\n
<\/p>\n
The International Fresh Produce Association<\/a> (IFPA) on Wednesday released its formal policy position<\/a> on Extended Producer Responsibility<\/a> (EPR) laws affecting fresh produce packaging, urging federal and state policymakers to design EPR programs that account for the critical role packaging plays in preventing food waste, ensuring compliance with federal food safety regulations, and maintaining consumer access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe release comes as the regulatory landscape intensifies,\u201d IFPA said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Colorado producers began paying EPR fees in January 2026. Maine required registration and reporting by May 2026. Washington\u2019s mandatory Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) deadline arrives in July 2026. California\u2019s $500 million annual environmental mitigation fee program is set to begin in 2027, with a mandate that all packaging in the state be 100% recyclable or compostable by 2030. Seven U.S. states have passed EPR for packaging legislation, and 15 more have introduced similar bills since the start of 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFresh produce packaging is not discretionary. It is an essential tool for preventing food loss, meeting federal food safety requirements, and getting nutritious food to consumers,\u201d said Dr. Max Teplitski, IFPA chief science officer. \u201cEPR programs must be designed with these realities in mind, or they risk driving up costs, increasing food waste, and undermining the food security goals we all share.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n IFPA\u2019s position paper details how fresh produce supply chains operate on thin margins with highly perishable products, making packaging decisions fundamentally different from those in other consumer goods sectors. Packaging in the produce industry serves multiple critical functions: preserving and extending shelf life, preventing bruising, enabling traceability, ensuring compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and other federal regulations, and communicating essential information for dietary, cultural, and regulatory requirements including organic, Kosher, halal, and bioengineered food disclosures.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEPR fees and packaging mandates that ignore these realities could increase food loss and waste, disrupt domestic food distribution networks, and raise prices for consumers \u2014 including those in communities already facing limited access to fresh produce,\u201d IFPA says. \u201cEPR costs do not disappear; they migrate through the supply chain, ultimately landing at the retail shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n IFPA\u2019s position identifies seven areas where EPR policy must be strengthened:\u00a0<\/p>\nWhy Fresh Produce Is Uniquely Affected<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Key Policy Principles<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
What Produce Businesses Should Do Now\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n