WASHINGTON -- United Fresh Produce Association announced in mid- September that it has hired Kam Quarles as its new vice president of government relations and legislative affairs. With the addition of Mr. Quarles, United Fresh continues to bolster its presence on Capitol Hill for the remainder of 2008 while strengthening the association's role to address the key policy issues that affect the fresh produce industry before a new administration and Congress take office in 2009. Mr. Quarles, knowledgeable in both agricultural policy and the inner workings of Congress, has served for the past four years as vice president of government affairs for the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, one of the larger national agricultural trade associations, where he represented 2 million farmers and ranchers. He previously spent four years as managing director of the Washington, DC, office for Sunkist Growers, the world's largest citrus marketing cooperative. He also worked as a congressional aide on Capitol Hill for three years. "Kam brings a tremendous amount of government affairs expertise to United Fresh, and he has a strong industry background," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in a Sept. 16 press release. "He has worked on agricultural issues in DC for many years, and he already knows many of the key decisions- makers in Congress and in the administration, which means that he will be an effective member of our government relations team immediately." "We are thrilled to have someone of Kam's stature join us at United Fresh," added Robert Guenther, United's senior vice president of public policy. "Kam will be a strong voice in Washington, DC, and a knowledgeable industry resource for our members, who want to understand the importance of our work in our nation's capital." "I'm very excited about this opportunity," Mr. Quarles said in the release. "Throughout my career, I have served both as member of United Fresh and later as an industry colleague. We have worked side by side on numerous pieces of legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry. It's with great pride that I join the strong United Fresh team." Mr. Quarles holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in international commerce and policy from George Mason University in Virginia.