CPAC growers vote at annual meeting to retain mandatory inspections
CPAC growers vote at annual meeting to retain mandatory inspections
MONTE VISTA, CO -- By an overwhelming majority of 79 percent to 21 percent, potato grower-shippers in Colorado's San Luis Valley have voted to retain their federal and state marketing orders' mandatory inspections.
Results of the vote were announced by Colorado Potato Administrative Committee Chairman Tom Ford at CPAC's annual meeting Feb. 1. In making the announcement, which came at the end of the well-attended evening event, Mr. Ford said that 157 growers were registered to vote on the matter. Of those eligible, 153 cast ballots, with 121 voting to retain mandatory inspections and 32 voting for voluntary inspections.
Monty Smith, chairman of the community relations sub- committee and master of ceremony of the dinner meeting, told the crowd that the vote reinforces solidarity among potato grower-shippers and distributors.
"We've shown time and time again that we can come together, and we need to celebrate what we've done as an industry," Mr. Smith said.
The inspections, which are carried out by the Fruit & Vegetable Inspections Services of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, were put into place at the same time the region's marketing orders were established in 1941.
According to Tracy Vanderpool, program manager of the inspections services, his operation employes 38 inspectors for 23 sheds that ship continuously as well as "a couple of other sheds that ship intermittently."
Twenty-nine of the inspectors work full time and nine are seasonal. Mr. Vanderpool said that the outcome of the voting procedure was also "a vote of confidence for us, that's for sure." He added that although inspectors sign off on the valley's other produce commodities, potatoes are what keep the office going year round.
Sheds that run every day have inspectors assigned to them, and those facilities' packaged loads represent 65 percent of the potatoes shipped from the San Luis Valley. The remaining 35 percent of the potatoes are shipped bulk, with inspectors called on request.
Linda Weyers, assistant executive director of CPAC, told The Produce News that her office uses the inspection figures to calculate assessments, which are now 5 cents per hundredweight. She said that acreage cutbacks have put assessment estimates at $750,000 for the 2005 shipping season.
Those funds are used by CPAC to cover administrative expenses, advertising costs, regulatory expenses and research.
Had the growers agreed to repeal mandatory inspections, a referendum would have been scheduled, Ms. Weyers said, adding that the proposal to repeal mandatory inspections was proffered by two large distributors in the San Luis Valley, both of whom employ in-house inspectors.
"I believe they thought they were doubling up on their efforts," she said. She went on to say that the Colorado Department of Agriculture inspects to minimum standards, but for receivers who ask that product be inspected to a higher level, the government's crew will do that as well.
An election of CPAC board members was also held.
Representing Alamosa County is Hunter Sessums with alternate Art Holland. Rio Grande County is represented by Ron Crowther with alternate Roger Mix. The Saguache County representative is Kent Palmgren, with alternate Jed Ellithorpe.
Conejos County representative is Tom Ford with alternate Gilbert Fransen. Independent handler members are Greg Metz and David Tonso with alternates Pam Bogle and Mike Mitchell. The bulk shipper member is Segundo Diaz with Eric Bothell as alternate.
The meeting also provided a forum for awards and announcements, including the presentation of the Doug Monter Memorial Scholarship to Adams State College freshman Chris Iverson and the Spud Bowl Queen Scholarship to Sarah Bashaw, a senior at Moffat High School.
Mr. Iverson was not present, but Sheldon Rockey of the industry-community relations sub-committee explained that the college student was chosen from a group of several young scholars.
Of Ms. Bashaw, Mr. Rockey said that the young woman has begun taking college-level courses already and plans an ag- related career.
Grower-shipper C.J. Robinson announced amounts garnered by two CPAC fundraising organizations, and Dr. Lee Sommers, head of the Colorado State University Research Center north of Monte Vista, presented a plaque of appreciation to CPAC Chairman Ford.
(Photos from the meeting appear in the Feb. 13 issue of The Produce News.)
Results of the vote were announced by Colorado Potato Administrative Committee Chairman Tom Ford at CPAC's annual meeting Feb. 1. In making the announcement, which came at the end of the well-attended evening event, Mr. Ford said that 157 growers were registered to vote on the matter. Of those eligible, 153 cast ballots, with 121 voting to retain mandatory inspections and 32 voting for voluntary inspections.
Monty Smith, chairman of the community relations sub- committee and master of ceremony of the dinner meeting, told the crowd that the vote reinforces solidarity among potato grower-shippers and distributors.
"We've shown time and time again that we can come together, and we need to celebrate what we've done as an industry," Mr. Smith said.
The inspections, which are carried out by the Fruit & Vegetable Inspections Services of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, were put into place at the same time the region's marketing orders were established in 1941.
According to Tracy Vanderpool, program manager of the inspections services, his operation employes 38 inspectors for 23 sheds that ship continuously as well as "a couple of other sheds that ship intermittently."
Twenty-nine of the inspectors work full time and nine are seasonal. Mr. Vanderpool said that the outcome of the voting procedure was also "a vote of confidence for us, that's for sure." He added that although inspectors sign off on the valley's other produce commodities, potatoes are what keep the office going year round.
Sheds that run every day have inspectors assigned to them, and those facilities' packaged loads represent 65 percent of the potatoes shipped from the San Luis Valley. The remaining 35 percent of the potatoes are shipped bulk, with inspectors called on request.
Linda Weyers, assistant executive director of CPAC, told The Produce News that her office uses the inspection figures to calculate assessments, which are now 5 cents per hundredweight. She said that acreage cutbacks have put assessment estimates at $750,000 for the 2005 shipping season.
Those funds are used by CPAC to cover administrative expenses, advertising costs, regulatory expenses and research.
Had the growers agreed to repeal mandatory inspections, a referendum would have been scheduled, Ms. Weyers said, adding that the proposal to repeal mandatory inspections was proffered by two large distributors in the San Luis Valley, both of whom employ in-house inspectors.
"I believe they thought they were doubling up on their efforts," she said. She went on to say that the Colorado Department of Agriculture inspects to minimum standards, but for receivers who ask that product be inspected to a higher level, the government's crew will do that as well.
An election of CPAC board members was also held.
Representing Alamosa County is Hunter Sessums with alternate Art Holland. Rio Grande County is represented by Ron Crowther with alternate Roger Mix. The Saguache County representative is Kent Palmgren, with alternate Jed Ellithorpe.
Conejos County representative is Tom Ford with alternate Gilbert Fransen. Independent handler members are Greg Metz and David Tonso with alternates Pam Bogle and Mike Mitchell. The bulk shipper member is Segundo Diaz with Eric Bothell as alternate.
The meeting also provided a forum for awards and announcements, including the presentation of the Doug Monter Memorial Scholarship to Adams State College freshman Chris Iverson and the Spud Bowl Queen Scholarship to Sarah Bashaw, a senior at Moffat High School.
Mr. Iverson was not present, but Sheldon Rockey of the industry-community relations sub-committee explained that the college student was chosen from a group of several young scholars.
Of Ms. Bashaw, Mr. Rockey said that the young woman has begun taking college-level courses already and plans an ag- related career.
Grower-shipper C.J. Robinson announced amounts garnered by two CPAC fundraising organizations, and Dr. Lee Sommers, head of the Colorado State University Research Center north of Monte Vista, presented a plaque of appreciation to CPAC Chairman Ford.
(Photos from the meeting appear in the Feb. 13 issue of The Produce News.)
