WASHINGTON, DC & NEWARK, DE - Industry members gathered in Berlin earlier this week for the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Executive Leadership Summit held in conjunction with Fruit Logistica. There, Director of Sustainability Tamara Muruetagoiena brought a global perspective on sustainability in produce to the table.

“Sustainability is like the wind, you may not see it, but it’s moving and changing the world around us all the time,” said Muruetagoiena. “Sustainability is a part of IFPA’s DNA, especially because it’s so central to the way we work along every step of the supply chain. Our industry has pioneered sustainable practices for a long time because, in many cases, this is the best way to farm. The more we share our successes and the benefits of climate smart practices, the greater the potential for new solutions to some of the greatest challenges that lay ahead.”

Muruetagoiena spoke to attendees of the Executive Leadership Summit on February 7, highlighting some of the trends across the supply chain. Attendees also heard from experts on the state of the economy, consumer trends, and more.

“While Europe is known for pioneering much of the sustainability practices due to pressure from regulatory partners and policymakers,” said Muruetagoiena. “Other countries, including the U.S. are not far behind, but may be driven by pressures from other sources, like retail, who are responding to rising consumer interests in the area. Regardless of the reason or the region, our members are passionate about sustainability and aware that it’s become a part of doing business in today’s world.”

Muruetagoiena mentioned there are a number of hot topics in the field of sustainability, especially as the topic continues to stay top of mind in the media, a release stated. Examples of these topics include:

• Packaging: Sustainability work is as much about helping the industry leverage opportunities and build partnerships as educating legislators about what the industry is doing
• Climate change and questions of carbon: Carbon farming is one of the great opportunities for produce
• Biodiversity: Genetic diversity is necessary to improve crop resiliency against pests and environmental changes

Stay tuned as we continue to cover the latest in the industry.

International Fresh Produce Association