Alex Ott named executive director of the California Apple Commission
Alex Ott named executive director of the California Apple Commission
FRESNO, CA " Alex Ott, director of government relations for the California Grape & Tree Fruit League, has been named to head the California Apple Commission, here.
His selection was approved by the commission?s board of directors at a March 7 meeting, according to Kenton Kidd, who will be retiring as president of the commission on April 1. Mr. Ott?s title will be executive director.
Mr. Ott told The Produce News that he has been with the league for about five-and-a-half years. Prior to that, he worked for California Assemblyman Mike Briggs as agriculture and water issues director for the Central Valley. "Before that I was with Congressman John Doolittle?s office," and prior to that with Assemblyman Keith Olberg?s office, he said. In both positions, he worked on water and agriculture issues along with "various other constituent matters."
Among the issues with which he has been involved since 1994 are ag labor, environmental resource issues, food safety, food security, pesticide issues and international issues, particularly as they relate to food safety and food security.
A graduate of Sacramento State University with a bachelor?s degree in government, Mr. Ott has since pursued post-graduate studies at California State University at Fresno. "I will be graduating in approximately six weeks from Fresno State with a master?s [degree] in international relations," he said. Mr. Ott is also involved with his in-laws in farming some Thompson seedless grapes.
In his new position with the California Apple Commission, Mr. Ott said that he is "looking forward to a great opportunity with a lot of challenges." The industry faces "several challenges here in the state " regulatory and legislative " and here in the United States."
But in addition, he said, "we now have market forces abroad. It is a global market. I look forward to the challenge of using my legislative experience and my political experience as well as some of my agricultural experience to try to open new markets and new directions, and at the same time see if we can get some of these regulations off our back."
His selection was approved by the commission?s board of directors at a March 7 meeting, according to Kenton Kidd, who will be retiring as president of the commission on April 1. Mr. Ott?s title will be executive director.
Mr. Ott told The Produce News that he has been with the league for about five-and-a-half years. Prior to that, he worked for California Assemblyman Mike Briggs as agriculture and water issues director for the Central Valley. "Before that I was with Congressman John Doolittle?s office," and prior to that with Assemblyman Keith Olberg?s office, he said. In both positions, he worked on water and agriculture issues along with "various other constituent matters."
Among the issues with which he has been involved since 1994 are ag labor, environmental resource issues, food safety, food security, pesticide issues and international issues, particularly as they relate to food safety and food security.
A graduate of Sacramento State University with a bachelor?s degree in government, Mr. Ott has since pursued post-graduate studies at California State University at Fresno. "I will be graduating in approximately six weeks from Fresno State with a master?s [degree] in international relations," he said. Mr. Ott is also involved with his in-laws in farming some Thompson seedless grapes.
In his new position with the California Apple Commission, Mr. Ott said that he is "looking forward to a great opportunity with a lot of challenges." The industry faces "several challenges here in the state " regulatory and legislative " and here in the United States."
But in addition, he said, "we now have market forces abroad. It is a global market. I look forward to the challenge of using my legislative experience and my political experience as well as some of my agricultural experience to try to open new markets and new directions, and at the same time see if we can get some of these regulations off our back."
