WASHINGTON, DC - Hundreds of International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) members are reflecting on The Washington Conference, an annual fly-in event that allows the produce and floral industry to hear from industry leaders and policy experts while advocating for fresh produce to key policymakers.
Attendees of the event took to Capitol Hill to bring the produce industry’s needs to the forefront, sharing stories with elected leaders responsible for making the critical decisions that shape the way our industry works.
IFPA recently shared the top takeaways across several advocacy priorities, including:
- Farm Bill: Produce should be half the plate, but the Farm Bill spends less than 8 percent on programs aimed specifically at specialty crops. Congress must provide a better balance of resources for produce and specialty crops in the upcoming Farm Bill
- Labor: The fresh produce industry cannot survive in America unless Congress passes meaningful immigration reform that ensures us access to an affordable, predictable, and reliable workforce
- Food Safety: FDA must follow through on its cultural transformation to modernize the agency, to be more collaborative, transparent, and effective. Congress must hold FDA accountable
- Nutrition: To expand healthy nutrition and grow produce consumption, we must utilize the fresh produce supply chain to end hunger and reduce diet-related disease
According to a press release, nutrition was an especially hot topic during Washington Conference Week, with the looming showdown over the severe cuts to the WIC benefits set to take place at the end of the month. The organization’s Cathy Burns shared the importance of this benefit for the nutrition-insecure, highlighting the potential $1 billion dollar investment in fruit and vegetable sales at retail that is at risk with these proposed cuts.
For more details surrounding these topics and The Washington Conference, click here.
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