United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association

Week In Review
June 29, 2001

Table of Contents:

Bush-Cheney Transition Team Chairman to Speak at Washington Conference

Former Congressman Bill Paxon (R-NY), has agreed to speak at
United’s Washington Public Policy Conference closing luncheon
session. This year’s conference will be held September 5-7, at
the Washington Court Hotel. A member of Congress from 1988 to
1998, Paxon played a key role as Chairman of the National
Republican Congressional Committee in electing the first House
Republican Majority since 1954. He has been described by many
as “one of the party’s best political brains” and “best natural
politicians.” During his years in Congress and as a member of
the House GOP Leadership, Paxon was intimately involved in
crafting and executing a wide variety of legislative
initiatives, including the historic Contract with America.
Since leaving Congress, Paxon has remained active in national
Republican politics and serves as an adviser to senior GOP
congressional leaders. An early supporter of President George
W. Bush, Paxon chaired the campaign’s advisory committee for the
2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, where he
served on the convention manager’s advisory board. Most
recently, Paxon chaired the Bush-Cheney Transition Advisory Team
and worked with United’s President, Tom Stenzel who served on
the President’s Agriculture Transition Advisory Team.
Paxon will comment on how President Bush and Vice President
Cheney established a transition team and formed a new
Administration in record time following last year’s election.
He will also address the Administration’s efforts during their
first year in office. “We’re delighted to have someone of
Congressman Paxon’s stature and experience to provide a unique
insight into Washington, DC," said United Vice President of
Government & Public Affairs Robert Guenther. “WPPC attendees
will hear an inside Washington view from on of its top
insiders,” Guenther added.
Don’t delay!

Register today via our secure online registration form
Contact:
Robert Guenther
rguenther@uffva.org

New Retail Marketing Seminar Series Kicks-off in Salinas July 10

The United Research and Education Foundation's new series of one-
day educational seminars, “Effective Marketing in Today’s Retail
Climate,” will focus on important trends in the produce
industry, including consolidation, information technology,
global marketplace, and solution marketing. Each seminar,
featuring expert speakers from the Perishables Group, will
explore the new produce business model and explain how to
capitalize on the changes in the marketplace, as well as how to
take an integrated go-to-market approach so companies can grow
their businesses and stay competitive. "With the many
challenges facing the produce industry, this new series attempts
to provide produce companies with additional tools to help
navigate and make sound business decisions in the evolving
global marketplace,” said Victoria Kuhns, United senior director
of education programs.
The first of the three seminars is presented in partnership with
the Grower Shipper Association of Central California and will be
held on Tuesday, July 10 at the Embassy Suites in Seaside, CA.
Registration fees include the seminar, educational workbook and
luncheon. Additional seminars have been scheduled for August 15
in Los Angeles, CA and September 25 in Philadelphia, PA.
Contact:
Victoria Kuhns
vkuhns@uffva.org.

USDA NASS Releases Agricultural Practices Survey Report

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS), took action this week in releasing
the 1999 Agricultural Practices Survey Summary Report. The
survey, now available on the NASS website, was initiated under
the 1997 Presidential directive entitled "Initiative to Ensure
the Safety of Imported and Domestic Fruits and Vegetables."
The survey collected data on current agricultural practices for
30 commodities in 14 States It will be used in measuring
outcomes associated with the Food and Drug
Administration's "Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety
Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables." The survey focused on
areas covered by the guide with the objective of gathering data
to support policy development and directing education outreach
programs to promote the adoption of recommended practices.
Contact:
Dr. Donna Garren
dgarren@uffva.org.

United Provides House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Trade Testimony

On Thursday, United provided the House Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs testimony regarding foreign trade programs. This is part of the House Agriculture Committee’s ongoing series of hearings to review industry priorities for the Farm Bill legislation which will be considered later this summer. United’s testimony reflected the efforts of the produce industry’s Farm Bill Working Group which presented over 50 Farm Bill recommendations to the Committee in May. International market access was one of the key areas the Working Group considered for policy recommendations when developing their comprehensive blue print. “In the area of international trade, the produce industry strongly supports enhanced policies to expand U.S. agricultural exports,” the testimony stated. Specific legislative recommendations include:

Expanding the Market Access Program from $90 million to $200 million.

Enactment of legislation to increase the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program to $35 million.

Increasing the utilization of fruits and vegetables in federal foreign food aid programs.

The creation of a Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops fund to address unique technical problems facing exports of U.S. fruits and vegetables.

“We have presented the committee with a package which includes a $163 million increase in the investment toward international market access and food aid programs,” stated Robert Guenther, United’s Vice President of Government and Public Affairs. “The opportunity to provide the committee with additional testimony which highlights these specific issue areas is very important towards the process of ensuring produce issues are at the forefront of the Farm Bill debate,” he stated.
http://www.uffva.org/news/"<a;>United's Prepared Statement

Supply Chain Packaging Partnerships Urged by United, Key Retailers

Produce packaging took center stage at the Returnable Pallet and
Container Coalition’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. June 28
as Wal-Mart’s Bruce Peterson, Albertson’s Cynthia Forsch, and
United President Tom Stenzel joined in a roundtable discussion
on issues ranging from container standardization and
interstackability to sanitation and branding. More than 100
representatives of reusable packaging manufacturers discussed
new radio frequency tags for tracking containers, listened to a
case study of container standardization in the automotive
industry, and participated in the keynote roundtable discussion
moderated by Peterson. “This type of forum is important in
addressing industrywide issues where all partners in the
distribution chain really need to work together,” Stenzel said.
Contact:
Tom Stenzel
tstenzel@uffva.org

Emergency Economic Assistance for Agriculture Passes House

On Tuesday, June 26, the U.S. House of Representatives
unanimously approved $5.5 billion in economic assistance to
agriculture producers for economic losses caused from by weak
markets and low prices. As part of this package, $169 million
was provided for specialty crop growers, and if signed into law,
will be distributed through a state block grant system. “We
again want to applaud Congress and Members of the House
Agriculture Committee for moving this important package forward
and providing much needed funding for specialty crop producers,”
said Robert Guenther, United’s vice president for government and
public affairs. “The need to foster additional tools and
programs that supports a broad range of specialty crop producers
across the U.S. is certainly represented in this measure. We
are now turning our attention towards the Senate to ensure that
similar attention is paid to the fruit and vegetable industry,"
added Guenther.
Contact:
Robert Guenther
rguenther@uffva.org

Food Stamp Program Reviewed by House Agriculture Committee

In prepared testimony submitted to the House Agriculture
Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry
Subcommittee on June 27, 2001,United reiterated its support for
modifications to the USDA Food Stamp Program as part of the farm
bill reauthorization process. United advocated the produce
industry's support for the establishment of a food stamp
supplemental benefit for the purchase of fresh produce at
participating retailers and farmers markets. "Under the
industry proposal, a supplemental benefit of $10 per week for
additional produce purchases would be provided to improve the
diets and reduce chronic disease health risks of individuals who
are eligible to receive monthly benefits," said United Director
of Government Affairs Donna Denison.
Also, at the hearing, USDA Food and Nutrition Service Director
Eric Bost indicated that the Administration would be making
recommendations on the reauthorization of the Food Stamp program
as part of the farm bill reauthorization as well as other
important nutrition programs.
Contact:
Donna Denison
ddenison@uffva.org