Information Resource Center: Benefits to Your Business

Why deal with the hassle and cost of tracking down information on your own? The Information Resource Center (IRC) will do it for you — fast and free of charge! Here are the many other ways you'll benefit from this valuable member service:

• Save time — We respond to your request in 24 hours, and can often give you an answer right over the phone when you call.
• Save money — IRC services are free of charge to all employees of PMA member companies.
• Enjoy unlimited access — As a PMA member, every one of your employees is welcome to call the IRC with questions. And whether you call once a year or once a day, we're standing by, ready to help.
• Get all you need from a single source — Instead of wasting time tracking down information from different sources, make just one call to the IRC for all the information you need.
• Reliable resource — The IRC prides itself on providing information that is accurate, timely, and comprehensive. We use only proven information resources, including:
  
  •Industry trade articles and publications
  •Research reports
  •Industry fact sheets
  •Government publications
  •Consumer research firms
  •White papers
  •Commercial databases
  •And more!
  

"The PMA Information Resource Center has long been a great resource for the latest as well as historic articles on a specific subject. I know when I e-mail the IRC in the morning, I'll have the bibliography and articles by fax within a day. This equips me to quickly come up to speed with the trends on a subject so that I can fine-tune my interview questions, elicit the best responses from interviewees, and then write a dynamic article."
      - Carol Bareuther, R.D., Produce Business Magazine

Services

PMA's Information Resource Center (IRC) offers a variety of services — from fact sheets and research reports to business contact lists and more. Much of the information we provide is customized to your specific requirements, so you always get exactly what you need!

• Fact sheets — More than 25 informative fact sheets reviewing industry statistics, trends, and issues are available through the IRC.
• Hard-to-find information — The IRC subscribes to several fee-based commercial and government databases, giving you access to these valuable resources free of charge.
• PMA's Advantage Program — Market Research, Food Safety Alerts, Nutrition Labels, and Scan Data, PMA Advantage Program offers members discounted access to these critical business services.
• Company contact information — When you're not sure who to call, call the IRC. We can provide you with a list of vendors, suppliers, or buyers along with contact names at each company.
• White papers — We read and maintain copies of white papers on key industry issues, so you'll always have access to the most in-depth information available.
• Information audits — Each IRC information audit lists numerous resources available for top industry issues. These resources include fact sheets, publications, articles, web sites, legislative initiatives, workshops, white papers, global & domestic resources, PMA products, as well as a PMA contact who can provide further expert information on the subject.
• Product recommendations — PMA offers a variety of products, such as manuals, guides, and posters that can be used to improve the way you do business. We'll be sure to let you know which ones best match your needs.