ANAHEIM, CA - Following up from a commitment made a year ago to Fight for Fresh on behalf of its members and the worldwide fruit, vegetable, and floral community, International Fresh Produce Association CEO Cathy Burns shared how the organization delivered on that promise in the 12 months since the last Global Fresh Produce & Floral Show by highlighting how IFPA’s beliefs drove how it delivered value and results via advocacy, innovation, sustainability, labor issues, technology adoption, and nutrition.

“Last October, I said we would increase our advocacy investment here and around the world by ‘fighting for fresh’ when our future was threatened,” Burns commented in the release. “I believe it has never been more important to be clear on what you stand for, who you stand for, and what you believe in. It's in those beliefs, and our work together in acting on them, that we can navigate the storms around us.”

Trade and Tariffs

Noting that tariffs were the “biggest impact facing us this year has been tariffs and their impact on global trade,” Burns shared how IFPA advocates for science-based, transparent trade policies and has successfully engaged with high-level U.S. government officials to represent industry perspectives. In addition, the IFPA Board of Directors met with the U.S. Trade Representative and the National Economic Council in March to provide industry perspective and advocate for exemption of our products.

One innovation in the trade sector was the creation of Stanford's AI-driven Geoeconomic Monitor, which is being utilized to analyze the tariff impacts. Consumer behavior is also adapting, with consumers focused on reducing their food waste and purchasing essential-only items. A bright spot: IFPA Global Insights research finds fresh produce remains least affected by changing purchasing behaviors.

The health benefits of food trade were highlighted by research linking fruit and vegetable imports to reduced mortality from non-communicable diseases globally. “The bottom line is our products matter and save lives,” Burns noted.

To help future proof the industry and build resiliency, IFPA launched the Supply Chain of the Future initiative to address rising costs and inefficiencies in the supply chain. This initiative involves collaborative workstreams focusing on shelf-life predictability, dynamic incentives, harmonized standards, and smart data escrow. Member engagement in this initiative has been consistently strong and continues to grow.

See the full release here.