The USDA is seeking nominations from specialty crop stakeholders to serve on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee.
Deadline for nominations is Sept. 3, according to a news release. To help industry members through the nomination process, USDA will offer the following virtual office hours via Zoom (accessed via this link):
- Thursday, Aug. 8 — 4-6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
- Monday, Aug. 12 — 10 a.m. to noon EDT.
- Thursday, Aug. 15 — 10 a.m. to noon EDT.
- Wednesday, Aug. 21 — 2-4 p.m. EDT.
- Friday, Aug. 23 — 9-11 a.m. EDT
Detailed information about the advisory committee’s background, candidate qualifications, requirements and forms are available on USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service website on the Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee Nomination Information webpage.
Nomination packages may be submitted by email to SCPFVIAC@usda.gov, which is preferred, or mailed to: Jennie M. Varela, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Attn: Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, 1124 1st Street South, Winter Haven, FL, 33880.
Established in 2001, the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee is administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Committee members represent the spectrum of the fruit and vegetable industry including shippers, wholesalers, brokers, retailers, processors, fresh-cut processors, foodservice suppliers, state agencies, state departments of agriculture and trade associations. The Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee meets at least twice a year to develop recommendations on issues affecting the U.S. produce industry.
The USDA said it encourages nominees who reflect the full diversity of the produce sector in terms of size and scale of operation, industry role, demographic characteristics, geographic location and production methods. Qualified candidates include active members of the fruit and vegetable industry serving in one of the above-mentioned agricultural capacities, according to the release.
Information about the committee is available on the AMS Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee webpage.
