Meet the Produce Marketing Association

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Hi everyone!  So I’m slowly catching up from my amazing, yet very busy week in Washington, DC.  As previously mentioned, the purpose of this trip was to further solidify the relationship between The Produce Mom & the produce industry’s most influential organizations.

I’d like to introduce you to an organization that helps me be the best voice & advocate possible for this industry: the Produce Marketing Association.

Everyone in the know calls Produce Marketing Association the PMA – you’re a Produce Mom so you’re in the know.  It’s PMA.  Now, the PMA is an organization that is supported by its members.  As an employee of Indianapolis Fruit Company, I’m a proud member of the PMA.  And the PMA takes pride in the following:

  • VALUES: Character, Community, Courage
  • MISSION: To connect, to inform, and to deliver business solutions that enhance members’ prosperity
  • VISION: PMA will strengthen & lead the global produce community

Produce Marketing Association An industry marketer who has the opportunity to present & speak to the PMA must exhibit the values of Courage, Character & Community. These pillars are the foundation of the Produce Marketing Association. It’s a true honor to have the opportunity to address this organization & work hand-in-hand with their professionals.

Meet the Produce Marketing AssociationRemember the recent big announcement at the White House?

Produce Marketing AssociationThe PMA was there. They will be helping Sesame Street work with the Fresh Produce Industry to encourage children to eat more fruits & vegetables!

 

With the leadership of the PMA, our industry has come together & embraced a unified marketing platform and campaign: #FreshFoodRevolution.

I have a lot of passion about what’s happening right now in this industry & I know that the Find Your Favorite campaign is a good fit for the Fresh Food Revolution platform, as well as the Sesame Street Partnership.  It’s exhilarating to have a validated program in place that could in fact enhance the efforts of our entire global organization as we join forces & promote #FreshFoodRevolution.  We’re all in this together – and the PMA is a team captain!

I obviously love my job.  I want everyone who reads The Produce Mom to understand 1 thing: I do not believe the opportunities that have come my way as a young professional would have come my way in any other industry.  This industry is innovative, honest & cultural.  They took a risk with me.  They tuned in & paid attention as I started tapping away at the keys on my free wordpress template website 21 months ago.  They saw the opportunity and just as us moms often credit the village when we raise our kids… I’m going to credit the produce industry as I build this brand.

Produce Marketing AssociationThe PMA Foundation is dedicated to attracting, developing & retaining talent for the global produce and floral industry.

 

The produce industry does include farmers, but this industry employs many interest groups: we have marketers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, philanthropists, lobbyists, economists, politicians, laborers, sales professionals, educators and much much more…  Every country, everywhere, is farming – either for sustainability or trade.  If you want to learn about global business, simply lean in to our industry.  Learn more about the opportunities that exist in the wonderful world of fruits & veggies.  Our products aren’t going anywhere.  They will never be obsolete or uninteresting to consumers.  People need our product and our industry needs young professionals like me who want an exhilarating career.  I’ll be honest, it’s not for everyone – working in fresh produce is a lot of work.  We represent a highly perishable product that is subject to market availability.  You think you don’t have enough days off?  Talk to a farmer.  Now I’m right where I belong as a marketer, but the game never really stops so the players don’t either.  And I love it.  I love this career.  I love that I work in an industry that brings memories into homes across the world & helps people live a longer, healthier life.  That banana you sliced on top your cereal yesterday morning?  Yep.  We did that.  The joy in your child when you picked apples or pumpkins together this fall?  We did that too.  The raw juice that cancer patients across the world crave & need?  Yes.  That’s us.

We are a vast, mighty industry.  We need influential organizations like the Produce Marketing Association to unify us all & serve as one of our leaders.  It was a sincere pleasure & honor to meet the staff of the PMA.  They do SO MUCH for me.  I look forward to doing more WITH them.

“Let’s Grow!”

xoxo Produce Mom

About Lori

Lori Taylor is the Founder & CEO of The Produce Moms. For ten years she sold fresh produce to over 300 grocery stores throughout the United States, and today she is fully focused on working with the produce supply chain, media, and government to increase fresh produce access & consumption in the US and around the globe. Connect with Lori on LinkedIn.

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