<p>According to U.S. Foods, congressional produce advocate Dennis Cardoza is announcing his retirement. Mr. Cardoza will not be seeking reelection in 2012 and is choosing instead to shift his energy to improving California in a new role as a private citizen. The long time advocate has been a member of the House Agriculture Committee and a supporter of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry. Mr. Cardoza has been a recurrent speaker at the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Public Policy Conference as well as a recipient of the United Fresh Congressional Leadership Award. United Fresh Senior Vice President of Public Policy Robert Guenther stated, "Congressman Cardoza has been a wonderful voice for the produce industry on Capitol Hill, working to focus his fellow lawmakers’ attention on fruits and vegetables and other specialty crops, and include these sectors as vitally-important parts of U.S. agriculture.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
