In this month’s profile on the Produce Marketing Association, the US trade association for fruit and vegetables, a webinar organised by PMA to address new US dietary guidelines has attracted a strong list of participants, and you are invited to join them

US government, public relations and industry experts will be on hand on Tuesday, June 28 from 11:00am to 12:30pm EDT, when the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) offers a Fresh Produce Academy Webinar entitled “Taste, Convenience, Profits: Marketing the New Dietary Guidelines to Increase Produce Consumption.”

The Webinar will explore the marketing potential of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans released earlier this year by the US Department of Agriculture. The updated dietary guidelines strongly emphasise consumers increase their daily intake of fruits and vegetables.

PMA president Bryan Silbermann believes that with the release of the guidelines, together with the new MyPyramid system, fresh produce marketers have a wealth of federally recommended tools that will help to increase fruit and vegetable sales.

“The Dietary Guidelines present a tremendous opportunity for our industry to reach out to consumers and help them make more healthful decisions on the foods they eat each day. The taste, nutrition, and convenience of our products make them the power players in the fight against obesity, and it’s up to us to get the word out and make these guidelines a reality in the American diet,” Silbermann said.

The PMA Webinar enables retailers, foodservice operators, grower-shippers, and distributors to hear directly from the experts on incorporating the guidelines into marketing programs. Speaking during the event are:

• Steve Christensen, deputy administrator for Special Nutrition Programs, Food and Nutrition Service-USDA. As a USDA insider, Christensen will share how the guidelines were developed, what they mean for consumers, and the USDA’s goals and expectations.

• Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, will provide an overview of the Foundation’s plans to build on these guidelines with a new produce industry initiative.

• Mary Christ-Erwin, Porter-Novelli Public Relations will offer practical public relations solutions specific to fresh produce.

• Bryan Silbermann, who, in addition to moderating the Webinar, Silbermann will share how PMA will actively promote taste and convenience messages related to the guidelines.

The Webinar will conclude with an interactive question-and-answer session that will address industry challenges in marketing the guidelines.

Registration fees for this event are $199 for PMA members and $398 for non-members. To register or to receive more details, visit the PMA website.

HUBBARD’S HERE TO TALK

The PMA has hired career journalist and media relations specialist Tom Hubbard as its director of public relations and promoted Lee Mannering, PMA’s long-time media coordinator, to the new position of government relations manager.

PMA president Bryan Silbermann said: “The enhanced staffing is a direct result of extensive market and member research that identified the need to add staff resources in the areas of public relations and government relations to more effectively serve our members and the trade press.”

Hubbard, with 17 years of journalism experience, joins PMA following nine years of specialising in government media and marketing relations. Previously he was on the news staff of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Philadelphia/Wilmington affiliate, WHYY Inc.

Prior to becoming PMA’s government relations manager, Mannering served in PMA’s communications department in a variety of roles for 10 years. Working under the general direction of PMA vice president of government relations Kathy Means, Mannering will be responsible for helping to create and implement effective and strategic government relations initiatives for PMA; providing member resources on government relations; managing government relations content on the PMA website; and monitoring new developments in legislative and regulatory affairs that affect the produce industry.