New marketing order formed for lettuce, spinach and spring mix
New marketing order formed for lettuce, spinach and spring mix
SALINAS, CA -- California Leafy Greens Research Program is a new marketing order that replaces the longtime California Lettuce Research Board and now includes spinach and spring mix.
The program's fiscal year began April 1 and operates under the California Department of Food & Agriculture, which oversaw the Salinas, CA-based California Lettuce Research Board.
Mary Zischke, who was chief executive officer of the California Lettuce Research Board, retains her role as chief executive officer and sole administrator of the new program. She will continue to operate from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California's offices in Salinas.
"This [program] is a good fit," Ms. Zischke said, adding that many of the handlers of spinach and spring mix also handle lettuce that is "produced by the same people on the same ground."
The new program was ushered in by "pretty much of an overwhelming vote" of California handlers, Ms. Zischke said. The percentage (in round numbers) of eligible handlers who cast ballots was 72 percent for lettuce, 76 percent for spinach and 84 percent for spring mix. The percentage of handlers voting in favor of implementation of the program was 90 percent for lettuce, 91 percent for spinach and 87.5 percent for spring mix.
The percentage of volume that was voted in favor of implementation of the program was 97 percent for lettuce, 89 percent for spinach and 64 percent for spring mix.
As with the lettuce board, the new program will collect assessments from handlers of California lettuce, spinach and spring mix on a per-carton or carton-equivalent basis. The assessments will fund research in production, harvesting, handling and distribution of lettuce, spinach and spring mix produced in California.
For spinach and spring mix, handlers will be assessed at a rate of $0.03 per hundredweight for raw pounds delivered to processors. Field-packed spinach will be assessed at a rate of $0.006 per carton, which is the same as the current assessment for lettuce.
Ms. Zischke told The Produce News in September that the California Lettuce Research Board had $700,000 in grant money allocated for research. Now, the lettuce research budget from that board has been rolled over into this new program. With assessments that will be collected this year on spinach and spring mix, the new board may spend an additional $75,000 on research this year, she said.
California operators that handle less than 250,000 pounds of leafy greens annually will be exempt from assessment.
Troy Boutonnet, vice president of production for Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, will be chairman of the new program, a position he held for the lettuce board. Currently in place is a 15-member board of directors and 12 alternates; in time, 15 alternates are planned.
The new program has an executive committee and a research committee. The research committee will meet the week of April 21 to establish research priorities for the funding that will come from spinach and spring mix assessments, Ms. Zischke said.
The new California Leafy Greens Research Program -- which supports research -- operates separately from the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which enforces industry metrics.
There is some overlap of individuals on the boards of both entities, but there are restrictions that govern behavior. For instance, a member of the agreement's board who also sits on the board of the newly formed program cannot direct its research, Ms. Zischke said.
The California Lettuce Research Board originally was formed in 1973 as the Iceberg Lettuce Advisory Board. The board name was changed in 1998 with the addition of research on leaf lettuces. The original board's goals were to reduce unit cost, improve efficiency of operations, provide consumers with a better product and keep California growers competitive.
The program's fiscal year began April 1 and operates under the California Department of Food & Agriculture, which oversaw the Salinas, CA-based California Lettuce Research Board.
Mary Zischke, who was chief executive officer of the California Lettuce Research Board, retains her role as chief executive officer and sole administrator of the new program. She will continue to operate from the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California's offices in Salinas.
"This [program] is a good fit," Ms. Zischke said, adding that many of the handlers of spinach and spring mix also handle lettuce that is "produced by the same people on the same ground."
The new program was ushered in by "pretty much of an overwhelming vote" of California handlers, Ms. Zischke said. The percentage (in round numbers) of eligible handlers who cast ballots was 72 percent for lettuce, 76 percent for spinach and 84 percent for spring mix. The percentage of handlers voting in favor of implementation of the program was 90 percent for lettuce, 91 percent for spinach and 87.5 percent for spring mix.
The percentage of volume that was voted in favor of implementation of the program was 97 percent for lettuce, 89 percent for spinach and 64 percent for spring mix.
As with the lettuce board, the new program will collect assessments from handlers of California lettuce, spinach and spring mix on a per-carton or carton-equivalent basis. The assessments will fund research in production, harvesting, handling and distribution of lettuce, spinach and spring mix produced in California.
For spinach and spring mix, handlers will be assessed at a rate of $0.03 per hundredweight for raw pounds delivered to processors. Field-packed spinach will be assessed at a rate of $0.006 per carton, which is the same as the current assessment for lettuce.
Ms. Zischke told The Produce News in September that the California Lettuce Research Board had $700,000 in grant money allocated for research. Now, the lettuce research budget from that board has been rolled over into this new program. With assessments that will be collected this year on spinach and spring mix, the new board may spend an additional $75,000 on research this year, she said.
California operators that handle less than 250,000 pounds of leafy greens annually will be exempt from assessment.
Troy Boutonnet, vice president of production for Castroville, CA-based Ocean Mist Farms, will be chairman of the new program, a position he held for the lettuce board. Currently in place is a 15-member board of directors and 12 alternates; in time, 15 alternates are planned.
The new program has an executive committee and a research committee. The research committee will meet the week of April 21 to establish research priorities for the funding that will come from spinach and spring mix assessments, Ms. Zischke said.
The new California Leafy Greens Research Program -- which supports research -- operates separately from the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which enforces industry metrics.
There is some overlap of individuals on the boards of both entities, but there are restrictions that govern behavior. For instance, a member of the agreement's board who also sits on the board of the newly formed program cannot direct its research, Ms. Zischke said.
The California Lettuce Research Board originally was formed in 1973 as the Iceberg Lettuce Advisory Board. The board name was changed in 1998 with the addition of research on leaf lettuces. The original board's goals were to reduce unit cost, improve efficiency of operations, provide consumers with a better product and keep California growers competitive.
