May 22, 2020

Virtual Town Hall by PMA to feature USDA, others from Washington

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) will host its weekly Virtual Town Hall on May 27 with a focus on upcoming and future government resources available to the industry. 

The conversation will be moderated by PMA’s Chief Science Officer, Max Teplitski and will feature Bruce Summers, administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Hunt Shipman, principal and director at Cornerstone Government Affairs.

In this special extended general session, Teplitski will moderate a discussion between both experts, covering topics including the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, updates on the HEROES Bill and more. The conversation will begin at noon Eastern and run through 12:45 p.m. Eastern when the participants will move into roundtable discussions.

Bruce Summers, as the current administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service works on policy issues and provides oversight to programs including grading of commodities, the UDA Market News Service, and the National Organic Program.  He has more than 30 years of experience with AMS, having previously served in the fruit and vegetable program area.

Hunt Shipman has decades of experience in both government and the private sector having formerly served as the Deputy Under Secretary in Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at USDA and as the staff director of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

PMA has hosted a Virtual Town Hall each Wednesday at 12pm Eastern since late March featuring speakers curated to help industry navigate the variety of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  In addition to general session speakers, roundtable discussions follow each weekly session to provide a venue for those to discuss topics and ask questions more specific to their business segment. The four roundtables include Grower/Shipper/Supply Chain/Global Trade, Floral, Foodservice, and Retail/Grocery.

Members can register here for the Virtual Town Hall: Update From Washington held on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 12 p.m. Eastern.