Produce industry trade body United Fresh Produce Association hasannounced that it is to form a new Center for global ProduceSustainability, to aid US companies in their quest to enhanceeffectiveness through sustainability.
The project, which willjoin three other United Fresh centers – the Center for LeadershipDevelopment, the Center for Business Management and the Center of FoodSafety, Quality and Nutrition –will be initially funded through aUS$1.1m endowment grant from Bayer CropScience.
'Sustainabilityis one of the most important issues discussed among our board ofdirectors, our global advisory council and other leadership groups overthe past several years,' said Tom Lovelace, chairman of the board atUnited Fresh. 'Now, with this great support from Bayer CropScience, wewill be able to intensify those efforts and also begin to develop realtools and programmes to help companies from grower through retail andfoodservice to proactively manage sustainability in their businesses.'
The Center will focus initially on reaching out to current partners in the sustainability world, specifically helping to advance scientific principles and metrics for sustainability throughout the supply chain.
'Our sustainability efforts with the Center will be about building partnerships that best serve members of the produce supply chain in order to deliver them the tools and services they need to enhance their own businesses,' said United Fresh CEO Tom Stenzel. 'Fruit and vegetable growers have long been the most committed stewards in the land, and we need to ensure that enhancing sustainability is recognised as an opportunity to improve our businesses rather than one more burden.'
In addition, an advisory board consisting of leaders from across the fresh produce production chain and allied partners will be developed to provide leadership for the Center's efforts.
No comments yet