Volunteer

We go farther when we go together. IFPA offers many ways to volunteer and give back to our industry – from multi-year leadership terms on councils and committees to short-term micro-volunteer opportunities that make a major impact with minimal commitment. 

We greatly value our volunteers and the knowledge, insights, and commitment they bring to IFPA and the broader industry. Annually we do a call for volunteers, and other opportunities pop up throughout the year (like the micro-volunteer opportunities below).  

Join this dedicated group to contribute to IFPA’s work to advance members’ prosperity through advocacy, connections, and guidance. Continue to check this page as we add more opportunities to engage with and give back to the industry through volunteer service. 

Market Segment Councils

Every sector of the supply chain has its own council as part of our association’s leadership, giving a strong voice to each sector in order to better ensure a united voice for the industry.

Grower-Shipper Council: The Grower-Shipper Council is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concern to growers, packers and shippers of fresh produce. Its goal is to drive a sustainable business climate for the grower-packer-shipper community that provides sufficient profitability to support reinvestment in a thriving produce industry.

Fresh-Cut Processor Council: The Fresh-Cut Processor Council is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concern to fresh-cut processors and producers of convenience produce items. Its goal is to drive innovation in delivering great-tasting and convenient fresh produce to consumers.

Wholesaler-Distributor Council: The Wholesaler-Distributor Council is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concern to wholesalers and distributors of fresh produce. Its goal is to advise on programs and resources that ensure a strong and robust produce supply chain connecting shippers and processors with retailers and foodservice operators.

Retail Council: The Retail Council is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concern to retail operators, including supermarkets, mass merchandisers, convenience stores and e-commerce. Its goal is to provide the sector with programs and resources that allow them to maximize the value and sales of fresh produce in their own channels.

Foodservice Council: The Foodservice Council is focused on the needs of the full foodservice supply chain, and to elevate fresh fruits and vegetables across all foodservice channels. The council will seek to deliver compelling and effective opportunities to engage the broader foodservice community and to lead by providing expertise to IFPA to bring forth resources and tools which will benefit the foodservice community.

Industry Expert Councils

Expert Councils provide a forum for member representatives to provide their expertise to the broader membership and industry on a variety of functional areas. Each council includes members with specific expertise in an area of importance to the association’s work.

Controlled Environment Agriculture Council: The Controlled Environment Agriculture Council is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concern to the indoor growing supply chain, including indoor greenhouse and vertical farming and their business partners. Its goal is to drive a sustainable business climate for indoor agriculture that provides sufficient profitability to support reinvestment and growth.

Finance & Business Management Council: The Finance & Business Management Council focuses on a range of business issues impacting companies within the produce industry, such as financial and strategic business planning, family business and estate transfer, financing and investment, human resources, and other critical business functions. Its goal is to provide resources and best practices for companies looking to maximize their business management effectiveness.

Food Safety Council: The Food Safety Council represents the strongest technical resource to the fresh produce industry, providing input on all significant issues affecting the industry, such as food safety, quality, microbiology, research, education, audit standards and practices, and regulation. Its goal is to drive the resources and best practices needed to bring the safest, high-quality produce most efficiently to end consumers.

Marketing & Communications Council: The Marketing & Communication Council brings together, diverse, expert volunteers to grow and champion the produce and floral industries. The council seeks experts in marketing, communications, public relations, sales, merchandising, innovation, research, and insights across the global supply chain. Its goals to collectively, help the industry increase produce and floral consumption, sales and saliency by tackling strategic issues. provide the latest information for individuals to share and leverage in their organizations and enrich professionals with resources and tools to enhance their skills, all with the goal of elevating the industry with stakeholders and consumers.

Supply Chain Council: The Supply Chain Council examines critical issues affecting the movement of products throughout the fresh supply chain, including data exchange, supply chain data standards, product identification standards, cold chain management as well as transportation and logistics. Its goal to identify challenges and opportunities in this area, and to help develop solutions and programs supporting the broader membership.

Sustainability Council: The Sustainability Council examines critical issues in the produce and floral sustainability landscape, including water, energy, asset management, packaging and social responsibility. Its goal is to drive programs and resources to enable members to understand the potential impact of these issues on their organizations and prioritize and plan for these issues in their business planning.

US Government Relations Council: The US Government Relations Council is charged with debating and recommending policy priorities. In addition, this council drives engagement in grassroots and political education activities on key legislative and regulatory industry issues.

Country Councils

Country Councils work to advance the strategies of the association in their country by helping to identify local member value needs, strengthen existing industry relationships, and engage companies and industry professionals in membership through education, networking and resources.

• Brazil Council
• Chile Council
• Mexico Council
• South Africa Council

Foundation Board of Trustees

The Foundation Board of Trustees is charged with advancing the mission of the Foundation to create a healthier world through increasing access and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. It recommends programs and initiatives for the industry in support of the Foundation’s mission.

Committees & Roundtables

Committees are directed to guide the association on key strategic initiatives that support its global mission.

Allied Association Roundtable: The Allied Association Roundtable brings together regional and commodity focused trade associations to strengthen the common voice on key issues facing the produce and floral industries.

Business Service Provider Roundtable: The Business Service Provider Roundtable provides a forum for members who support the fresh produce and floral industries to engage across the membership and association, focusing on how to best engage with fellow members and the broader industry.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee: The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee examines issues critical to promoting a diverse and inclusive fresh produce and floral industry, including access to resources and opportunities for social disadvantaged companies to engage with the supply chain, as well as providing a forum for member organizations to meet their DEI goals. The Committee would also advise on best practices to promote DEI opportunities within the fresh produce and floral career pipeline, as well as in the association and the industry.

Floral Committee: The Floral Committee is focused on the needs and issues of greatest concerns to the floral supply chain, from producer to consumer. Its goal is to provide the sector with programs and resources that maximize the sales of floral products to consumers and recommend solutions for sector business and supply chain issues.

Global Produce & Floral Show Committee: The Global Produce & Floral Show Committee brings together members across the supply chain to drive the best possible member & exhibitor experience, delivering a best in class event for the fresh produce and floral industries.

Global Development Committee: The Global Development Committee is charged with elevating association members’ and fresh produce and floral industries’ presence worldwide. Their focus includes recommending a value proposition and strategy for members, identifying opportunities for a global voice and advocacy, and identifying future markets of opportunity for the association.

Organics Committee: The Organics Committee focuses on all aspects of organic production, marketing, and policy, working to provide clear, accurate information to policy, regulatory and industry stakeholders regarding organic produce production, distribution, and merchandising. This includes engagement with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), and Congress on all new regulatory requirements or policy decisions. The committee’s goal is to lead the fresh produce industry’s voice in policy & regulatory conversations about organics, and in doing so, support the growth of the organic produce industry through increased accessibility to all consumers. 

Political Advisory Committee: Complementing the association’s strength in Government Relations and Advocacy, the Political Advisory Committee helps build the effectiveness of the association’s grassroots and advocacy efforts including identifying and cultivating political engagement with fellow industry members and delivering compelling and effective industry engagement opportunities, including The Washington Conference.

Product Identification Committee: The Product Identification Committee facilitates the development and use of global product identification standards for use within the global produce industry. The Committee Identifies and addresses supply chain efficiencies issues with product identification and work to develop best practices and guidelines for the industry.

Talent Advisory Committee: The Talent Advisory Committee is focused on ensuring the fresh produce and floral industries have access to a robust and diverse pipeline of individuals seeking to start their careers at produce and floral companies and organizations, as well as well as have the opportunity to develop and advance their future careers within the industry. Its goal is to drive activities and investment identifying the future leaders of the fresh produce and floral industries.

Women’s Fresh Perspectives Committee: The Women’s Fresh Perspectives (WFP) Committee provides input and guidance to the Women’s Fresh Perspectives portfolio of programs, which cultivate women’s potential through the leadership education, motivational speakers and opportunities to network with other industry leaders and newcomers. The Committee will champion these events and programs, provide speaker and sponsor recommendations, validate program and topic direction, and help ensure attendees feel welcome.