Produce Marketing Association’s CEO Cathy Burns Updates Industry Regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19)
NEWARK, DE - At this point in time, companies and associations are coming together from all facets of the industry to aid in the well-being of fresh produce. The Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Chief Executive Officer, Cathy Burns, recently released an initial video statement to address COVID-19 concerns. On Friday, the association released another video statement from Burns, detailing PMA’s next steps as challenges continue to evolve.
She began the video noting that PMA has decided to take the following actions in light of its members’ concerns.
“We will be quickly developing consumer campaigns to drive purchases of fresh fruit, vegetables, and floral centered around the Joy of Fresh™. This includes collaborating with Dr. William Li, best-selling New York Times author of Eat to Beat Disease on upcoming media opportunities, including Good Morning America,” Burns began. “We are also creating member tools to help you tell the story of how our industry feeds the world through fresh fruits and vegetables and provides joy through fresh flowers.”
Burns went on to describe a members-only Virtual Town Hall that is scheduled for March 25 at noon Eastern Time, featuring a COVID-19 expert and breakout sessions focused on global trade, grower-shippers, supply chain, foodservice, retail, and floral. PMA is also using new tools to deliver CGT value across its Women’s and Student Programs, including virtual, online programs for women and curriculum boosts for students and faculty.
“We are repurposing our existing Floral Facebook Group and LinkedIn Fresh Ideas Marketing Community on COVID-19, home to a combined 1,100 members. We are connecting retailers with foodservice distributors and wholesalers to facilitate the supply chain as well as leveraging our industry marketing experts (members) to provide marketing advice to the industry. More details to come on this.”
In conclusion, Burns explained that PMA is continuously tracking COVID-19 impacts on trade and labor, namely the potential for border closures, the impact on seasonal worker availability, cross-border trucking, and communicating this globally.
For more information as it pertains to PMA’s actions regarding the COVID-19 virus, visit the association’s website here. Burns encourages members to sign up for the Virtual Town Hall next Wednesday as soon as possible, so click here to join in. For more updates as the industry navigates this challenging time, keep reading ANUK.
