"On behalf of the United Fresh Board of Directors, I'd like to thank the Produce for Better Health Foundation for advancing the discussion of a potential national promotion order for fruits and vegetables during the past six months.  It's important that all of us in the industry work together to always be looking at creative ways we can help increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Thinking outside the box is an important contribution to that effort. 

          But I'd also like to congratulate PBH today for listening to the many industry members who felt that this was simply not the right proposal at the right time.  After six months of dialogue and industry debate, it was clear that there was not a substantial majority of the industry that wanted to drive this concept further. 

          We also believe it is time now for all of us to recommit our energies in support of current PBH efforts, which have sometimes been clouded during this discussion of a national promotion order.  Our industry cannot sit back and hope that produce consumption grows; we need to be pursuing all available opportunities to make that happen."