California Ag Network

Tag: Raisin Bargaining Association

  • Dwayne Cardoza Steps Down as CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association

    Attendees at the recent annual meeting of the Raisin Bargaining Association were surprised to hear Dwayne Cardoza’s announcement that he was stepping down as CEO of the association.  This announcement comes after serving several years as Chairman and then as CEO following Kalem Barserian’s retirement.  He served the raisin industry faithfully through some very tumultuous times for not only the industry — but the whole world, navigating through the pandemic and volatile economic conditions. Watch this brief interview with Dwayne Cardoza and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • California Raisin Outlook: Prices, Production & the RBA

    Watch this brief interview with Dwayne Cardoza from the Raisin Bargaining Association as he shared some key insights on the current state of the California raisin industry at their recent annual meeting.  Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.

  • California Raisin Marketing Board Gets Shut Down

    Just last month, a vote passed to shut down the California Raisin Marketing Board. But what of generic California raisin marketing and the iconic dancing raisins? Watch this brief interview with Dwayne Cardoza from the Raisin Bargaining Association and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Vmech for their industry support.

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Introduces Combination Pricing Program

    The California raisin industry is evolving as growers and packers navigate through difficult times.  The Raisin Bargaining Association (RBA) is adapting as well to protect the interests of its members and negotiate sustainable prices for raisin growers.  Watch this brief interview with RBA Chairman Dwayne Cardoza as he introduces a new combination program for 2020 raisin crop pricing and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Makes New Raisin Price Offer

    As raisin growers begin to prepare for a new season, most are still uncertain as to what their returns will be for their labors in bringing in the 2020 raisin crop.  There is a lot of uncertainty during these unprecedented times, and with their livelihoods in limbo from year to year due to delayed price agreements between the the Raisin Bargaining Association RBA) and its signatory packers, raisin growers have been have been going through some tough times.

    The RBA continues to work on their growers’ behalf in negotiating a fixed price with the processors.  Over the summer their Board of Directors met and unanimously agreed to a sliding scale fixed price offer of $1,500-$1,900/ton (depending on crop size) for the 2020 raisin crop.  As the packers have still not come to agreement, on January 15th, the RBA Board of Directors wrote a letter to the packers withdrawing their sliding scale MOU offer, replacing it with a new MOU offer for consideration at a field price of $1,500/ton. Packers will need to respond by 5 PM on January 29, 2021, or the offer will become void.

    In this agreement, packers would make an “initial payment” of 60% of the said announced RBA field price for all deliveries within fifteen days of grower’s final delivery of meeting raisins; and a “second payment” of 20% of the field price for all deliveries would be paid by April 30, 2021. The “final payment” would need to be made by July 31, 2021.

    In the RBA letter to the packers, it also reads, “In the event you do not agree to the fixed price and payment terms of this offer, then RBA recommends that we meet and confer to discuss the logistics of moving the RBA 2020-2021 crop raisins now held in memorandum storage at your location to the RBA’s receiving and storage location.”

    As growers go about their trellising/irrigation repairs and winter pruning in the vineyard, they anxiously await news of a unified price agreement that has yet to be seen.

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Announces Big Changes

    The California raisin industry is evolving and the Raisin Bargaining Association with it, as RBA leadership looks to better meet the needs of its grower membership.  Watch this brief interview with RBA representative Dwayne Cardoza as he shares how the association is refocusing its mission to the core objectives it was founded on. Much more to be shared virtually in his State of the Raisin Industry presentation with Sun-Maid CEO Harry Overly at the annual Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo on Nov. 13th, so don’t miss it. Register to attend for free at AgExpo.biz.
     
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Sliding Scale Price Offer for the 2020 Raisin Crop

    On July 27th, the Raisin Bargaining Association’s Board of Directors offered their Signatory Packers a sliding scale fixed price of $1500-$1900/ton (depending on crop size) for the 2020 Natural Seedless Raisin Crop.

    The Raisin Bargaining Board of Directors has also offered our Signatory Packers a fixed price of $2500/ton for the 2020 Zante Currant crop.

    The Board of Directors is asking all their RBA Signatory Packers to accept, counter, or reject this offer by 8/10/20 at 5:00 p.m. The RBA Board of Directors strongly believes it is in the best interest of not only our growers, but all raisin growers, to set a fixed price in this tumultuous year and hope that our processors also realize this and are willing to negotiate with the RBA to establish a 2020 crop price.

    Sincerely,

    Kalem Barserian
    RBA CEO

  • California Raisins Featured on Business Insider Podcast

    California raisin growers are always asking, “When will the Dancing Raisins come back, or will they ever?” Although not currently part of the raisin market promotions, the Dancing Raisins have returned to the spotlight of mainstream media in a recent Business Insider podcast.  The 45-minute podcast known as Brought to You Byhighlights powerful brands and marketing strategies through the years and how they came to be.  East Coast Showrunner Sarah Wyman recently visited California and several raisin industry members to learn and share the following story of the Dancing Raisins and the raisin industry that created them.

    Wyman shares, “The 1980’s TV commercials for California raisins have been called some of the best ads ever made. The claymation raisins singing and dancing to Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” became a kids TV show, recorded an album that went platinum, launched a range of toys and costumes, and starred in an Emmy-winning Christmas special. But were they a success for the raisin industry? Or did the dancing California raisins cause more trouble than they were worth?” Listen to the podcast HERE.

  • Introducing the New Complete DOV Raisin Variety Kalem93

    One of the topics of interest addressed at the recent annual meeting of the Raisin Bargaining Association was a new raisin variety currently being tested known as Kalem93. This variety’s features offer great labor savings potential for California raisin growers. Watch this brief interview as RBA Chairman Dwayne Cardoza talks about the new variety and read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Sun Maid Rationale Behind Opting out of the Raisin Bargaining Association

    Sun-Maid made a big decision this year to opt out of the Raisin Bargaining Association’s negotiated field price for the first time ever.  While growers were excited about receiving the highest price ever for their raisins, Sun-Maid representatives felt the price was too high under current circumstances in the world raisin market.  Watch this interview with Sun-Maid Chairman Jeff Jue, as he shares their stance on the raisin market and what this means for the industry moving forward.  Read more about it in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

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