Each fall, Almond Board of California (ABC) staff participate in the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference. The conference includes educational sessions on issues such as safety, quality, labor and immigration, and hosts visits with congressional members and staffs to share information about the fresh produce and nut industries.
New this year, a Global Trade Forum offered a host of trade policy sessions beginning with a presentation by Ted McKinney, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs for USDA. Among other topics, McKinney discussed the many trade agreements currently under consideration.
Other speakers included Gregg Doud, Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative; Congressmen Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL); and Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND). Sessions included discussions on a new immigration bill that could meet agriculture’s needs, the 2018 Farm Bill and the potential of a national foodborne disease investigation board like the National Transportation Safety Board.
One conference highlight was the Fresh Festival on Capitol Hill. ABC joined several United Fresh members in sponsoring the event. Hundreds of congressional members and staffs attended the festival, where they tasted and learned about the many available product samples. Attendees enjoyed California almond snack packs, citing healthy snacking as the reason they love almonds.
Separately, ABC participated in the inaugural Agriculture Promotion Groups’ Educational Showcase, sponsored by USDA to educate congressional members, staffs and USDA employees. This event focused on how commodity research and promotion boards, and marketing order boards, invest industry dollars to maintain and create markets, conduct research and build a vibrant ag industry.
ABC staff highlighted the California Almond Sustainability Program as one of the innovative ways the Marketing Order engages with growers and handlers to ensure almonds remain an economically, environmentally and socially responsible crop for California.
Events like these are an important piece of the Almond Board’s government affairs program as they help build relationships with key stakeholders and increase awareness of the significance of the California almond industry.
