The Southeast Produce Council Executive Committee announced Aug. 9 that Southern Innovations, which was to be held Sept. 16-19 in Savannah, Georgia, will be postponed due to growing concerns and restrictions surrounding COVID-19.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have had to make this decision. Our sincere desire was to provide a beacon of shining a light for an in-person event to provide hope and healing for our industry and country. However, we recognize that the current environment is not allowing for Southern Innovations to occur as planned. We have exciting efforts underway to connect our SEPC members in new and unique ways, and we are focused on delivering an incredible Southern Exposure in spring of 2021,” said David Sherrod, SEPC president and CEO.
“Four months ago, we started praying that the world would be back to normal soon and that we would be able to gather back up as a family in Savannah for our annual Southern Innovations event. Even the best-laid plans just sometimes do not work out. We know there is a purpose behind all of this, and it will be revealed to us at the perfect time. In the meantime, everyone at SEPC will be looking forward to seeing you at Southern Exposure 2021,” said Brandon Parker, SEPC chairman of the board.
The SEPC is forging ahead to launch a new platform to provide membership and industry resources in this ever-changing environment. The goal is to bring members together to create the rich values of face-to-face experiences the council has always provided to the industry.
Registration for Southern Exposure is scheduled to open mid-September. The SEPC will keep members closely informed of further updates as they become available.
Based in Millen, Georgia, SEPC is a member-driven, non-profit association of more than 2,500 leaders from all facets of the produce industry. It was formed more than 20 years ago to promote the value of fresh fruits and vegetables in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia through networking, innovation, community and education. Learn more by visiting seproducecouncil.com.
