The National Association of Perishable Agricultural Receivers is getting a makeover. The Washington, D.C.-based trade association founded in 1989 is now the Produce Distributors Association, according to a news release.
PDA is the first and only organization of its kind that solely advocates for fresh produce distributors and tackles challenges unique to the middle of the supply chain, the release said.
Initially an East Coast-based organization made up of terminal market members, the reborn organization says its key goal is to build national membership with broad representation by the next generation in the evolution of produce distribution.
“We want to remake NAPAR and have started with a simplified name change,” Matthew D’Arrigo, PDA board chair and owner of D’Arrigo New York Inc. in Bronx, N.Y., said in the release. “Our first goal is to cast a much wider net over the industry. When we move from terminal market membership to the population of any produce distributor in America, numbers go up 20, 30 and 40-fold and so does industry representation. This then leads to a second goal: to develop lobbying expertise and an agenda of topics of concern that specifically affect produce distributors.”
D’Arrigo says the PDA will give a strong and active political voice and a much-needed seat at the table in Washington, D.C.
“A third goal is for PDA to serve as a watchdog, as an insurance policy. Our representation in Washington will be our eyes and ears, reporting back to the membership on current topics and those lurking in the future, so we can get a proactive head start on these issues,” D’Arrigo added.
Current issues include ensuring produce distributors are treated fairly by the revised Food Safety Modernization Act 204 regulations and assuring that any revisions in requirements for distributors of organic fruits and vegetables are reasonable, the release said.
“The mission of PDA is to assure that we as produce distributors are treated fairly, kept in the loop on important issues, and have a seat at the table when decisions are made by Congress and regulatory agencies,” said Alan Siger, PDA president and past president and CEO of Consumers Produce Co. Inc. in Pittsburgh.
For more information about the PDA and membership opportunities, visit producedistributorsassociation.org or email Siger at asiger@producedistributorsassociation.org.
