Press Releases
Sun World and California Plum Board Settle Lawsuit
9/15/2003
Sun World and California Plum Board Settle Law Suit
A lawsuit filed in 2001 by Sun World International, Inc. charging the California Plum Marketing Board with violating its first amendment rights of free speech has been settled out of court. According to California Department of Food and Agriculture officials, the parties have come to an agreement and Sun World has now dropped the case.
"We are certainly very pleased to have worked out a mutually beneficial resolution to past differences with Sun World," stated Blair Richardson, president of the California Tree Fruit Agreement, which administers programs of the California Plum Marketing Board. "This resolution is a sign of the changes being made at CTFA to get back in touch with what industry members want from these marketing orders. We are also very pleased that Sun World has agreed to participate in future business decisions of the Plum Marketing Board and that a member of their organization, Gene Coughlin, is now serving as a director on the plum board."
Richardson went on to note that in recent months, CTFA has begun an overall restructuring of program activities and that many proactive changes have been made including a new direction in marketing activities, restructured subcommittee system and regular input from industry members.
"We have a renewed commitment to the industry to be more responsive to growers in helping them deal with market changes that impact their profitability," continued Richardson, noting that more positive changes are yet to come.
Sun World President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Shaheen confirmed that Sun World is pleased with recent changes at CTFA. "We have seen a very real change at CTFA in the direction of programs and a discontinuation of some of the activities Sun World did not support. As such, we have agreed to drop the lawsuit and will work toward the implementation of new programs that better serve our needs and those of the industry."