California Ag Network

Category: Non-Video

  • Prima Wawona Empowers Stone Fruit Retailers with Key Category Data

    Prima® Wawona (prima.com), the largest stone fruit producer in the U.S., has partnered with a leading fresh produce strategic insight and research company to provide retailers with key stone fruit category data. These insights help retailers identify areas of growth and opportunity within the category and allow Prima® Wawona to develop programs specifically tailored to their retail partners. Leveraging Nielsen data from thousands of grocery stores throughout the United States, this service from Prima® Wawona enables retailers to customize their programs and promotions to achieve higher sales performance.

    “Our goal in everything we do is to help our retail partners provide consumers with the right quantities of the highest-quality stone fruit available,” said Ben Vived, Retail Sales Manager at Prima® Wawona. “Our category management program allows us to monitor national trends and analyze category data on a per-retailer basis to provide recommendations and keenly tailored retail programs. For example, we can see if a retailer isn’t experiencing the expected sales volumes on yellow peaches or if there’s a growth opportunity on white nectarines, and work with them to fill gaps and capitalize on opportunities.”

    Prima® Wawona reviews and analyzes data such as margins, the effect of price on sales volumes over time, retailer performance compared to the industry average, sales promotion performance, price gaps and more, segmented by commodity across the stone fruit category.

    “We’re the only producer offering this strategic data service so it’s a game-changer for retailers looking to serve existing customers and attract those who will buy organic—an increasingly important segment of the category,” added Dan Gerawan, CEO of Prima® Wawona. “We’re giving our retail partners insight on factors that drive success in this category, including how other leading retailers are performing, and that’s giving them a competitive edge in their market.”

    Prima® Wawona offers a full line of organic and conventional stone fruit under the Prima® and Sweet2Eat® brands, allowing retailers to meet demand for this important summer fruit category. For more information or to place an order, please call 559-528-4000 or email b.hammack@gerawan.com.

    About Prima® Wawona:

    Prima® Wawona is the largest producer of stone fruit in the U.S. Based in the heart of California’s central San Joaquin Valley, the company is a category leader both in terms of volume, quality, and the unique data insights and services it provides to retail partners to support them and promote their success. Prima® Wawona offers a full line of premium-quality organic and conventional stone fruit and citrus under the Prima®, Sweet2Eat®, Sweet2Eat® Organic and Sweet Value® brands, with a robust stone fruit season running from May through October. Visit prima.com to learn more.

  • Tree & Vine Growers Eligible for Ongoing Disaster Assistance for Drought, Wildfire, Etc.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has started making payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) to agricultural producers who suffered eligible losses because of drought or excess moisture in 2018 and 2019. Signup for these causes of loss opened March 23, and producers who suffered losses from drought (in counties designated D3 or above), excess moisture, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms or wildfires can still apply for assistance through WHIP+.

    “To date, FSA has received more than 33,000 WHIP+ applications,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). “We want to remind producers that we are still accepting applications for WHIP+, and we encourage producers to call our offices for next steps on how to apply.” 

    To be eligible for WHIP+, producers must have suffered losses of certain crops, trees, bushes or vines in counties with a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or a Secretarial Disaster Designation (primary counties only) for qualifying natural disaster events that occurred in calendar years 2018 or 2019. Also, losses located in a county not designated by the Secretary as a primary county may be eligible if a producer provides documentation showing that the loss was due to a qualifying natural disaster event.

    For losses due to drought, a producer is eligible if any area of the county in which the loss occurred was rated D3, or extreme drought, or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor during calendar years 2018 or 2019. Producers who suffered losses should contact their FSA county office.

    In addition to the recently added eligible losses of drought and excess moisture, FSA will implement a WHIP+ provision for crop quality loss that resulted in price deductions or penalties when marketing crops damaged by eligible disaster events. To ensure an effective program for all impacted farmers, the Agency is currently gathering information on the extent of quality loss from producers and stakeholder organizations.

     USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information on Service Centers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus, and more information on WHIP+ can be found at Remind.

  • CAL/OSHA COVID-19 Infection Prevention for Ag Employers & Employees

    California employers are required to establish and implement an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to protect employees from all worksite hazards, including infectious diseases. This guidance contains information, recommendations, and requirements for agricultural employers on how to update their IIPPs to include preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. This guidance does not introduce any new legal obligations, but because COVID-19 is widespread in the community, most California workplaces must consider the disease a workplace hazard.

    Employee Training on COVID-19

    Agricultural employers must provide training in a way that is readily understandable by all employees. Employees should be trained on the following topics:

    • Information related to COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including:

    o   What COVID-19 is and how it is spread.

    o   Preventing the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick.

    o   Symptoms of COVID-19 and when to seek medical attention.

    • Information fromCalifornia’s COVID-19 Response Webpage for additional resources, including ones in Spanish.
    • The importance of frequent hand-washing with soap and water, including:

    o   Following CDC guidelines to wash for at least 20 seconds.

    o   When employees arrive at work and before they leave work.

    o   Before and after eating or using the toilet.

    o   After close interaction with other persons.

    o   After contacting shared surfaces or tools.

    o   Before and after wearing masks or gloves.

    o   After blowing nose or sneezing.

    • That hand sanitizer is not as effective ashand-washing but can be used as an interim measure if a hand-washing station is not immediately available.
    • Methods to avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
    • Coughing and sneezing etiquette, including covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue or a sleeve instead of a hand.
    • Safely using cleaners and disinfectants on surfaces and objects, which includes:

    o   Carefully following label directions.

    o   Assessing the hazards of all cleaners and disinfectants used at the worksite.

    o   Wearing personal protective equipment (such as gloves).

    o   Ensuring cleaners and disinfectants are used in a manner that does not endanger employees.

    • Limiting close contact with others as much
      as possible and maintaining safe physical distancing (see Physical Distancing information on next page).
    • The importance of not coming to work if theyhave a frequent cough, fever, or difficulty breathing, or if they live with or have had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
    • The employer’s plan and procedures to protect employees from COVID-19 illness.

    Procedures to Help Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 at the Worksite 

    IIPP administrators should establish and implement the following procedures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

    • Immediately send employees with acute respiratory illness symptoms home or to medical care as needed.
    • Establish procedures to notify local healthofficials upon learning that someone has a COVID-19 infection. These officials will help employers determine a course of action.
    • Encourage sick workers to stay home by not punishing them for missing work. Considersick leave benefits to help prevent the spread among workers who might otherwise work out of economic necessity. Educate eligible employees on other benefits they can access if symptoms, illness, or caring for an ill family member prevents them from working.
    • Make hand-washing stations more readily available and encourage their use. Employers are advised that hand-washing is compensable as nonproductive time for piece-rate workers.
    • Establish procedures to routinely clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces and objects (e.g., water containers, steering wheels, shared tools, shared work stations, door handles, seat belts, insides of toilet facilities) throughout the workday. These procedures should include:

    o   Using products that are EPA-approved for use against the virus that causes COVID-19.

    o   Providing EPA-registered disposable wipes for employees to wipe down commonly used surfaces before use.

    o   Following the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., safety requirements, protective equipment, concentration, contact time).

    o   Ensuring there are adequate supplies to support cleaning and disinfection practices.

    Procedures to Increase Physical Distancing

    Physical distancing is an infection control measure that can stop or slow down the spread
    of an infectious disease by limiting contact between people. Safe physical distancing means maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other people. Agricultural employers should use the following physical distancing measures to stop or slow down the spread of COVID-19:

    • Physical distancing should be practiced, whether outdoors, in vehicles, or in structures.
    • Establish work practices and work stations, and adjust line speed and other processes to enable employees to maintain safe physical distancing while working.
    • Stagger break and lunch times.
    • Limit crew size by staggering work shifts or increasing the number of work shifts.
    • Provide additional seating and shade structures to allow employees to take breaks while staying at least six feet apart.
    • Encourage employees to avoid large gatherings and practice physical distancing during non-work hours. Employers who house workers are encouraged to be proactive in making physical distancing possible and totake affirmative steps to quarantine any housed worker exhibiting symptoms.
    • Establish a location for receiving regulardeliveries away from on-farm high-traffic areas and housing.

    o   Place drop-boxes or drop-off locations near the road so vehicles do not need to enter the farm.

    Health experts do not recommend the use of respirators by the general public or the general workforce for COVID-19. However, if available, employers should provide them to agricultural workers when needed to protect workers against excessive dust, Coccidioides fungus (the source of Valley Fever), or other harmful agents.

    • Create specific instructions for deliveries.

    o   Provide suppliers and customers with the location of and all the procedures to be used at the drop-off point.

    o   Create signage to easily identify drop-off points. Include contact information on the signs to assist with questions leading up to delivery and upon arrival.

    Good Sanitation Practices

    • 
Agricultural employers must ensure bathrooms and hand-washing facilities are readily accessible to all employees at all times.

    o   Restrooms must be clean and sanitary.

    o   Hand-washing facilities must be located at or near the restrooms.

    o   Soap or other suitable cleansing agent and single-use towels must be provided.

    o   Additional hand-washing supplies should be placed as close to work areas as possible to allow for frequent hand-washing.

    o   Enough time must be allowed for frequent hand-washing.

    o   Due to increased hand-washing, the employer should frequently check the supply of soap, paper towels, and toilet paper, and replenish them before they run out.

  • Western Growers Launches Leafy Green Food Safety Website

    Answering the nation’s call for enhanced food safety measures, Western Growers (WG) has developed a website to facilitate changes to the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA)-approved Leafy Green Food Safety Guidelines: www.leafygreenguidance.com. The interactive website now easily allows the public to participate in routine discussions and process amendments that will ensure continuous improvement of the leafy green food safety preventive practices.

    “As an industry leader in produce safety, Western Growers remains committed to driving the evolution of guidance for preventive food safety programs in leafy greens as well as other commodities,” said Sonia Salas, WG’s assistant vice president of food safety, science & technology. “In a time where COVID-19 is top of mind for all industries, Western Growers is committed to ensuring that the important work of improving food safety continues with broad agricultural industry engagement and complete transparency among leafy green growers. This website will ensure access to that process.”

    In 2007 following the E. coli O157:H7 spinach outbreak, WG, working with the leafy green industry, facilitated the development of written best practices for the safe production and harvest of leafy greens, currently known as the Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production and Harvest of Lettuce and Leafy Greens (Leafy Green Guidelines). These guidelines were subsequently adopted by both the California and Arizona LGMAs as the best practices for leafy green growers selling to handlers in their states. Since its first publication, the Leafy Green Guidelines have been updated many times as new research has become available and practices have evolved. This website provides an avenue to systemically amend these best practices and allows users to easily submit comments. A new comment period opens in April 2020.

     
    In addition to simplifying the Leafy Green Food Safety Guidelines amendment process, the website also offers the following:
    • Master Calendar: calendar that outlines the comment period and deadlines for issues related to agricultural water, field sanitation, soil amendments and concentrated animal feeding operations; entire amendment process at a glance
    • LGMA Final Document: commodity-specific food safety guidelines for the production and harvest of lettuce and leafy greens
    • Leafy Green Info Sheet: document explaining how the Leafy Green Food Safety Guidelines amendment process works and the importance of continual incorporation of new science and information


     About Western Growers:
    Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico. Our members and their workers provide half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. For generations we have provided variety and healthy choices to consumers. Connect with and learn more about Western Growers on our Twitter and Facebook.

  • American Farmland Trust Farmer Relief Fund Awards 1,000 Farmers $1,000

    American Farmland Trust’s Farmer Relief Fund started sending out $1,000 grant checks to 1,000 farmers across the country as Americans witnessed unprecedented disruptions to the food system. A huge thanks goes out to our donors, members and the host of corporate contributors who stepped up when farmers needed it most. The funds are going to help small to mid-size producers that sell direct to consumers, to food services businesses, or to institutions. All funds raised by AFT are being put in the hands of farmers with no restrictions on use, only that they use the money to support modifications to their business model that will get them through until their normal markets return. 

    Direct-to-consumer farmers have been severely impacted by “social distancing” policies and closures that have kept them from selling to their usual customers and necessitated they make dramatic shifts in the way to they do business to stay afloat. With break downs in the broader systems, we’ve seen these farmers step in to bring eggs, milk, meat and fresh produce to consumers.  But their resources are limited, and often small infusions of cash can make a big difference.

    “We are helping in a small way where the need is huge. We believe that farmers who sell direct to consumers were most immediately impacted when the pandemic set it, with no federal safety net in place,” said John Piotti, AFT president and CEO.   “There’s no question that our farmers and ranchers are struggling, no matter what size operation or what they produce. Challenges with transportation, labor shortages and even COVID-19 among the processing workforce has disrupted Americans’ ability to put food on their tables, especially those that have been or are now food insecure.”

    The range of farmers that will be helped by The Fund is diverse, from farmers that sell specialty produce items tailored to restaurants, to farmers that depend on flower sales for weddings or Community Supported Agriculture memberships to sell their vegetables, small grass-fed beef operations that sell to local butcher shops and farmers that market all kinds of products through farm to school programs.

    On March 27, Billy Salmon, owner of Banks Mountain Beef, had 70 brood cows on 450 acres and over a dozen calves on feed that would have been ready for processing in 30–60 days. Billy direct-markets grass-fed, non-GMO-grain-finished beef to restaurants and butcher shops in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. Billy’s sales dropped to zero with the COVID-19 outbreak. “I don’t do this for the money. I do it for the love of farming. That’s what drives most of us,” said Billy. “But this is a tremendous shock. I certainly appreciated hearing from AFT, who I have been working with to implement regenerative farming practices in my beef operation, about the Farmer Relief Fund.”

    Fourth generation farmers Brent and Nicole Coston are the owners and operators of Bearwallow Valley Farm, located between the Smokey and Blue Ridge mountains. The Costons have focused their production on addressing food insecurity, partnering with housing developments to deliver fresh produce and most recently with a local hospital to provide a discounted CSA box to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients. Their CSA offering is their largest source of income. With the onset of the coronavirus, 75% of their shares got canceled. “We were able to recoup some off that by increasing our presence on social media, but not as much as we expected,” said Nicole. Regardless, she maintains a strong faith that her farm and her family will be able to weather this storm. “I know that someway, somehow my family will get fed and this business will continue.”

    Hilltop Community Farm, owned by Erin Schneider and Rob McClure, derives up to 70% of its income from fruit and flower sales for weddings and restaurants. Vanished event and restaurant sales have compelled McClure and Schneider to narrow their market segment to focus on their neighborhood, connecting with individuals and buying clubs that purchase directly from local farms. “We’re all asking questions about how this will play out, but we think we might as well adapt and experiment!” Schneider said. Hilltop has also been working to expand its online presence to offer the experience of a farm without physically being there.

    Alejandra Rodriquez Boughton’s La Flaca Farm grows herbs, chilis, fine greens and edible flowers selling to restaurants across Austin. With the arrival of the COVID-19 virus, her orders dried up overnight just as she was about to ramp up for spring. To keep going, La Flaca is working to make its products available through direct-to-consumer apps and pivoting their crops to meet the needs of their community. “This summer we’re going to try planting peppers, since they’ll be able to grow in the Texas summer heat and drought,” explained Rodriguez Boughton.

    AFT plans to continue fund raising to meet the urgent need to help farmers and to shore up the local and regional food supply.

    Meanwhile, we ask Congress to move fast to provide federal assistance for farmers and ranchers including implementation of the agricultural support provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act under which the USDA announced that it will provide $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers plus an additional $3 billion in purchases of agriculture products including meat, dairy and produce.

     In addition, AFT is working with allied organizations and congressional staff to advocate for additional stimulus to producers that would also support improvements in conservation outcomes and protect the land base, which AFT believes will be vulnerable to development as farmers and ranchers face growing uncertainty about the economy and their future in agriculture.

    American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.

  • Dairy Council of California Update

    Positive Message from CEO Tammy Anderson-Wise (April 7) – Less than a month ago, we first saw headlines about COVID-19, and few if any of us could have anticipated the profound disruption it would have on our work, our personal lives and the industry. It is indisputable that what we are living through now has no modern parallel.

    But this is where we are. As with many of you, life at Dairy Council of California looks somewhat different. I am proud to share that the Dairy Council of California team has embraced the challenges presented in the current environment. We continue to elevate the health of children and families during this time of need by supporting knowledge of healthy eating, food access and distance learning through school closures.

    As previously shared, Dairy Council of California, in partnership with California Milk Processor Board and with the support of local organizations throughout California, is proud to continue to support the statewide effort to nourish children while schools are out with HealthyEating.org/SchoolMeals and HealthyEating.org/AlimentacionEscolar. These dedicated landing pages in English and Spanish comprehensively aggregate all meal program sites available in California. Since the statewide public awareness campaign launched three weeks ago, the landing pages have helped families by educating them on where to access school meals by supporting 124,798 site visits, which includes 104,162 unique views and roughly 32% of viewers seeking information in Spanish, emphasizing the value of this resource to California communities.

    To expand food access program support beyond children to include vulnerable families, Dairy Council of California is partnering with the California Association of Food Banks to identify local food banks that are providing families with free healthy foods. We anticipate having this information available on our site later this week and will work with our partner, California Milk Processor Board, to ensure families know where they can go to find the nearest food bank to their home.

    We developed and released the blog post “Nutrition and Immunity: The Role of Dairy Foods in Supporting a Healthy Immune System” to reaffirm dairy’s role in healthy eating patterns and in supporting a healthy immune system, a very relevant concern at this time. On a global front, Dairy Council of California provided expertise and support to the International Dairy Federation, informing the development of the 2020 Bulletin on School Milk Programs, titled The Contribution of School Milk Programmes to the Nutrition of Children Worldwide: Edition 2020, which is now available for download.

    With shelter-in-place orders, Mobile Dairy Classroom’s in-person assemblies have been suspended; however, this suspension has provided us with an opportunity to innovate and expand our services to reach students and families via a virtual assembly. We are proud to share that on Friday, April 3rd, we successfully launched our first virtual Mobile Dairy Classroom in partnership with Nepris, a free web-based solution that connects teachers with industry experts to make curriculum topics relevant for students every day. Adapted for a live audience and facilitated by Nepris, our Mobile Dairy Classroom was seen by 18,210 students in 669 classes across nine states. This equates to roughly 50 on-site school assemblies! We are working on securing a copy of the live recording, which we will share via our social channels and with all of you.

    We are continuing to explore new ways to provide educators, students and families with nutrition resources, such as expanding our portfolio of online and downloadable format resources that communicate the importance of healthy eating patterns and emphasize milk and dairy’s important role in supporting good health. These strategies appear to be highly valuable and so we plan to continue to expand our online portfolio of resources to meet the demand of our consumers.

    In addition to supporting school communities, health professionals and families across California, we are here to support you. As concerns around lack of personal protection equipment (PPE) continue to grow, we want to share information on companies that are providing PPE for COVID-19. If you are looking for supplies, here is a link with information on how to access PPE to help ensure everyone’s safety.

    If you have questions, concerns or would like to share updates on how your organization is responding to COVID-19, please contact me.

    Healthy regards,

    Tammy Anderson-Wise, CEO
    TammyA@DairyCouncilofCA.org

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan Applications Now Open for Ag

    The U.S. Small Business Administration began accepting new Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance applications today at 9:00 AM PST on a limited basis only, to provide relief to dairy farms and other U.S. agricultural businesses. The application is available here. 

     The Small Business Administration is encouraging all eligible agricultural businesses with 500 or fewer employees wishing to apply to begin preparing their business financial information needed for their application. During this application window, only agricultural business applications will be accepted due to limitations in funding availability and the unprecedented submission of applications already received. 

    For more information or to apply, visit this link.

    The National Milk Producers Federation has numerous EIDL resources available on its coronavirus website page, www.nmpf.org/coronavirus. Among them:

  • 2020 Strawberry Market Outlook with Rabobank

    Strawberry planted acreage in California is up YOY in 2020 from its lowest level in almost 15 years, and increased plantings in the Santa Maria producing region continue. Florida’s acreage remains flat, while strawberry plantings in Mexico continue to expand.

    Updated estimates, based on our proprietary analytical tool, show that weekly strawberry shipments will increase in 2020, especially during California peak season in May and June, bringing prices down in specific weeks, compared to observed prices in 2019. We now include estimates for the organic strawberry market. Higher yields and acreage will boost weekly shipments during spring/summer 2020. Despite general price-pressure, there are market windows with potentially more favorable opportunities in the organic space for cost-competitive firms.


    Impacts from COVID-19 are a mixed-bag for the strawberry industry. Food-service sales are in decline, while retail grocery sales have jumped. Labor availability is being negatively impacted, and remains the biggest issue.

     

    Click here to download the report

  • Andrew & Williamson/Good Farms, Rancho Guadalupe & Dynasty Farms Support Food Banks

    In one of the first agreements of its kind between California producers and a county food bank, two farms will begin providing, at a reasonable rate, produce to the Alameda County Community Food Bank, allowing it to provide additional much-needed fresh fruit and vegetables to a growing number of residents in need of assistance. This innovative pilot program assists the food banks while keeping the agricultural supply chain together which is critical to the future of food supply.

    “We are excited that our members have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded organizations such as the Alameda County Food Bank who support initiatives like Food as Medicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has focused our efforts on building and supporting the health and wellbeing of our broader communities; ensuring the future of fresh produce plays a paramount role in our efforts. This partnership enables our food supply chain to stay intact and therefore our producers can continue to grow fresh produce at the same level,” says Kirti Mutakar, Chief Executive Officer of UnitedAg.

    “When the COVID-19 crisis hit, and the foodservice operations all came to a standstill overnight, millions of jobs were lost and with it the demand for our produce. To bring more diverse options to the foodbank, and at the same time recover our cost to grow and harvest it, creative solutions were necessary to take care of those who need it most and help keep agriculture whole,” says A.J. Cisney, General Manager of Rancho Guadalupe.

    Deliveries will begin May 5, with nearly 4,000 pounds of strawberries from Andrew & Williamson / Good Farms, Rancho Guadalupe, and over 7,000 crowns of broccoli from Dynasty Farms. These are foods that have not been regularly available at the food banks. The pilot program hopes to expand into the larger state network of food banks (California Association of Food Banks) and increase its product offerings. UnitedAg Member Farms are hopeful this concept will grow into something bigger.

    About UnitedAg

    Founded in 1980, UnitedAg is a multi-commodity member-owned agricultural trade association dedicated to providing innovative healthcare solutions for a strong and healthy agricultural industry. Our over 1,000 agriculture affiliated member organizations network and share creative ways to transform our ever-changing industry. UnitedAg strives to bring innovative health benefits and solutions to agribusiness by meeting our member’s employee health benefits needs, advocating for ag with lawmakers and helping members comply with regulations.  Based in Irvine, Calif., UnitedAg has offices in Oxnard, Corona, Salinas, Fresno and Santa Maria.

  • Almond Board of California 2020 Election Underway

    Voting will begin April 29 to select one independent grower member and alternate position and two independent handler member and alternate positions on the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors. These positions will serve terms beginning on August 1, 2020.

    Candidates for the independent grower position are:

    Position One, Member (One-year term): Position One, Alternate:

    Paul Ewing, Los Banos (petitioner) Joe Gardiner, Earlimart (petitioner)

    Louie Ott, Modesto (petitioner) Brad Klump, Escalon (petitioner)

    Mike Mason, Wasco (petitioner)

    Candidates for the independent handler positions are:

    Position One, Member (Three-year term): Position One, Alternate:

    Terry Boone, Modesto (petitioner) Ron Fisher, Modesto (incumbent)

    Alexi Rodriguez, Caruthers (petitioner)

    Micah Zeff, Modesto (petitioner)

    Position Three, Member (One-year term): Position Three, Alternate:

    Jonathan Hoff, Denair (petitioner) Chad DeRose, McFarland (petitioner)

    Darren Rigg, Le Grand (petitioner) Dave Phippen, Manteca (petitioner)

    Ballots and instructions have been mailed to all independent growers whose names are on file with ABC. The Almond Board must receive ballots by May 27, 2020, for them to be counted. If an independent grower or a handler does not receive a ballot, one may be obtained by contacting ABC’s Bunnie Ibrahim, senior analyst, Government Affairs, at (209) 343-3228.

    As a governing body for the industry, the ABC Board of Directors is comprised of five handler and five grower representatives who set policy and recommend budgets in several major areas including production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

    About the Almond Board of California
    Almonds from California are a healthy, natural, wholesome and quality food. The Almond Board of California promotes almonds with a research-based approach to responsible farming, production and marketing on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond growers and processors in California, many of whom have third- and fourth-generation family operations. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. For more information on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit Almonds.com or check out California Almonds on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the California Almonds blog. – Article and photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California