California Ag Network

Tag: RBA

  • Raisin Bargaining Association Announces Prices for 2026

    The raisin harvest is underway in California and growers are anxious to know what they’re getting for their crops. The Raisin Bargaining Association is ready to offer a higher bonus for quality raisins, with the organization wanting to incentivize a good product. RBA Chairman Charles Salmon spoke to Matthew Malcolm with American Vineyard to discuss raisin prices this year and what growers can expect. Watch this quick video and learn more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • 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 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

  • 2019 Raisin Crop Offer Made to RBA Signatory Packers

    The Raisin Bargaining Association’s Board of Directors has offered their signatory packers a price of $1,600/ton for the the 2019 Natural Seedless Raisin Crop. The Board of Directors is asking all RBA Signatory Packers to accept, counter, or reject this offer by 11/22/19 at 5 pm.  The RBA Board of Directors strongly believes it is in the best interests of not only their growers, but all raisin growers to set a fixed price in this tumultuous year and hope that their processors also realize this and are willing to negotiate with the RBA as they have over the last 52 years.

  • Rainstorm Pushes Back Raisin Price Negotiations

    The eve prior to the last (unpredicted) rainstorm hitting the Central Valley, the Raisin Bargaining Association (RBA) Board of Directors met to agree on offering a price to the packers. Once the storm hit in the middle of the night though with raisins still on the ground, that offer was never officially made. Watch this brief interview with Kalem Barserian, CEO of the RBA, as he explains the current status of the crop and price negotiations. Read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

    Sponsored By:

    Calagnet & YARA

  • California Raisin Crop Forecast Down, Value Increasing

    The California raisin crop is down, and coupled with a greater demand for green grapes at the wineries this year, raisin packers are already making much higher offers to their growers for their crops this season. Watch this video interview with Kalem Barserian, CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association, as he explains more, and read more in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

     

  • FAQ Sheet Regarding the Class Action Lawsuit for CA Raisin Growers

    UNITED STATES COURT OF FEDERAL CLAIMS
    No. 15-938
    Bruce Ciapessoni, et al, Plaintiffs, v. The United States, Defendant

     

    What event triggered the filing of this Class Action?

          • On June 22, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Marketing Order’s reserve-pool requirement effected “a clear physical taking” in violation of the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause for which just compensation was due.

        Horne v. Dep’t of Agriculture, 

            135 S. Ct. 2419, 2428 (2015).Based on

        Horne

          , Plaintiffs, on behalf of the Class brought this class action to recover just compensation for raisins produced by Class Members and subsequently taken by the USDA pursuant to the Marketing Order’s reserve requirement.

     

    Which growers started this Class Action?

      Bruce Ciapessoni, Elisa Ciapessoni, Bob F. Hansen, Hansen Enterprises, R&H Agri-Enterprises, Eldora Rossi, Rossi & Ciapessoni Farms, and Rossi & Rossi initiated this action by filing with the United States Court of Federal Claims, Washington, D.C. on August 26, 2015 (Case No. 15-938).

     

    What crop years and varieties are involved?

      The Court of Claims certified on May 11, 2017 two litigation classes:
      1. All producers who participated in reserve pools of Natural Seedless raisins for crop years 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010, and
      2. a Subclass of all producers who participated in the reserve pool for Natural Seedless for only the 2009-2010 crop year.

     

    Why is there a Class and a Subclass?

      On November 20, 2016, the Court of Claims ruled, over the objection of the U.S. Government, that the statute of limitations could go back to 2002-2003.
      The U. S. government is reserving its right to appeal this decision and restrict the case to only the last crop year 2009-2010.

     

    What do I need to do?

      If you want to participate, you will need to sign and return an “opt in” form which will be sent out by the Court.

     

    What information is available for me?

      The orders of the Court are public.  The May 11, 2017 Court order by Judge Loren A. Smith determined that:
      1. The growers who started this action have interests which are aligned with all other members of this class.
      2. The proceeding with this action on a class basis is superior to other means of fairly and efficiently adjudicating the case.
      3. The appointment of McDermott Will & Emery LLP as “Lead Counsel” and Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP as “Co-Counsel” is in the best interests of the Class and Subclass.

     

    Will joining the Class cost me any money?

      You will not have to pay any money out of pocket to participate in the Class Action.  If the Class is successful, Class Counsel will ask the Court’s permission to be compensated for litigating this case and representing the Class.  Any sums received by Class Counsel in compensation will be deducted from any recovery, which will proportionately reduce the amount of any award each Class Member receives.  If the case is unsuccessful, you will have no obligation for attorney’s fees or costs.

    What happens once I join the Class?

      If you are eligible to be a Class Member and choose to join the Class, you will receive any monetary or other benefits obtained from the lawsuit.  A judgment in this case will be binding on you, meaning you could not pursue your own separate lawsuit using your own attorney.  Similarly, you may be bound by, and can share in, any settlement reached on behalf of the class.  In the event Class Counsel and the United States reach a settlement, you will receive notice of the settlement and you may object to the settlement and be heard by the Court on your objection.

     

    Does it matter whether I am an RBA, Sun-Maid or independent grower?

      No. Your affiliation makes no difference in your ability to “opt in.”

     

    Can I bring my own lawsuit rather than “opting in” the Class Action?

      Yes. Instead of opting in the class action, you can hire your own lawyers and file your own separate lawsuit for your benefit only. That is what Lion Farms has done.

    7/28/17

  • Raisin Bargaining Association May Industry Update

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    Bunch counts are in, temperatures are rising and growers are working to keep their vines clean of pests and diseases. Meanwhile at the Raisin Bargaining Association, here is Kalem Barserian with an update on raisin shipments, acreage trends, and their efforts to support the industry after hitting rock bottom pricing for last year’s crop. Watch this brief video and read more in American Vineyard Magazine.

  • 50th Anniversary Meeting Raisin Bargaining Association Update

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    The Raisin Bargaining Association (RBA) has been proudly serving raisin growers for 50 years now. As in any crop industry, the raisin industry has had its ups and downs, and last year was not an easy one; but the RBA remains dedicated to helping raisin growers get the best possible price for their crop. Watch this interview with RBA CEO Kalem Barserian as he shares an optimistic outlook for the raisin industry based on current trends. Read more in the May issue of American Vineyard Magazine.

  • Kalem Barserian Returns as CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association

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    Big News! Kalem Barserian returned in January as the New CEO of the Raisin Bargaining Association and has already hit the ground running to negotiate the best possible price for the 2016 raisin crop. Watch his video interview here, and read more in the coming issue of American Vineyard Magazine.