International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) brought together volunteer leaders serving on the U.S. Government Relations Council and Political Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C. this month to dive into a Policy Retreat to help chart the course for 2025 Advocacy Priorities. The meeting, which took place at the National Harbor, had a shipping theme that set the tone and expectation that industry priorities are set by industry voices.
“This is an incredibly important time for our industry as we work to finalize the Farm Bill and approach the U.S. elections,” said IFPA Vice President of US Government Relations, Rebeckah Adcock. “We have spent time at the RNC and the DNC this summer, in addition to countless hours engaging with our elected officials and regulatory partners. I can say that the most impactful information they hear is directly from our members who can share exactly how their policies impact them. This Policy Retreat is about educating ourselves on those issues and setting the agenda so we have focused advocacy efforts next year.”
The program included a joint session between the two volunteer groups, which featured several experts and topics for discussion. These sessions featured a look at the upcoming IFPA Strategic Plan, research on the headwinds and currents that may impact the industry, and even offered an opportunity to hear from Bret Erickson, US GR council chair and senior vice president of business affairs as Little Bear Produce and Tony Freytag, Political Advisory Committee chair and executive vice president at Crunch Pak, LLC.
“Government actions and legislation has an immense impact on the industry,” said Freytag. “Building relationships and sharing our stories with lawmakers goes a long way in ensuring our voices are heard. I appreciate all who attended the retreat and took the time to look forward. The more we engage and speak about the issues that impact our work, the more policymakers can learn about the challenges of our own industry and the entire produce world and use that knowledge as they make decisions.” It is very important we engage at all levels and IFPA gives us that opportunity.
The volunteer groups transitioned into their own standalone meetings in the afternoon. The Political Advisory Committee focused on the FreshPAC and grassroots efforts. They also had an opportunity to meet the newest member of the Government Relations Team at IFPA, Mica Evans Hider, who has joined as the Director of Political Affairs & Action.
The U.S. Government Relations Council spent much of their afternoon engaging around the industry policy priorities for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025. With the Farm Bill still not finalized and a number of labor rules going into effect, the council was busy determining next steps on behalf of the industry.
The success of the IFPA Policy Retreat underscores the critical role that our collective advocacy efforts play in shaping the future of our industry,” said Erikson. “This event provided a unique platform for industry leaders to engage in meaningful and substantive policy discussions that will steer us into the future. I want to thank all who participated, our advocacy work is essential in ensuring that local and regional suppliers in the US and around the globe can be economically sustainable and continue to provide healthy fresh produce to the family dinner table.”
IFPA has published the 2024 produce and floral public policy agenda at the beginning of the year highlighting the priority issues of focus including labor, nutrition, supply chain efficiency, and more.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.