WASHINGTON, D.C. – In verbal testimony delivered today to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, International Fresh Produce Association CEO Cathy Burns called on Congress to take bold, evidence-based action to increase Americans’ consumption of U.S.-grown fruits and vegetables—describing it as both a public health imperative and a powerful economic opportunity for American farmers.
In her remarks, Burns emphasized that despite overwhelming scientific consensus on the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, 90% of Americans still do not eat the recommended amount, contributing to rising rates of chronic disease and escalating health care costs.
“The science is clear: eating more fruits and vegetables is one of the most effective ways to improve health, prevent chronic disease, and reduce health care costs,” said Burns. “Yet today, nine out of ten Americans fall short. We can—and must—do better.”
She underscored that increasing fresh produce consumption is not only about nutrition and access to healthful food, but also about strengthening domestic markets and economic resilience for U.S. growers, who support more than two million American jobs and contribute more than $335 billion to the national economy.
“When we strengthen produce consumption, we strengthen American farmers,” Burns said. “This is a chance to improve public health while creating economic opportunity across rural communities.”
She noted that Congress already has powerful tools to help make fruits and vegetables more accessible and affordable for families—particularly through federal nutrition programs. She urged lawmakers to fully leverage these programs to close the consumption gap. Specifically, Burns called on Congress to:
- Continue to fully fund the WIC fruit and vegetable benefit and expand online redemption
- Strengthen produce incentives within SNAP
- Ensure school meals include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Expand the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to reach more elementary schools
- Modernize USDA procurement to reflect nutritional value—not just lowest cost—and increase access to U.S.-grown produce
Burns also pointed to the potential of health-focused policies, including embedding produce prescriptions as a standard benefit across federal health programs and allowing Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts to be used for fruits and vegetables.
“These are common-sense solutions that help families eat healthier while reducing long-term health care costs,” Burns said. “They work—and they deserve broader adoption.”
While boosting demand is critical, Burns emphasized that Congress must also ensure U.S. fruit and vegetable production remains economically viable so growers can meet that demand, noting that growers face rising input costs, labor shortages, regulatory pressure, and increasing natural disasters—and that the U.S. has lost more than 230,000 farms over the past two decades.
“America’s produce growers are ready to meet growing demand,” Burns said. “But they cannot do it alone. Strategic investment is essential to keep U.S. fruit and vegetable production competitive and resilient.” Such continued investments include specialty crop research, technical assistance, risk management, conservation programs, and a coordinated national approach to produce packaging that balances sustainability, food safety, shelf life, and affordability.
She also underscored the importance of a strong, modern food safety system, including sustained funding for FDA’s Human Foods Program, consistent implementation of the traceability rule, and reliable support for state food safety programs.
“Congress has a vital role to play in ensuring every American has access to fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables,” Burns said. “With the right policies, we can improve health outcomes while strengthening U.S. agriculture and rural economies. IFPA and our members stand ready to collaborate with Congress bring our policy priorities from the corridors of Congress to the farms and fields of our country.”
