The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced that Sarah Frey, founder and CEO of Frey Farms, an Agribusiness headquartered in South Florida, will deliver a speech during IDFA Dairy Forum in January. 

Frey oversees the diverse operations of the Frey family of companies, including land acquisition, regenerative agriculture initiatives, raw ingredient manufacturing, and a fully integrated beverage business. Spanning seven states, Frey Farms is a leading U.S. grower, shipper, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables and is best known as America’s largest producer of fresh watermelons and pumpkins.

As a teenager, Sarah fearlessly expanded her mother’s summer produce delivery route from 12 independent grocery stores to over 150, saving her family’s struggling small farm. She defied rural poverty, running her full-time business while attending high school and college. At age 19, Sarah’s negotiation with Wal-Mart, securing fresh produce contracts, was a turning point that led to expansive growth into national retail. Her business negotiation strategies became the subject of a Harvard Business case study. Sarah’s four older brothers returned to the farm and joined her in growing the business. Today, the Frey Family proudly feeds America 200 million servings of fresh produce annually.

Distributed across the U.S. from over 200 cold-chain distribution centers and 35,000 retail grocery and food service locations. Her entrepreneurial ventures led to the development and production of Tsamma, America’s first bottled, nationally distributed watermelon juice. Penguin Random House published Sarah’s best-selling book, The Growing Season: How I Built a New Life and Saved an American Farm. Sarah also serves as co-executive producer of the optioned film rights to The Growing Season.

Frey serves on the board of FMI, The Food Industry Association, which advocates for the retail grocery industry to advance a safer, healthier, and more efficient consumer food supply chain. Frey has held industry appointments by both Democratic and Republican administrations. As one of the most influential women in agriculture, serving in bipartisan Ag Advisory roles for multiple members of the US Congress. Sarah is a highly skilled and persuasive communicator who has provided congressional testimony on key issues affecting the US food supply, including the Ag guest worker program reform.

Frey is an appointed Advisor of the NCAC, U.S. Representative and House Committee on Agriculture Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson’s National Agriculture Advisory Council. Sarah provides the Committee with fruit and vegetable commodity-specific expertise to inform agriculture policy and strategy on the upcoming Farm Bill. In 2025, Sarah was appointed Senior Advisor on Rural Policy to the America First Policy Institute. AFPI was Founded by Brooke Rollins, USDA Secretary of Agriculture.

Sarah passionately advocates for better health initiatives, nutrition policies, and economic opportunities for underserved rural communities. Frey Farms proudly partners with Feeding America and actively works to improve the lives of those in rural poverty. Her companies provide financial support, professional college advisory assistance, and internships to students interested in pursuing higher education in business and agriculture, demonstrating their commitment to the future of these communities.

Sarah attributes her American success story to humble beginnings, hard work, and strong family bonds.