U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of 24 industry representatives to the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC).
The reappointed and newly appointed members will serve terms of up to two years beginning immediately and ending in July 2022. The appointees were selected from nominations received in November 2019 resulting from the Oct. 22, 2019, announcement of the re-establishment of the committee and request for nominations.
Re-appointed are:
Kelly Carl (KC) Ely, FreshPoint, Wholesalers/Distributors/Suppliers
Bret Erickson, J&D Produce Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Kiley Harper-Larsen, NK Lago Farms, LLC. dba The Ag Safety Lady, Grower/Packer/Shipper
Michael Janis , San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, Wholesalers/Distributors/Suppliers
Brian Kirschenmann, Kirschenmann Farms, Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Tom Lipetzky, Colorado Department of Agriculture, State Department of Agriculture
Paul Palmby, Seneca Foods Corporation, Processors
Reade Sievert, Associated Wholesale Grocers, Retailers
Derrin Wheeler, MBG Marketing, Cooperatives/Food Hubs/Farmers Markets
Tommy Wilkins, Grow Farms Texas, Retailers
Charles A. Wingard, Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Grower/Packer/Shipper
Donn Zea, California Prune Board/Prune Marketing Committee, Trade Associations/Farm Organizations
Newly appointed are:
Julie Masser Ballay, Sterman Masser Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Troy Bland, Bland Farms, LLC, Grower/Packer/Shipper
David Einstandig, Mastronardi Produce-USA, Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Lisa Ford, Publix Supermarkets, Retailers
George Hamner, Indian River Exchange Packers, Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Cindy Jewell, California Giant, Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms, Inc., Grower/Packer/Shipper
Kay Riley, Snake River Produce Co., LLC, Grower/Packer/Shipper
David Sherrod, Southeast Produce Council Inc., Trade Associations/Farm Organizations
Karla Stockli, California Fig Advisory Board, Trade Associations/Farm Organizations
Paul Teague, Teague Produce and Consulting Services, Wholesalers/Distributors/Suppliers
David Zapf, Naturipe Value-Added Foods, LLC, Processors
Originally chartered in 2001, the FVIAC advises the Secretary of Agriculture on issues affecting the fruit and vegetable industry. Committee members represent organic and non-organic growers, shippers, wholesalers, retailers, industry trade associations, importers, processors, foodservice suppliers, food brokers, state departments of agriculture and farmers markets on local, regional and national levels. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) ensures the committee is administered according to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
More information about the committee is available on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee webpage on the AMS website.
