November 4, 2021
On behalf of North America’s fresh produce industry, we are calling for urgent government action to
address significant ongoing supply chain disruptions with impacts to our food systems, economies, and
ultimately individuals and families across the continent and around the globe.
The COVID-19 global pandemic has created unprecedented public health, economic, and logistical
challenges for communities and supply chains around the world. The fresh fruit and vegetable industry
has been no exception. From the seed to the dinner plate, our sector has continued to work daily to find
solutions to mitigate the impact of the outbreak and ensure consumers continue to have access to our
safe, healthy and nutritious products.
Almost two years since the start of the pandemic, substantial increases in costs and delays along the
supply chain threaten our food security and the long-term economic viability of the North American
fresh produce sector. It is important to note that these costs cannot be fully borne by the industry and
will ultimately be passed to consumers. Sadly, these increases, which are already being felt by the end
consumer are likely to escalate, affecting most those who can least afford it.