SACRAMENTO — Voting began Jan. 28 to select one independent grower member and alternate position and two independent handler member and alternate positions. These positions will serve as directors for the Almond Board of California (ABC) with the terms beginning on March 1, 2017.
Candidates for the independent grower position are:
Position One, Member (One year term): Mike Mason, Wasco (incumbent)
Position One, Alternate: Brad Klump, Escalon (incumbent)
Candidates for the independent handler positions are:
Position One, Member (Three-year term): Dave Phippen, Manteca (incumbent)
Position Three, Member (One-year term): Dinesh Bajaj, Chico (petitioner)
Position One, Alternate: Ron Fisher, Modesto (incumbent)
Position Three, Alternate: Micah Zeff, Modesto (petitioner); Jeremy Basich, Bakersfield (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 Feb. 15, 2017 in order to be counted. If an independent grower does not receive a ballot, one may be obtained by contacting Sue Olson at (209) 343-3224.
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 California Almonds
Almonds from California are a natural, wholesome and quality food. The Almond Board of California promotes almonds through its research-based approach to all aspects of marketing, farming and production on behalf of the more than 6,800 almond growers and processors in California, many of whom are multi-generational 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, Pinterest, Instagram and the California Almonds blog. For additional facts and statistics about almonds and the almond industry, please read the 2016 Almond Almanac.
—Almond Board
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