BrightFarms President Offers a Voice on Capitol Hill for the Greenhouse Vegetable Industry

Posted by Brian Sparks|July 18, 2020

Paul Lightfoot, BrightFarms

The greenhouse leafy greens industry has new representation on Capitol Hill. This week, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue appointed Paul Lightfoot, President and Founder of BrightFarms, to USDA’s Fruit & Vegetable Advisory Committee. The committee advises the Secretary of Agriculture on issues affecting the fruit and vegetable industry, and membership is comprised of key leaders from the produce industry, including growers, shippers, retailers, and processors.

Lightfoot is the first representative from the rapidly growing local, indoor leafy greens industry to join the committee.

“I am pleased to join the committee and to advise Secretary Perdue on matters related to the fruit and vegetable industry,” Lightfoot says. “Safe, sustainable, and nutritious fruits and vegetables are critical to our nation. I look forward to working with other members on important issues like supply chain resilience, climate change, and food safety.”

Lightfoot leads BrightFarms on its mission to provide supermarkets with the freshest, tastiest, and most responsibly grown local produce. In addition to this new role, Lightfoot also sits on the board of the United Fresh Produce Association and is the Founder and Chairman of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Food Safety Coalition.