The Southeast Produce Council announced this year’s STEP-UPP and STARS classes, which continue to speak to the SEPC’s three key pillars of networking, education and community.

STEP-UPP, which stands for Southeast Training Education Program for Upcoming Produce Professionals, is in its sixth year of selecting produce industry entry- to middle-level managers for continued education. This year, 12 produce industry applicants have been selected for the program based on leadership experience, interest in the fresh produce industry and having an active membership in the SEPC.

The STEP-UPP class will meet four times throughout the year to encourage discussion and shared education on the topics of strategic planning and partnerships; leadership and networking; and field experience that gives students an understand of how to effectively partner with growers. The class will kick off the semester at Southern Exposure in Hollywood, FL, this March. It will meet for the first onsite tour in April in southern Georgia to tour the SEPC member farms of Shuman Produce, Herndon Farms, Bland Farms, as well as tour the Vidalia Onion Committee. The group will also be provided with the experience of touring the Paul Anderson Youth Home, one of the SEPC’s core community outreach beneficiaries. The class will meet again over the summer for another field tour and classroom time and have its final meeting and graduation at Southern Innovations Symposium Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Williamsburg, VA.

This year’s selected STEP-UPP class participants are Josh Rector of HARPS, Clark Roper of Piggly Wiggly, Eddie Riviera of Fresh Point, Robert Sabo of Florida Food Science, Lorena Lemus of MDI, Patrick Eisinger of Lowe’s Foods, James Coleman of Rouses, Ryan Ellison of Food City, Sean Hart of Kroger, Paul Williams of Associated Wholesale Grocers, Jill Marshall of Walmart and Matthew Forbes of Southeastern Grocers.

In addition to the new STEP-UPP class, the SEPC is proud to introduce the 2016 STARS, which stands for Southeast Top Agricultural Recruits Scholarship. STARS is the SEPC’s scholarship program available to outstanding college upperclassmen studying agriculture-related fields. Candidates must have a GPA of 3.2 or higher and attend one of the Southeastern land-grant universities that partners with the SEPC, which include the University of Georgia, Clemson University, University of Florida, North Carolina State University and Louisiana State University.

This year’s STARS scholarship recipients (two from each university) will receive a $2,500 scholarship to help them complete their studies and prepare them for their industry careers. Additionally, they will attend the SEPC’s Southern Exposure Conference and Expo, where they will be escorted by volunteer members of the SEPC to meet produce industry growers, shippers, retailers and foodservice distributors. As an added benefit, STARS students’ resumes are available at seproducecouncil.com/stars for any SEPC members interested in hiring fresh industry talent. Attendees can stop by the registration desk at the conference to make an appointment with any of the STARS students.

The following is a list of 2016 STARS scholarship recipients: Courtney Jackson of University of Georgia (agricultural communications), Madison Hickey of University of Georgia (agricultural communications), Will Dezern of University of Florida (plant science), Eric J. Zunica of University of Florida (plant science), Jacob Barnes of Clemson University (agricultural education), McCauley Frierson of Clemson University (agricultural business), Daisy Anne Alberson of North Carolina State (plant biology), Mitchell Austin Wrenn of North Carolina State (agricultural business), Bayleigh Roussel of Louisiana State University (plant and soil systems) and Andrew Barocco of Louisiana State University (environmental horticulture).

To find out more about the Southeast Produce Council’s STEP-UPP and STARS programs and the members of the 2016 classes, visit seproducecouncil.com.