Press Releases
Tree Fruit Industry Seeks Grower Input on Mandatory Inspection
10/4/2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2005 Reedley, CA phone: (559) 638-8260
Tree Fruit Industry Seeks Grower Input on Mandatory Inspection
The California Tree Fruit Agreement will hold a series of District Grower Meetings to provide information and seek input regarding proposed changes to the industry's mandatory inspection program. CTFA Committees are considering eliminating the mandatory inspection program for quality and maturity standards, which has long been a source of debate among tree fruit industry members.
The meetings will be held October 17 and 18 in four locations including Bakersfield, Visalia, Parlier and Dinuba. Individual meetings will also be held with growers in outlying production districts such as Northern California. The meeting schedule is as follows:
Bakersfield - October 17, 8:00 a.m. breakfast meeting, Marie Calender's, 3801 California Ave., Bakersfield.
Visalia - October 17, 1:30 p.m., Pine Room, Visalia Holiday Inn, 900 W. Airport Rd., Visalia.
Parlier - October 18, 8:00 a.m., Walnut Room, Kearney Ag Center, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier.
Dinuba - October 18, 1:30 p.m., VFW Room, Veteran's Memorial Building, 249 Alta Ave., Dinuba.
"CTFA regularly holds district grower meetings as a means of interacting with growers on important issues," said Blair Richardson, CTFA President. "This series of meetings is extremely important as the industry seeks to determine the level of support for eliminating mandatory inspection. In fact, this is one of the most important decisions ever faced by the industry, and it is crucial the committees hear from peach, plum and nectarine growers before they meet on November 30 to discuss the issue."
Richardson explained that the California Tree Fruit Agreement committees are considering a recommendation from its Tree Fruit Quality Subcommittee to eliminate mandatory inspection and are investigating several other factors associated with this issue including the development of a voluntary inspection program.
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"Committee members want to be careful that any action they take does not create confusion or disruption in the marketplace," continued Richardson. "Therefore it is important that we determine the industry's opinions about any action to change the inspection program. With this series of District Grower Meetings, we hope to collect input from growers as well as to answer questions and provide information on this complicated issue."
Richardson also noted that CTFA is distributing a short survey to California peach, plum and nectarine growers on the subject of eliminating mandatory inspection. Growers should receive that survey via mail within the next week.
"CTFA encourages industry members to contact our staff or committee members with questions or comments on the proposed action by calling CTFA offices in Reedley at (559) 638-8260 or by contacting your committee members directly," stressed Richardson.