The Washington Conference

Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Working Lunch

Registration Open at Grand Hyatt
Level 1B

Political Advisory Committee

Allied Roundtable

Women's Fresh Perspectives Reception

Rooftop, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Connect, learn, and cultivate relationships with other women in advocacy. Meet industry advocates and agricultural advocacy influencers that demand change and action on Capitol Hill. Share experiences and celebrate successes while forming valuable connections that can profoundly impact your advocacy journey.

First-Time Attendees Meet & Greet with Advocacy Ambassadors

New to The Washington Conference? Join our mentor program! Foster valuable relationships and build strong networks that are critical as you learn to advocate for the important issues of our industry. Form connections with seasoned advocates!

Welcome Rooftop Reception

Rooftop, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Kick-off the 2023 Washington Conference with a view from the rooftop of the new IFPA Washington DC Office! Gather with industry friends and fresh faces as we celebrate the start of Produce Week in Washington.

Registration Open

Breakfast Buffet

Independence Ballroom Foyer (Level 5B)

Produce Advocacy Bootcamp

Grand Hyatt Washington, Independence A
Designed for first-time Washington Conference attendees, grassroots members and anyone looking to refresh their advocacy skills, this bootcamp will provide the skills and confidence needed to engage with key legislators. Learn from seasoned advocates and quickly find your voice!

Learn more about the Produce Advocacy Bootcamp

 

Food Safety Council Meeting, Independence FGHI

Organics Committee, Timber Creek AB

U.S. Government Relations Council Meeting, Farragut & Lafayette Square, Level 5B

Joint Market Segment Council Meeting [ Invitation Only ], Independence BCDE

Members of the Grower-Shipper Council, Fresh-Cut Processor Council, Wholesaler-Distributor Council, Retail Council, Foodservice Council and Business Solution Provider Roundtable will engage in an interactive discussion to share thoughts and best practices from all parts of the supply chain on IFPA's 2023 policy priorities.

Attendees interested in observing this session can contact Miriam Wolk at mwolk@freshproduce.com

 

2023 Kickoff Luncheon & State of the Fresh Nation General Session, Independence A (Level 5B)

IFPA CEO Cathy Burns kicks off Produce Week by welcoming attendees to our Fresh Nation in DC with special recognition of the 2023 Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarships recipients, as well as IFPA's Produce Safety Immersion Program participants.

Next, senior Biden Administration officials will brief attendees on the President's priorities, what to expect on regulatory horizon, and how the Administration’s action impact you and your business.

This session rounds out with a seasoned panel of DC journalists discussing what to expect from Congress for the remainder of 2023 - Will there be a government shutdown? How is President Biden's agenda faring in a divided Congress? Hear from top journalists from the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Politico, and CNN.

Emcee

Opening Speaker

 

Keynote Introduction

• Bret Erickson, Executive VP Business Affairs, Little Bear Produce

Keynote Speaker

Press Panel Moderator

 

Panelists

• Garrett Downs, Agriculture Reporter, Politico

 

 

 

Break

Focus on Fresh General Session: 2023 Policy Priorities

What matters most to fresh produce and floral and why it matters to you and your business? This session digs on the current state of play on issues most critical to the Fresh ROI. Get the latest on IFPA's priorities for creating a stable workforce, prioritizing food safety, improving nutrition, and growing fresh consumption through building a better, bolder Farm Bill this year. 

1:15 PM - 2:45 PM

• Driving Food Safety Modernization
  Mike Taylor, Board Member Emeritus, Stop Foodborne Illness, Former Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, FDA
  
  Moderator

 

Speakers

 

 

1:45 PM - 2:10 PM

Taking on our Workforce Challenges: The Latest from Congress
U.S. Representative Don Davis (D-NC-1), Co-Chair, House Agriculture Committee Agricultural Labor Working Group
Co-Chair, House Agriculture Committee Agricultural Labor

Moderator

 

Speakers

 

 

 

2:10 PM - 2:35 PM

• Expand Healthy Nutrition and Grow Produce Consumption
  Moderator

 

Speakers

• Jessica Schulken, Principal, The Russell Group
  
  
• Jacqlyn Schneider, Partner, Food Team Co-Lead, GFS Global

2:35 PM - 3:00 PM

• Build a Better Farm Bill for Fresh...before it expires this month!
  
  Moderator

Speakers

• Jonathon Cordone, Cordone Consulting, for the Specialty Farm Bill Alliance
• Keith Stern, Office of the Minority Whip
• Ian Foley, Office of the Majority Whip

How-To Huddles (Breakout Education)

Join one of these in-depth discussions on IFPA's priorities to go deeper on the issues and build your advocacy skills.  Don't miss these important insights from subject matter experts and industry leaders that will help you master your message.  Concurrent Huddles on:

• Fresh Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill, Independence DE (Level 5B)
  Moderator: 
  Sara Neqgu-Reed, Director, Production & Environmental Policy
  
  
  Panelists:
  Jonathon Cordone, Cordone Consulting, for the Specialty Farm Bill Alliance
  Charles Wingard, VP of Field Operations, Walter P. Rawl & Sons, Inc
  Danielle Beck, Legislative Counsel, Invariant
  Ian LeMay, President, California Table Grape Commission
  Diane Kurrle, Senior VP, U.S. Apple Association
  
• Nutrition Programs and Consumption, Independence BC (Level 5B)
  Moderator: 
  
  
  

  Mollie Van Lieu
  Vice President, Nutrition & Health
  International Fresh Produce Association

  
  Facilitators:
  Marissa Dake, Vice President of Brand and People, DNO Produce
  Jack Baran, Chief of Staff, Old Tyme Produce

      Industry Perspectives:

    Alex DiNovo, President & COO DNO Produce

    Shawn Peery, National Vice President Produce, Albertsons Companies

    Jenny Williams, Lead Buyer, Pacific Coast Fruit Co.

• Food Safety, Independence HI (Level 5B)
  Natalie Dyenson, Chief Food Safety & Regulatory Officer, IFPA
  Mike Taylor, Board Member Emeritus, Stop Foodborne Illness, Former Deputy
  Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine, FDA
  Kate Tynan, Senior Vice President, Northwest Horticultural Council
  Cheryl Enlow, Vice President of Quality Assurance & Food Safety, Calavo
• Workforce and Immigration Reform, Independence FG (Level 5B)
  
  

  John Hollay
  Director U.S. Government Relations
  International Fresh Produce Association

  
  Kristi Boswell, Counsel, Alston & Bird
  Justin Bartlett, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Legacy Labor, Inc.
  Tara Smith, President, Smith’s Farm Sales
  
  

The Joy of Fresh on Capitol Hill
Rayburn Park

Entrance Located in B357 Rayburn Cafeteria, Rayburn House Office Building

Celebrate wonderful bounty that fresh produce and floral provides for health, happiness and the economy! Connect with hundreds of DC influencers – key congressional and administration staff, allied partners, consumer advocates and fellow IFPA Washington Conference attendees @ The Joy of Fresh!

FreshPAC Signature Dinner (*Separately Ticketed Event)

Potomac View Terrace
2215 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington DC

Leave your personal mark on DC. There's never been a more important time influence politics and policy to drive produce industry success and growth. FreshPAC lets you be most active in the political process by supporting and helping to elect pro-produce candidates. Please reach out to Angela Tiwari if you are interested in receiving additional information about the FreshPAC.

Angela Tiwari - atiwari@freshproduce.com

Registration Open

Congressional Info Desk Open

#PowerOfFresh General Session Breakfast, Independence A (Level 5B)

Packing the #PowerofFresh punch! Start the morning with Coffee with the Chairs - an outlook panel bringing the most influential political leaders on both sides of the aisle together for their perspective on the most important issues facing agriculture and food with a spotlight on this year's must-pass Farm Bill.

Emcee:  Rebeckah Adcock, VP, U.S. Government Relations, IFPA 

Moderator: Robert Guenther, Chief Public Policy Officer, IFPA

Coffee with the Chair

 

 

Election Outlook

Regarded as one of the nation's leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends, Charlie Cook delivers an early look at how political races are shaping up on Capitol Hill and the presidential election outlook heading into 2024.

Speaker Introduction: Tony Freytag, Executive Vice President Co Founder, Crunch Pak

 

IFPA Expert Panel: 
Moderated by: Rebeckah Adcock, VP, U.S. Government Relations

Panelists:
Natalie Dyenson, Chief Food Safety & Regulatory Officer
Mollie Van Lieu, VP, Nutrition and Health
John Hollay, Director U.S. Government Relations
Sara Neagu-Reed, Director, Production & Environmental Policy

Award Presenter: Tony Freytag
Produce Advocate of the Year: HONOREE TBD

The Power of Fresh Group Photo

Capitol Reflecting Pool, U.S. Capitol Building

Join fellow conference attendees as we capture the Power of Fresh in a group photo at the Reflecting Pool in front of the U.S. Capitol Building.

A map to the Capitol Reflecting Pool is available here as well as on the conference app. The photo will be taken promptly at 10:40 a.m.

White House Briefing

Independence A (Level 5B)

Join industry colleagues for an in-depth briefing from White House leaders and other Administration officials to learn more about how the administration is working with the fresh produce industry.

March on Capitol Hill: Congressional Meetings

You are the Power of Fresh! Join the largest grassroots effort of the fresh produce industry as we March on Capitol Hill. This is your time shine in face-to-face meetings with your elected officials and their staff. It's your chance to tell politicians about issues most important to your business and share personal story of how actions taken in Washington directly affect you, your community and the entire produce industry.

Celebrate Fresh: The Party

902 Hart Senate Office Building, North Elevator Bank in Hart

After a important day on Capitol Hill join colleagues for a fun and interactive celebration of Produce Week 2023. As part of the celebration, we will honor key Members of Congress who have made the Power of Fresh a key part of the policy platform and share success stories from our attendees during their day on Capitol Hill.

International Trade Forum Dinner
A Dinner Conversation on the Biden Administration’s Trade Policy

Independence A (Level 5B)

All Washington Conference attendees are invited to attend as part of your conference package! Tonight, the IFPA International Trade Forum will begin with an in-depth conversation with the Biden Administration’s who will provide a unique perspective on how they see the Administration’s trade policy impacting the fresh produce and floral industry.

Moderator

Mark Powers, President, Northwest Horticultural Council and Chair, Fruit and Vegetable ATAC

Speaker

 

Attendees can choose a deeper dive into Food Safety or International Trade during the concurrent interactive forums. Don’t miss hearing from experts and gaining a clear picture of what is happening right now on the critical issues impacting our industry’s future!

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food Safety Forum with Fresh Produce

Farragut & Lafayette Square (Level 5B)

Don’t miss this interactive, breakfast forum, where the fresh produce industry will present to FDA our industry led work on food safety prevention efforts. Then the tables flip, when top FDA officials participate in a roundtable discussion with attendees focused on how industry and government can work together to enhance food safety – not just in times of crisis but 365 preventive strategies. FDA Director of the Office of Food Safety Dr. Mark Moorman leads this interactive session with his colleagues, so come prepared to ask questions.

Fresh Produce Industry Showcase

Best Practices withing CEA

• Monica Noble, Director of Quality & Safety, 80 Acres Farm

Managing Risks: Ag Water and Adjacent Land

• Tracy Jensen, General Manager, River Point Farms
• Felice Arboisiere, Director of Food Safety – Supply Chain, Dole Fresh Vegetables

Moderator: 

Speakers:

• Samir Assar, Director, Division of Produce Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
• Mike Mahovic, Fresh Produce Branch Chief, Division of Produce Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
• Joy Johanson, Consumer Safety Officer, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
• Autumn Kraft, Biologist, Fresh Produce Branch Division of Produce Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA
• Alex DaSilva, Senior Parasitology Advisor, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA

Additional Speakers to Be Announced!

International Trade Forum

Independence A (Level 5B)

Industry executives and government leaders will gather at the International Trade Forum to discuss global markets, solutions to trade barriers, and the impact of shifting government trade policies to better serve consumers and producers. From negotiations in the Indo-Pacific, to Western Hemispheric trade, take a deep dive into the future of trade in the fresh produce and floral industry. With trade issues challenging the fresh industry around the world, don't miss this current global state of play.

8:00AM - 9:00AM

Breakfast Session – The Past and Future Direction of U.S. Trade Policy
Ever since the founding of the United States, the country’s economic strength has come from its exports, particularly agricultural exports. Through the years, U.S. trade policy has zigzagged - at times as protectionist, other times by opening doors through trade agreements. Over the past three Administrations the swings in trade policy have been significant – from market-opening negotiations of the TransPacific Partnership – to trade wars with some of our largest trading partners. But are the trade policies of the two major political parties very different from each other? Attendees will discuss an overview of U.S. trade policy over the past decade, and examine where it is heading in the future.

Moderator

• Brian Kuehl, Executive Director, Farmers for Free Trade

Speaker

 

9:00AM - 9:45AM

General Session – Views from Congress on U.S. Trade Policy
Congress has the constitutional authority over U.S. trade policy, although certain actions are delegated to the Executive Branch. Hear congressional leaders discuss trade priorities for Congress and what can be achieved in the near term, from the Indo-Pacific to Taiwan to the Generalized System of Preferences.

Introduction

 

Moderator

 

Speakers

 

9:45AM - 10:00AM

Break

10:00AM - 10:45AM

Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Breakout One: Forecasting Fresh Market Opportunities Export Commodity Outlook, Independence BC (Level 5B)
Leaders from top US exporters of fruit and vegetable commodities will discuss current export market conditions, potential new market opportunities and barriers that need to be addressed to expand exports of US fresh produce products.

Moderator

 

Speakers

 

 

 

Breakout Two: Embassy Report, Independence DE (Level 5B)
Hear directly from Embassy officials of countries that are important partners with the United States on the key issues and opportunities for fresh produce and floral trade.

Moderator

 

Speakers

 

 

 

 

10:45AM - 11:00AM

Break

11:00AM - 12:00PM

Barriers to Trade and Current Trade Negotiations, Independence A (Level 5B)
As the U.S. produce industry works to expand its exports, tariff and non-tariff barriers continue to thwart meaningful progress. Whether the barriers relate to pesticide residues, packaging, tariffs or other import restrictions, our panel will highlight how the U.S. government and industry are working to open up markets.

Moderator

 

Speakers

 

 

• Andrew Stephens
  Senior Policy Advisor, Processed Products, Trade Policy and Geographic Affairs, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

12:00PM - 12:30PM

Closing Convening Session – Key Take aways

Independence A (Level 5B)

We will close the forum with an in-depth discussion on lessons learned, action items, and key takeaways related to expanding market access, increasing export opportunities, and demanding action from our elected leaders and administration officials.

Moderator

Speakers

 

 

• Brian Kuehl, Executive Director, Farmers for Free Trade