Guenther

rguenther@unitedfresh.org

202-303-3400 ext. 409
 
Andrew Marshall
amarshall@unitedfresh.org
202-303-3400 ext. 407