Fruit & Vegetable Magazine

Features Business Policy
Council agrees to enhance PTI

November 6, 2012  By Press release


November 6, 2012 – Acknowledging that significant progress has been made to reach the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) goals over the last four years, the PTI Leadership Council has agreed that a buyer-centered implementation focus is needed to ensure continued industry movement toward case-level traceability.

The Leadership Council, representing 32 companies in the produce industry, met recently in conjunction with the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in Anaheim, Calif., and decided to:

  • Create a new Buyer Working Group to expedite the completion of the remaining retail/foodservice implementation steps for PTI
  • Keep the PTI governance structure intact with the Leadership Council meeting twice a year and working groups utilized as needed
  • Maintain progress of supply-side PTI implementation
  • Maintain industry education and communications via the PTI website and other channels as needed

Michael Agostini, senior director of produce with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc, accepted the position of Leadership Council co-chair as Cathy Green Burns resigned from this volunteer post due to increased work commitments as president of Food Lion.

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Agostini is responsible for the merchandising of key produce categories at Wal-Mart’s U.S. Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, which currently total more than 3,000 retail stores nationwide. He also leads Wal-Mart’s produce technology efforts, which seek to leverage technical solutions to create innovative processes for Wal-Mart’s produce supply chain. A veteran of more than 39 years in the produce and grocery industry, Agostini has recently served on the PMA board of directors and as chair of the PMA Supply Chain Efficiencies Committee.


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