Fruit, veggie issues unite under CPMA

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

Whether it’s a Valley apple or a California strawberry, anyone in North America that has anything to do with fruit and vegetable growing, packing, shipping and marketing has something in common.

Beth Pattillo of Greenwich is the past chairwoman of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. She spoke on her experience at the Nova Scotia Fruitgrowers’ Association conference January 27 in her own community - a far cry from the 180 days she spent away from home in just her year’s term. “I was across Canada three times, to Florida, California, Germany, Italy and more times than I can count to Ottawa and Toronto,” she said. “What stood out were the people and the commonality of issues, whether it was a grower in California, B.C. or Quebec. No matter where we went, it was human resources, labour, environmental sustainability, access to capital - and weather was always a constant topic of conversation!”

The CPMA aims to bring issues “from farm gate to dinner plate” under one association, where growers, buyers and sellers can talk about everything from government trade relations to health and nutrition to efficiency technologies that affect their $8 billion in annual Canadian sales.

Pattillo joined the group as a director in 1998, and became the chairwoman in May 2008. She finished in May 2009, but continues to work on a number of projects and committees.

Recent work includes revising the “5 to 10 a day” campaign: “consumers felt really guilt when they don’t reach that target” of fruit and vegetable servings, she said. A rebranded “Mix it Up” campaign launches March 1, with ways to help people include fruits and veggies in all their meals and snacks.

The association has also introduced “Freggie Fridays” at some Ontario schools, with hands-on educational programs that tie to curriculum - and also gets kids eating more fruits and veggies. Freggie himself has a broccoli head and “kids really like him,” Pattillo says, and the program could expand across the country.

There were low points: the economic recession hit importers and other association members, and the H1N1 outbreak in Mexico, which then spread worldwide, hit three weeks before the association’s convention - anticipating major Mexican representation. “It was an incredible experience and I learned a great deal.”

Pattillo urged Nova Scotians in the industry to follow the CPMA’s work, and get involved in opportunities as they can.