FPAA continues to serve the Nogales industry

The Nogales, Ariz.-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas is putting more emphasis on social media this season as it continues its efforts to support members who provide the U.S. and Canada with a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico.

The association also continues to cooperate with local health officials to support COVID-19 vaccinations and flu shots and is working with various government agencies and other entities to achieve funding and enact legislation to advance the local agriculture trade.

FPAA has encouraged members to get COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Because of the efforts of the county and the industry, I think our county is above 80% vaccinated,” said Allison Moore, vice president.

Santa Cruz County has the highest vaccination rate in Arizona and some of the highest vaccination rates in the country, she said.

Produce businesses implemented protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to combat the virus, but Moore said many food safety procedures already in place – such as handwashing and various sanitation policies – helped minimize its impact.

FPAA staff has helped ensure that the county and community had the resources needed to fight COVID-19 by arranging, for example, for the delivery of food to vaccine clinics on a daily basis, said president Lance Jungmeyer.

The association named “The Essential Worker” as its 2021 member of the year – a testament to all those who continued to work every day at jobs such as sales, accounting or driving a forklift in a very labor-intensive business, Jungmeyer said.
“We are spending this year coming up with ways to honor the essential worker,” he said.

FPAA also has been able to step up its interaction with government representatives and lawmakers.

“The virtual environment really has us talking with Washington, D.C., a lot more frequently,” Jungmeyer said.

That’s good for FPAA members because staff is meeting with government representatives on a weekly or even daily basis rather than a few times a year in a week-long series of intense meetings, he said.

The association deals with a range of issues including International Trade Commission cases, Customs and Border Protection concerns and Food and Drug Administration matters.

Moore said that with the passage of President Joe Biden’s comprehensive infrastructure bill, the industry is hopeful that some local projects may come to fruition, including improving access to the Rio Rico industrial park, where many of the Nogales-area distributors are based.

The association strives to keep such projects top of mind among federal and state government representatives and transportation officials.

Funding also is anticipated for Mariposa Port of Entry projects, such as improving non-intrusive inspection equipment.
“We work on issues ourselves, but we also collaborate with other groups, as well, to advance initiatives,” Moore said.
For example, FPAA has worked with the United Fresh Produce Association to maintain increased funding levels for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children that were set during the pandemic.
The association also is working on an economic impact on the Nogales industry and what it means for jobs in fields such as technology and solar energy, Jungmeyer said.

“We’re always interested to see how this industry contributes,” he said, in order to justify funding for infrastructure and other projects.

Those who want to enhance their public speaking and leadership skills can avail themselves to the benefits of the Toastmasters club sponsored by the FPAA.

Moore is past president of the club and now serves as vice president of public relations, and FPAA communications coordinator Andrea Ortega is secretary.

Ortega joined the association about a year ago and has beefed up its social media programs, such as Facebook and Twitter, and regularly updates the FPAA website.

“Anything that is newsworthy that we’re doing is on social media,” Ortega said.

FPAA also has kicked off a monthly webinar series on a wide range of topics, including crisis management, media training and research studies.