RIO RICO, AZ — “Everybody has got to come to the FPAA convention,” Matt Mandel, chairman of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, said. FPAA’s 47th Annual Produce Convention & Golf Tournament will be held Nov. 5-7 at the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, in Tubac, AZ. The elegant, scenic and historic resort is located between Tucson and Nogales along Interstate 19.

Mandel’s sales pitch continued. “The networking opportunities are outstanding” at the November event. “This is the one time of year that you are guaranteed to see everybody who is anybody in town. If you play golf, it’s great golf. The weather should be perfect.”

Sitting in his Rio Rico, AZ, office at SunFed Produce LLC, where he is chief operating officer, Matt Mandel invited the produce industry to attend the Nov. 5-7 FPAA convention in nearby Tubac, AZ. Mandel is the chairman of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas. (Photo by Tad Thompson)Mandel described FPAA as “the premiere association when it comes to the fruit and vegetable business in Mexico. Our membership is a real ‘Who’s Who’ of U.S.-based companies that deal with Mexican agriculture.” Leading Mexican growers and supply companies are also active FPAA members. “We represent some of the most admired people in the industry.”

FPAA is headquartered in Nogales, AZ, where it was founded in 1944.

When he is not volunteering to help his industry, Mandel is the chief operating officer of SunFed Produce LLC, based in Rio Rico.

Mandel said the professional FPAA staff takes advantage of an active membership that provides expertise in many fields relating to numerous issues addressed by the association. “We always have someone that is a master of an issue who will share knowledge to bring up the industry as a whole. Our members are competitors but they are all willing to improve the produce industry as a whole.”

Mandel was not traveling this fall as other FPAA representatives traveled to Washington, DC, to take part in the late September Washington Policy Conference of the United Fresh Association. Mandel’s wife, Riisa Mandel, was expecting the couple’s first child on Oct. 12. So, the dutiful father-to-be did not travel to Washington, nor will he appear at the PMA Fresh Summit Oct. 22-24. “The baby is expected to be late, so it looks like its birthday will always fall around PMA,” Mandel sighed.

But, those representing Arizona in Washington in fall “assured that our national leaders understand the issues and why they are important to the state and the country. Nogales is a small town but plays a very, very large role in feeding the country.” The association’s work, then, “boils down to food security for our country.”

Mandel emphasized that FPAA works daily to assure smooth trade in receiving Mexican produce while also complying with all state and federal regulations.

Among many other projects, “We are trying to find ways so inspections at the border crossings are no more onerous than they need to be. We work with all the agencies to accomplish those goals.”

Mandel observed, “A lot of people wonder what goes on here,” in Nogales. “We are asking people to come see for themselves. There are not too many shy people in this business. We are happy to have visitors.”