Failure Is Not an Option for the Fresh Produce Industry
As sudden policy shifts threaten global supply chains, the fresh produce industry must come together to protect the world’s food security.
By Patrick McCullough, CEO @ ProducePay
In a world with a growing population, one thing remains certain: people need food. Not just any food — nutritious, fresh, and sustainably grown food. That’s what the fresh produce industry delivers every single day, against all odds. We are not just participants in the global supply chain—we are essential.
However, this same fresh produce industry has always operated on the edge. We’re at the mercy of inclement weather, market swings, and global supply chain disruptions. Now, we’re facing a new wave of uncertainty: a geopolitical shift that is unwinding decades of stable global trade policy that our industry has long depended on. Volatility is nothing new to us. But in this industry, failure is not an option. We don’t have the luxury of walking away or waiting it out. We have no choice but to show up and find a way forward. Because in the end, this isn’t just about economics—it’s about something much bigger.
The situation we’re facing today is not unfamiliar. We saw it just a few years ago, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When global supply chains experienced massive disruptions, fresh produce endured. Today, we must tap into that same spirit.
We can’t afford to focus solely on margins or short-term profits, we must show a united front and act as one ecosystem to protect not just our businesses, but our collective ability to feed people in a reliable, sustainable way. Growers working with shippers. Distributors working with retailers. Global businesses coordinating to keep food moving.
Together, as an industry we can tap into each other’s strengths: technology, capacity, capital, relationships, and resilience. Our products don’t recognize borders. Neither should our collaboration.
At ProducePay, we believe deeply in the power of this industry—not just to weather storms, but to lead. That means investing in partnerships, enabling transparency, creating stability, and fostering trust. Building predictable, resilient supply chains also means ensuring that families have access to the fresh food they need.
Let the current moment serve as a reminder not of how fragile we are, but the great role and responsibility we have to feed the world sustainably. And we do it not because it’s easy, but because it’s necessary.