United Fresh foundation plans produce sustainability center

The United Fresh Produce Association Research & Education Foundation will form a new Center for Global Produce Sustainability, designed to help companies across the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain enhance their businesses through sustainability. This center will initially be funded through a $1.1 million endowment grant over four years from Bayer CropScience.

This announcement was made by United Fresh Produce Association Chairman of the Board Tom Lovelace, McEntire Produce; and John Smith, director of the Horticulture Region for Bayer CropScience, during the Opening General Session of the United Fresh 2009 Convention in Las Vegas NV.

The Center for Global Produce Sustainability will join three other centers within the United Foundation: the Center for Leadership Development; Center for Business Management; and Center for Food Safety, Quality, and Nutrition. Each center develops its own programs, which are designed to enhance the ability of the fresh produce industry to provide healthy, safe, and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables.

The new center will focus initially on reaching out to current partners in the sustainability world, specifically helping to advance sound, scientific principles and metrics for sustainability through the produce supply chain.

To provide leadership and direction to these efforts, the new center will develop an advisory board consisting of leaders from across the fruit and vegetable production chain and allied partners. In addition, the foundation will be appointing new staff to help coordinate the work of the center.