Research center to be dedicated to longtime researcher at Fresh Express
Research center to be dedicated to longtime researcher at Fresh Express
SALINAS, CA -- The Grower-Shipper Association of Central California presented its E.E. (Gene) Harden Award for lifetime achievement in Central Coast agriculture to Jim Lugg of Fresh Express.
The award was formally presented to Mr. Lugg June 21 as part of the organization's annual dinner-dance at the Corral de Tierra Country Club in Salinas, CA. The association's chairman, Dennis Donohue, presided over the presentation along with Fresh Express President Tanios Viviani and association President Jim Bogart.
Mr. Lugg has worked for Fresh Express and TransFresh in research and food safety for 45 years, and his career in agriculture spans over six decades. His many contributions to agriculture include helping develop the modified atmosphere used to ensure longer shelf-life for processed lettuce packaged as bagged salads and he formed TransFresh in 1966. He was instrumental in lettuce seed development, dating back to before coated seeds were an industry standard.
Mr. Lugg is past chairman of the College of Natural Resources Advisory Board at the University of California-Berkeley and a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee at the University of California-Davis.
He also is active in the California Leafy Green Handlers Marketing Agreement and a participant in numerous panels, with which he shares expansive food- safety knowledge.
As part of the festivities surrounding the presentation of the award, Mr. Viviani announced that Chiquita Brands International -- parent to Fresh Express -- would establish one of its two worldwide research facilities at 607 Brunken Street in Salinas. The research facility will be named the James R. Lugg Research Center in recognition of Mr. Lugg's many years of outstanding service to Fresh Express and the agriculture industry.
Mr. Donohue said that the announcement is a significant step in Salinas' efforts to position itself as the "fresh intellectual" center of the industry.
The award was formally presented to Mr. Lugg June 21 as part of the organization's annual dinner-dance at the Corral de Tierra Country Club in Salinas, CA. The association's chairman, Dennis Donohue, presided over the presentation along with Fresh Express President Tanios Viviani and association President Jim Bogart.
Mr. Lugg has worked for Fresh Express and TransFresh in research and food safety for 45 years, and his career in agriculture spans over six decades. His many contributions to agriculture include helping develop the modified atmosphere used to ensure longer shelf-life for processed lettuce packaged as bagged salads and he formed TransFresh in 1966. He was instrumental in lettuce seed development, dating back to before coated seeds were an industry standard.
Mr. Lugg is past chairman of the College of Natural Resources Advisory Board at the University of California-Berkeley and a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee at the University of California-Davis.
He also is active in the California Leafy Green Handlers Marketing Agreement and a participant in numerous panels, with which he shares expansive food- safety knowledge.
As part of the festivities surrounding the presentation of the award, Mr. Viviani announced that Chiquita Brands International -- parent to Fresh Express -- would establish one of its two worldwide research facilities at 607 Brunken Street in Salinas. The research facility will be named the James R. Lugg Research Center in recognition of Mr. Lugg's many years of outstanding service to Fresh Express and the agriculture industry.
Mr. Donohue said that the announcement is a significant step in Salinas' efforts to position itself as the "fresh intellectual" center of the industry.
