United Fresh Grassroots Action Network gets new look

United Fresh has launched a redesign of its Grassroots Action Network website, allowing the produce industry a more robust platform to connect with elected officials in Washington, D.C.

Open to all members of the fresh produce industry, as well as industry partners and critical stakeholders, the Grassroots Action Network website will mobilize the power of fresh produce through strategic grassroots efforts, according to United. For the remainder of 2015, United Fresh is targeting several key issues on this new platform, including urging Congress to take up drought relief legislation, protecting fresh fruits and vegetables under the reauthorization of child nutrition programs and passing longstanding highway transportation legislation that has been up for renewal since 2005.

Some of the key features of the Grassroots Action Network include:

• User-friendly Take Action Platform – Grassroots advocates will have easy access to constituent letters that can be personalized to communicate about their own business on key issues before Congress.
• In-depth election analysis – Users will have instant access to, and analysis of, key congressional races along with the presidential candidates as they move forward with their campaigns.
• Discover multiple ways to get involved – Beyond writing a letter to elected officials, grassroots advocates can discover other forums to share the power of fresh produce with their elected leaders.
• Contributing to grassroots and political advocacy – Grassroots advocates can also use the new platform to contribute directly to United Fresh’s political efforts through the United Fresh Produce Association’s FreshPAC and critical grassroots education through the Power of Fresh Fund.

In addition to the basic grassroots system, United Fresh will make available specially designed Internet portals for member companies and trade associations that would like to offer their own branded government relations sites to their employees, stockholders or members. These services will allow companies or associations to direct their own constituents to a site that addresses the issues most important to those organizations.

United Fresh was one of the original early adopters of online grassroots advocacy in the food and agriculture association space, establishing its Grassroots Action Network in 2003. Since that time, thousands of produce industry members have joined the Grassroots Action Network and communicated to Congress on dozens of issues over the last 12 years, United said.