Sprouts Farmers Market Exec Appointed to USDA’s Organic Standards Board
Andrea Hatziyannis, Sprouts Farmers Market’s category strategy manager, has been appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).
Amanda Felder, organic integrity and environmental compliance manager at Salinas, Calif.-based produce provider Taylor Farms, was also appointed to NOSB.
Felder and Hatziyannis were appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to serve a five-year term, beginning this month.
The NOSB is an advisory body to the secretary of agriculture, providing recommendations on policies governing the production and distribution of organic food and products. This includes reviewing and developing the National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances. The NOSB is composed of 15 members from across the organic community.
Both Hatziyannis and Felder are members of the Newark, Del.-based International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA).
“We are delighted to see these dedicated members of our association appointed to the NOSB,” said IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. “Their commitment to agriculture and expertise in organic fresh produce will bring invaluable perspectives to the board’s work. Their contributions will ensure that the voices of organic producers are well represented at the national level and will nicely complement the ongoing work IFPA’s Organics Committee and Government Relations team do in collaboration with the NOSB.”
Most recently, IFPA responded to the NOSB’s Fall Work Agenda with comments focused on the many challenges facing the organic produce community, including residue testing, certifications and crop insurance.
Meanwhile, Hatziyannis was recently named a Top Women In Store Brands 2024 honoree. Store Brands, a sister publication of Progressive Grocer, presented Hatziyannis with the Marketing/Merchandising Award for leveraging her extensive background in food science and manufacturing to develop innovative products that drive growth and consumer loyalty.
Phoenix-based Sprouts is considered one of the largest and fastest-growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States. It employs approximately 33,000 associates and operates more than 430 stores in 24 states nationwide. The grocer is No. 51 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company its Retailer of the Year for 2024.
