Discussions on growing consumption during the three-day meetings aligned with the four value areas of PMA’s strategic plan:
Global Connections - Among discussions to sustain consumer connections by linking industry to the people, new markets, trends and insights needed to build demand:
- The newly redesigned pma.com website was a member-driven project unveiled in May and will serve as the go-to tool in delivering member value and industry resources year-round.
- The Hartman Research Group, in hand with PMA, released “Outlook on the Millennial Consumer 2014”, the first of three consumer reports available to members this summer.
- PMA hosted its first European Fresh Connections event this spring in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The 2014 Fresh Connections calendar includes eight locations around the globe and includes the new PMA Fruittrade Latin America, a partnership with Fedefruta in Chile.
Science and Technology – Responding to industry’s challenge of increasing food production with fewer resources while bolstering confidence in the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables:
- The Board enthusiastically supported PMA’s expanded technology offerings, developed to connect members to detailed information and translate complex issues, enabling the industry to access emerging technology that’s necessary to build consumption and profitability. Topics include detection technologies, optimization of agricultural resources, data analytics, biotechnology and packaging.
- PMA’s strong support for the Center for Produce Safety will continue. Key findings from this year’s CPS Research Symposium will be translated at the Fresh Connections: Food Safety Highlights, June 26 in Newport Beach, Calif., the morning after the symposium’s conclusion.
- Modelled after the Center for Produce Safety, PMA-ANZ has launched The Fresh Produce Safety Centre hosted at the University of Sydney. The Centre will work closely with PMA’s Dr. Bob Whitaker and CPS as it grows.
Issues Leadership – The Board was presented with PMA’s redefined Issues Leadership pillar, which includes 10 key work areas that PMA staff and volunteer leaders will work to deliver differentiated value to members and industry. Among these work areas are:
- Ongoing work and responses to Food Safety Modernization Act proposals, collaborating with government agencies to enhance foodborne illness outbreak response/investigations, global trade, and more.
- Continued collaboration with members and industry on the Sesame Workshop-PMA ‘eat brighter!’ movement to reshape the conversation and encourage kids and their families to eat healthier.
Industry Talent - During the PMA Foundation’s Board of Directors and committee meetings, also held last week in Vancouver, talks focused on establishing and retaining a workforce with the diverse skills necessary to meet complex future demands to increase produce and floral consumption by:
- Broadening efforts to attract and retain industry talent by exploring mentoring and other ways to engage people with non-traditional backgrounds in produce careers.
- Developing the industry’s professionals remains an area of importance and the Board engaged in a discussion of ways to enhance programming for the High Performance Management Conference and the Executive Leadership Symposium.
- A new board and committee evaluation process was discussed to ensure the PMA Foundation Board of Director and its committees are delivering value toward the PMA strategic plan.
- Strengthening fundraising strategies of the PMA Foundation to ensure the financial viability of the mission to attract, develop, and retain talent for the produce and floral industries.
For more information:
Meg Miller
PMA
Tel: +1 (302) 738-7100, ext. 3031
Email: mmiller@pma.com
www.pma.com