(Modesto, Calif.) — 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.
