IFPA Members Appointed to USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

January 13, 2025

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of 25 industry representatives to serve on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC). Among those appointed are several members of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), underscoring the association’s leadership in shaping the future of the U.S. produce industry.

The appointed members will serve two-year terms effective immediately, concluding in January 2027. Established in 2001, the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) has convened regularly to tackle pressing issues affecting the fruit and vegetable sector. Its mission is to evaluate industry challenges and opportunities and deliver actionable recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture.

IFPA member companies appointed to the committee include:

Alex DiNovo, President and Chief Operating Officer, DNO Produce
Tony Freytag, Executive Vice President, Advisor to Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, Crunch Pak LLC
Bill Weyland, Vice President Imports, Seven Seas Fruit
Jenny Maloney, Americas Industry Affairs Director, Bayer Vegetable Seeds
Roland R. Harmon II, Senior Director Produce Sourcing-California, Walmart
Stephen Brazeel, Founder/Chief Executive Officer, SunTerra Produce Traders
Sarah Davidson Evanega, Vice President of Business Development, Okanagan Specialty Fruits
Takashi Nakamura, Vice President of Research & Development and Global Food Safety for Fresh Del Monte
Eric Profitt, Executive Vice President, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic
Angel Rafael Santiago, President and Chief Executive Officer, Caribbean Produce Exchange, Inc.
Amy Jeanne Baker, Senior Director, Quality and Regulatory Compliance Management for Peterson Farms
James Robert Benson, National Sales Director, Hronis, Inc.

"The fruit and vegetable industry is a cornerstone of the U.S. agricultural economy and it is critical that industry be acknowledged as a thought partner and leader on the topics the USDA and the advisory committee work on, which include produce consumption, nutrition, food safety, labor, production, sustainability, among others,” said IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. “The expertise and dedication of this committee’s members will be key to advancing our industry's growth, enhancing its resilience, and promoting greater consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables. We are honored to have several IFPA members represented on this distinguished committee and look forward to their leadership in connecting the industry with government to tackle the most pressing challenges facing fresh produce."

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) manages the activities of the FVIAC in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, ensuring transparency and accountability in all committee operations. AMS also oversees the planning and administration of the committee’s meetings.

This is the second appointment of IFPA members to key federal advisory groups in recent weeks, the prior being representatives from Taylor Farms and Sprouts Farmers Markets being named to the National Organics Standards Board. In addition, IFPA CEO Cathy Burns has served on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee in the past.

For more information about IFPA’s advocacy efforts, including work with the USDA and other key federal agencies, visit our Advocacy and Public Policy page. freshproduce.com/advocacy.

IFPA Members Appointed to USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

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