The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) empowered produce industry leaders to ‘Fight for Fresh’ on Capitol Hill in Washington June 9-11.

The conference included educational sessions to prepare attendees for conversations on public health, economic vitality, and global trade, with their state representatives.

“The need to expand our influence, innovate and future-proof our industry has been brought to the forefront very quickly these past months,” said Cathy Burns, IFPA CEO. “Producers are struggling for their businesses to survive, even as consumers in this country — and around the world — are seeking healthy, delicious food options.”

While the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative aims to improve public health, Washington has also proposed restrictions on programs that are crucial to making fresh produce more accessible to low-income US consumers, Burns said.

According to IFPA, proposed cuts to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) would drastically reduce monthly fruit and vegetable benefits from $54 to $13 for women, and from $27 to $10 for children.

“Any conversations related to health need to come back to the benefits of fruit and vegetables to prevent chronic disease,” Burns said.

Key Advocacy Priorities from IFPA

Over two days of congressional meetings, industry leaders met with lawmakers to discuss urgent policy priorities:

  • Farm Bill Programs: Advocating for proportional specialty crop resources, research and mechanization investments, modernized risk management tools, and expanded USDA program eligibility.
  • Workforce Challenges: Calling for labor reforms to improve the affordability and accessibility of the H-2A program, remove H-2B visa caps, and build a sustainable, long-term agricultural workforce.
  • Nutrition and Growing Consumption: Promoting programs like the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), enhanced SNAP produce benefits, and Produce Prescription interventions to combat diet-related disease.
  • Food Safety: Requesting food safety program funding, modernized FDA inspections, and leadership accountability to maintain public trust and food safety.
  • Trade: Urging Congress to support export programs and fair-trade policies to stabilize international markets and ensure year-round fresh produce availability.