International Fresh Produce Association Appoints New Board Chair

Elyse Lipman, CEO of Lipman Family Farms, has been appointed Chairwoman of the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Board of Directors for 2027. The announcement was made at IFPA’s Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando. She accepted her new role as IFPA Chair from 2026 Chair, Prof. Patrick Vizzone.

During the morning’s chair remarks, Lipman encouraged the entire produce industry to work and speak with one voice and fight for fresh food that’s accessible, reliable, and safe. Growing trust has been a focus for Lipman since she first became Lipman Family Farms’ CEO in late 2022.

In 2026, the focus has been a major driver of growth in operations at Lipman Family Farms. The company recently acquired Inland Premium Packers in Riverside, CA, to add essential packing capacity in one of the country’s largest produce markets. Weeks later, Lipman acquired Farm Fresh, a fresh-cut operation in Phoenix, which is helping to expand one of Lipman’s fastest-growing categories. The company also opened a new thermal-processing facility that’s brought a fire roasted and kettle cooking segment to the Lipman suite of services.

“People want fresh food they can afford, and they want to know it comes from somewhere they trust,”  Lipman says. “These aren’t complicated demands, but meeting them isn’t easy. Our job is to keep doing the hard work that makes it easy to choose, buy and enjoy healthy produce.”

IFPA CEO Cathy Burns conveyed similar sentiments during her keynote speech. “Resilience is not simply the ability to withstand pressure. It is the ability to keep growing through it—to keep learning, to keep showing up for one another and to keep choosing progress. The future of fresh will not be shaped by one company, one country, or one idea. It will be shaped by all of us.”

For more about what was said at the 2026 Global Produce & Floral Show and key themes from the IFPA State of the Industry address, visit freshproduce.com.