The referendum to approve the efforts of the California Avocado Commission for another half-decade looked a little different this year, yet was still overwhelmingly approved.
Five years ago when the California Avocado Commission faced its last statewide grower referendum to approve the entity, an amendment was also passed that growers who produced less than 10,000 pounds of avocados didn’t have to pay the assessment that funds the commission’s activities.
When the approval came back up five years later for the commission, unfortunately, those smaller growers were unable to participate in the vote. “What was unknown was any potential effect exempting smaller growers might have in a referendum vote, as there were significantly fewer eligible voters this year,” CAC President Tom Bellamore said in a press release. This year’s 2021 statewide grower referendum was primarily a commercial producer vote because of the change.
The amendment didn’t seem to affect the results however as the California Avocado Commission was approved by 75 percent of the voting producers. This extends assessments and subsequently the commission’s marketing efforts for another five years. “California avocado growers have clearly affirmed the value they see in the California Avocado Commission,” CAC Board Chairman Rob Grether stated in the release. “This vote allows the Board and management of the Commission to continue their critical work of bolstering grower viability through innovative marketing, industry affairs, production research and grower education.”
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