Voting has officially begun for the Almond Board of California’s (ABC) Board of Directors for the 2022-2023 crop year. The ABC election is for two independent grower positions and one independent handler position, as well as alternate seats for the positions. Ballots and instructions have been sent out to independent growers and handlers. ABC Senior Specialist of Industry Communications, Taylor Hillman explained that industry participation in the election is critical for carrying out the mission of ABC.
“The ABC Board of Directors is an important and vital part of the industry. It guides everything that the Almond Board does and it’s key to overseeing the welfare of the industry as a whole,” said Hillman. “The ABC board is made up of five handler and five grower representatives. They set policy, they recommend budgets in major areas including marketing, production research, public relations and advertising, nutritional research, statistical reporting, quality control, and food safety.”
Ballots will need to be received by ABC by May 26. Any independent grower or handler that has not received a ballot is encouraged to contact Toni Arellano at the Almond Board. The results from the ABC election will be announced on June 1, with the new board set to begin serving on August 1. Hillman reminds the more than 7,600 growers and 100 handlers that comprise the California almond industry that every vote counts.
“It’s important to make sure that if you get that ballot, don’t just throw it away. Every vote is important. So, fill it out, send it back and if you don’t have one, contact us. We want everybody to be involved in this election,” Hillman explained. “It’s important for the Almond Board to be able to get input from the industry and make sure that we are industry run and we go along with what the industry wants us to do.”
A complete list of candidates is available here.
Listen to Hillman’s interview below.
About the Author
