Tom Stenzel, President & CEO of United Fresh Produce Assn.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Tom Stenzel, President and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association. In this week’s interview Stenzel identifies the top threat to the fruit and vegetable industry and how a shift in cabinet jurisdiction will still not resolve the matter. Stenzel welcomes a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement but strongly opposes a 20 percent tax on Mexican imports to pay for a wall between the two countries. Stenzel says the produce industry supports the Food Safety Modernization Act but hopes the Trump administration can bring relief to the burdensome regulations imposed during its implementation. Stenzel says research and nutrition are two areas they’ll watch closely during discussion the 2018 farm bill.