WASHINGTON, DC - Continuing to set sustainability as one of its primary focuses, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is constantly developing new resources, education, advocacy, and opportunities for the fresh industry to engage on a variety of important issues.

“Sustainability is a subject where association members and industry have had significant conversations on issues like sustainability values across the supply chain, financial constraints, and the need for education and collaborative work, with IFPA Vice President of Sustainability Tamara Muruetagoiena serving as a valuable resource,” shared IFPA A-NZ Managing Director Ben Hoodless following the recent Hort Connections Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

During a Hort Connections plenary session, Muruetagoiena discussed the various influences on sustainability in the global fresh produce and floral community, a release explained.

IFPA founded the Alliance for the Sustainable Packaging for Food to engage with regulators, governments, researchers, and civil society organizations to ensure regulations achieve environmental sustainability without compromising food safety and product quality, and without increasing the industry’s carbon footprint.

“What’s interesting is that consumers’ concerns about the environmental impact of packaging are spread almost equally among a number of factors, ranging from air and water pollution to deforestation to marine litter,” Muruetagoiena stated. “Our goal is to continue to use the best science and innovation to create solutions that improve the environmental performance of plastics, increase recyclability and compostability, and discover efficiencies within the system for reusable packaging.”

Muruetagoiena also reflected on IFPA’s participation in COP28 in late 2023, where agriculture was included for the first time in the United Nations’ climate plans.

“Regenerative agriculture is one sustainability practice that has garnered the attention of both retailers and consumers. Two-thirds of shoppers told us they are very or somewhat interested in this method,” Muruetagoiena added. “Whether it’s through no-till or reduced-till cultivation, the use of cover crops and crop rotation, drip irrigation, or integrated pest management practices, there’s been a growing public interest in how we grow the most nutritious food on the planet but also how we take care of the planet in doing so.”

The IFPA VP also weighed in on current consumer expectations, stating that “Multiple studies show that the health of the planet is one of the top important and top sustainability-related concerns in food and beverage for consumers globally; however, there is confusion about eco-friendliness in terms of labeling and packaging.”

The IFPA will host Sustainability Summits in Melbourne, Australia, on August 13 and Auckland, New Zealand on August 15.

“By increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, we can not only improve global health, but we can also decrease the environmental footprint of our diets. Members and industry can look to IFPA to establish best practices and guidance to the fresh produce industry specific to sustainable agriculture as we seek to grow a healthier world,” Muruetagoiena concluded.

To read more about the increasing momentum behind IFPA’s sustainability initiatives, click here.