Salinas, CA (May 21, 2010) — The Grower-Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) held its Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 20 at Corral de Tierra Country Club in Salinas. Outgoing Chairwoman Lorri Koster, the second female Chairperson in the organization’s 80-year history and the third generation in her family to serve in the role, reflected on a year of unprecedented growth for the agricultural organization, briefed the membership on GSA’s activities, programs and services over the past year, and stressed the importance of local agriculture taking an active role in community issues. The day’s events included a presentation by Greg Drescher of the Culinary Institute of America on current trends for fresh produce in restaurants.
Steve Church, the Association’s new Chairman of the Board, was inaugurated at this event in front of more than 100 members and dignitaries. He spoke about major changes in the industry over the last 10 years and touched on examples of outstanding innovation in local agriculture since the 1930’s, including ice cooling, the invention of bagged salad, and the successes of drip irrigation. He also touched on the struggles and challenges the industry has faced but noted “I always find solace in knowing that the produce business is filled with humility and pride. Anyone who’s walked a field of gorgeous greens growing in our fertile Salinas and Pajaro valley ground knows what I mean by ‘pride’. Each day I’m proud of the job I and the rest of our great industry does.”
Bill Ramsey of Mann Packing Company was announced as the recipient of GSA’s annual E.E. “Gene” Harden Award for lifetime achievement in Central Coast agriculture. He will officially be presented the award at the organization’s annual gala event to be held this June.
Church will lead the organization as its Chairman until May 2011. Sam McKinsey of Green Giant Fresh is the Vice Chairman for the 2010-2011 year. In addition to Church and McKinsey the 2010-2011 Grower-Shipper Association Board of Directors will be made up of Phil Adrian (Coastline); Mark Borman (Taylor Farms); Butch Corda (Ippolito International); Mike Costa (Costa Farms, Inc.); Andrew Cumming (Metz Fresh, LLC); Margaret D'Arrigo-Martin (D’Arrigo Brothers Company of CA); Craig Dobler (Dobler & Sons, LLC); Chris Huntington (Hilltown Packing); Lorri Koster (Mann Packing Company); Emmett Linder (Driscoll Strawberry Associates); and Bob Martin (Rio Farms).
Source: Grower-Shipper Association of Central California