Press Release

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on March 27 it intends to renew the charter of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC).

USDA is set to renew the committee’s charter for two years as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The current charter expires on May 23, 2024. USDA invites interested persons to submit comments on this notice. Comments are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 1, 2024, through regulations.gov: Document # AMS-SC-24-0006.

Established in 2001, the FVIAC is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Committee members represent the entire spectrum of the fruit and vegetable industry including shippers, wholesalers, brokers, retailers, processors, fresh-cut processors, food service suppliers, state agencies, state departments of agriculture, and trade associations. The FVIAC meets in person at least twice a year to develop recommendations on issues affecting the U.S. produce industry.

This notice was published in the Federal Register on March 26, 2024. Information about the committee is available on the AMS Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee webpage.

AMS policy is that diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.