USDA reestablishes Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will reestablish the charter for the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) and seeks nominations to fill all 25 positions on the FVIAC. FVIAC was established by USDA in 2001 to examine issues facing the fruit and vegetable industry and to provide ideas on ways to improve programs to better meet the changing needs of the produce industry. The recent charter expired July 2017.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) ensures the committee is administered according to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Eligible nominees for the FVIAC include anyone actively working in the fruit and vegetable industry as growers, shippers, wholesalers, distributors, brokers, retailers, restaurant representatives, processors, fresh cut processors, foodservice suppliers, representatives of state departments of agriculture and members of trade associations. Additional information about candidate qualifications, nomination requirements and forms, the nomination process and the advisory committee background is available on the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee page on the AMS website.

Written nominations must be received by May 24, 2018 and should be emailed to marlene.betts@ams.usda.gov or Valerie.minick@ams.usda.gov or sent to c/o Marlene Betts, Acting Designated Federal Officer, Specialty Crops Program, USDA Room 2077-S, Stop 0235, Washington, D.C. 20250-0235; or faxed to (202) 720-0016.

Nominees who applied through the previous call for nominations published in the Federal Register Aug. 2, 2017, do not need to reapply. Former FVIAC members who wish to be considered for a position on FVIAC must reapply. USDA appoints representatives from the list of nominees to serve staggered terms of up to two-year; approximately half of FVIAC will serve one-year terms and the remainder two-year terms.