New Trade Organization

Jennifer Polanz

Remember earlier this year when the United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association announced it was merging together? We have more details about what that will look like in 2022 and beyond.

The new organization will be called the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and will serve the entire fresh and floral supply chain globally. You can visit the website at freshproduce.com. PMA CEO Cathy Burns and United Fresh CEO Tom Stenzel and members of their boards of directors recently explained the roles of the new organization.

“As I think of the challenges facing the world at large, you know, produce and floral can certainly be a solution to many of those,” Cathy says in a video. “And yesterday’s association is not going to address tomorrow’s challenges. Tomorrow’s challenges are going to be addressed by tomorrow’s association.”

Part of that organization of tomorrow is events that bring parts of the supply chain together. The organization kicked off with an Executive Leadership Summit in San Francisco in January, as well as other events in the spring. The biggest one on the calendar (at least for North America) appears to be the Global Produce and Floral Show set for October 27-29 in Orlando. IG