United Fresh Appoints Sustainability VP

SN STAFF

WASHINGTON — United Fresh Produce Association said Monday that Burleson Smith, former director of pest management policy at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will join UFPA as vice president, environmental affairs and sustainability.

He will lead the United Fresh Foundation’s Center for Global Produce Sustainability, which was established in 2009 through a founding grant from Bayer CropScience. Working with the center’s advisory board, Smith will develop programs linking the produce supply chain from farm to consumer to advance environmental responsibility, social acceptability and economic viability of the fresh produce industry.

“Fruit and vegetable growers are the original sustainability experts, with their commitment to maintaining the health of their land while producing wonderfully nutritious fruits and vegetables for the local, national and global community,” said Tom Stenzel, president and chief executive officer, United Fresh. “Burleson will play an integral role in helping our growers and the entire fresh produce supply chain in communicating their story, and enhancing sustainability measures in all we do.”

During his 2002-2009 tenure at USDA as an appointee in the George W. Bush administration, Smith maintained a large portfolio of responsibilities, including advising the deputy secretary on pesticide and environmental policy, serving as agricultural liaison with the Environmental Protection Agency and providing agricultural expertise to other government agencies on environmental issues. Most recently, Smith was a principal with the Policy Navigation Group, providing consulting services on natural resource and environmental issues.

From 2001-2002, Smith was sales manager for the Eastern United States for Kemira Agro, a global manufacturer of specialty fertilizer products. From 1992-2001, he held several positions in product development and crop strategy with American Cyanamid Co. and subsequently BASF after its purchase of the company. Previously, he was a Congressional Science Fellow with the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, and worked with the National Fertilizer Solutions Association from 1984-1991.