June 29, 2023 Newark, DE. and Washington, D.C. – Hundreds of leaders from every segment of the produce and floral industry will convene to advocate for key public policy issues at IFPA’s BB #:378962 2023 Washington Conference, September 12-15 at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, DC.
“With our impact on the economy and the health and well-being of consumers, IFPA members must take this chance to meet with elected leaders to promote the influence and growth of the fresh produce and floral sector.,” said Robert Guenther, IFPA’s Chief Public Policy Officer. “The Washington Conference is the only event that brings the full produce supply chain to D.C. to directly influence the prosperity of their businesses and our industry.”
IFPA is adding several fresh, new elements to this year’s Washington Conference, including:
• The International Trade Forum where industry executives and government leaders will gather to discuss the impact of trade opportunities and agreement negotiations, as well as disputes and potential solutions to better serve consumers and producers globally.
• The Women’s Fresh Perspectives Reception enables attendees to connect, learn, and cultivate relationships with other women in advocacy. Meet industry advocates and agricultural advocacy influencers that demand change and action on Capitol Hill. Share experiences and celebrate successes while forming valuable connections that can profoundly impact your advocacy journey.
• The Conference’s First-Time Attendee Advocacy Champion Mentor Program helps attendees foster valuable relationships and learn from seasoned advocates on how to be successful on Capitol Hill. And;
• The Celebrate Fresh Party, the capstone event, unites and highlights members’ engagement and commitment to the industry following the March on Capitol Hill.
IFPA continues their signature activities as well to include:
• The March on Capitol Hill in which members engage directly face-to-face on the Hill with Congress to create a stable workforce, prioritize food safety, improve nutrition and grow fresh consumption, and build a better Farm Bill.
• The Joy of Fresh on Capitol Hill featuring hundreds of DC influencers – key Members of Congress, the Administration and their staff, allied partners, consumer advocates and fellow Conference attendees.
• Dynamic general sessions with keynotes from top national leaders.
• A FreshPAC event with esteemed leaders to allow members to personally support pro-produce candidates.
• The popular Produce Advocacy Bootcamp for attendees new to communicating with Congress and those looking to refresh their advocacy skills to leave a powerful lasting impression.
• Insightful Briefing Breakout sessions detailing the current state of play, why it matters to your business, and how we will execute on the most critical public policy issues.
• Lively networking events including a rooftop Welcome Reception overlooking the Nation’s Capital.
• IFPA Volunteer Leadership Meetings that drive our direction in issue areas, insights from market segments, and give a strong voice to concerns ensuring a united voice for the industry.
• Honoring the achievements and passion of the Produce Industry Advocate of the Year and welcoming recipients of the Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarship Program.
For more than 25 years, The Washington Conference has convened industry leaders to meet with members of Congress and cabinet officials throughout the Administration to advocate on issues including food safety, ensuring a legal and reliable workforce, Farm Bill, nutrition policy, and more. The industry needs your voice this year.
Keynote speakers at last year’s conference included U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Senator John Boozman, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, Speaker of The House Kevin McCarthy, Elaine Trevino, Senior Supply Chain Advisor to the Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, Justin Cook, Consumer Products Research Leader, Deloitte Services; Dr. Susan Mayne, Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, The Food and Drug Administration, Frank Yiannas, Former Deputy Commissioner, Food Policy and Response, FDA, Rod Snyder, Senior Advisor for Agriculture, Office of the Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and more renowned leaders.
Register today to join together with industry leaders, policy experts, legislative staff and more, as we advocate for business priorities and shape the future of the industry.
For more information and to register, visit the Washington Conference website. For questions about the event, contact Angela Tiwari, IFPA’s Director, Grassroots and Political Affairs.
About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)?is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to?take action?with purpose and confidence.? While IFPA is built on the legacy of United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association, it is not just a combination. It is transformational. Recognizing the industry required an even more powerful and unified voice, the leaders of the former United Fresh and Produce Marketing Association chose not to merge, but rather to create an entirely new organization to supersede their organizations, effective January 1, 2022.
Contact: Ashley Sempowski, ASempowski@freshproduce.com +1 (202) 303-3406
