The Citrus Research Board (CRB) has named Marcy Martin as the new president after operating under interim president Franco Bernardi for nearly a year. Martin brings 25 years of experience of working in California’s agricultural industry to her new position and looks forward to getting started on October 1.
“I am completely dedicated and honored to be a part of this industry,” said Martin. “The citrus industry is an incredibly important economic contributor. It’s a staple to California agriculture, as well as to U.S. agriculture. It’s a commodity that we need to preserve and foster. Its tradition is longstanding.”
Martin spent 14 years as the director of trade for the California Fresh Fruit Association. Prior to that, Martin worked as controller of the California Apple Commission for 10 years. Since 2015 Martin has been a member of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Fruits and Vegetables, which should bring valuable trade insight to CRB moving forward.
“It’s been a real valuable experience because it gives you a really broad look at a lot of commodities that you might not be familiar with. It gives you an opportunity to find out that there’s a number of similarities across commodities,” Martin noted. “I certainly think that it gives a broader understanding as how it may relate to some of the research that’s being conducted through the CRB.”
Martin expressed admiration for all the work that the Citrus Research Board has been a part of over the years, noting that its long tenure is a testament to the great leadership of the CRB board, CRB staff, and dedicated researchers. “The number of years that CRB has been established and has remained supported by its growers demonstrates the level of successes its had,” said Martin. “Scientific study and the results take time, they take money and they take effort, and I think growers have recognized that this is a wise investment to make on behalf of the industry.”
Listen to Martin’s interview below.
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