USDA Announces Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee to Meet in May

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee will hold a meeting May 9-10, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va. The committee will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 9, and from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 10. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is coordinating the meeting which is open to the public.

New committee members will be meeting for the first time as a group and will determine the topics they wish to pursue. Previous committees have reviewed topics ranging from produce safety to fruit and vegetable consumption. The meeting will also cover several administrative items. Meeting details were published in the Federal Register on March 22, 2019.

USDA established the committee in 2001 to examine the full spectrum of issues facing the fruit and vegetable industry and create a forum to provide suggestions and ideas to the department on ways to improve programs to meet the changing needs of the produce industry. Committee members represent a broad cross-section of the industry.

Members of the public who wish to submit written comments related to the fruit and vegetable industry should do so on www.regulations.gov. Members of the public wishing to speak at the meeting or who wish to arrange special accommodations should contact Designated Federal Officer Darrell Hughes at (202) 348-2576 or SCPFVIAC@ams.usda.gov. Comments and registrations to speak must be submitted by April 17, 2019.

Information about the meeting and the committee is available on AMS’ Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee web page.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender