Rep. Farr to be honored at United Fresh conference

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif., plans to retire from the U.S. House of Representatives in January after 23 years representing California's Central Coast, and the United Fresh Produce Association will be recognizing Farr for his congressional service at the United Fresh Washington Conference Presidential Election Party.

The event is Sept. 13.

Farr was a strong fresh produce advocate during his tenure in Washington, according to a news release. He used leadership positions on the Agricultural Committee and Appropriations Committee to support fresh fruit and vegetable priorities, such as driving investment in research on specialty crops, food safety and pest detection.

Before winning his congressional election in 1993, Farr served in the California Assembly and was the author of the nation's first organic standards law, passed in 1990.

United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel praised Farr's commitment to the fresh produce industry.

"He has understood the challenges facing our industry and fought for policies to advance Americans' access to fresh fruits and vegetables," Stenzel said in the release.

"We hate to see him go but want to thank him for his service."