ATLANTA – If things seem crazier than normal, you’re not alone.
They are particularly volatile in the political and information world, and we can’t help but be swept up in it. But there are ways to stay sane and prepare your company to evolve, whichever way the political winds blow.
One speaker at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show gave good examples for personal and professional sanity.
Patrick Vizzone, founder and managing partner of AgroNovare Holdings, and chair-elect of IFPA, said October 17, that things feel especially tense in the U.S. before this big election.
“These are volatile times,” he said. “In this shift to globalization, trade peaked just before the pandemic. Media and social media is changing and has amplified this volatility.”
As legacy media has become more partisan, and threatened by different kinds of media, it’s hard to know where to get accurate and unbiased news and information.
“It’s harder to get to facts and stay well informed,” Vizzone said. “Do not rely on social media for all your news. We get fed what we want to hear. You are the product.”
He recommends checking on things you see in social media with more reputable sources such as the Associated Press and Reuters news, and I will add The Wall Street Journal. (He also noted me sitting near him and endorsed the non-partisan Blue Book for trustworthy news and information, with which we concur!)
As far as your business, Fizzone said companies that are more flexible and open-minded generally perform better in the marketplace.
But trade could be in for disruption, he said, as a Trump administration in 2025 could see a return of higher tariffs, lower interest rates, and a weaker dollar. While a Harris administration could see complications on non-economic issues of trade, such as emphasis on climate change and DEI.
“Food trade should not be politicized, but food is always high priority to every country,” Fizzone said. “I don’t think we’ll see de-globalization, but we’re seeing more regionalization of trade among like-minded countries.”
The overall economy is complicated.
“In the U.S., people think the economy isn’t good, but it’s doing really well compared to other countries.”
He said the best thing for a produce company to do is prepare for either leader’s trade priorities, and start planning now for either scenario. And don’t expect things to calm down.
