VISALIA, CA — California Citrus Mutual held it's 36th annual meeting Nov. 7 at the Visalia Convention Center, here. CCM is the industry trade association, representing over 70 percent of the tree crop tonnage on a voluntary basis.

Newly elected Board Chairman Kevin Severns spoke passionately about the many benefits that CCM has offered California citrus growers. Most urgent has been the organized effort to stop the Asian citrus psyllid in California that is responsible for the spread of the devastating citrus greening disease.

South Africa's Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum and Seald Sweet International partnered to provide mentoring, career counseling and professional connections to students from two South African universities.

Lake Park, GA-based Ken Corbett Farms — a grower of Bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, specialty peppers and eggplant, as well as row crops — has recently created a new logo and company website.

“We created a logo that really emphasizes our proud family farming heritage and our major crops,” Ken Corbett, owner and president, said in a press release.

ASHLYNN BIEL joined Edinburg Citrus Association, based in Edinburg, TX, in late October.

In her new position at Edinburg Citrus, Biel will be responsible for handling the marketing for the company, as well as working in the sales department.

Toward the end of October, I took a 1,426-mile driving trip to visit retail clients in Arizona and California. During my trek, I saw a variety of supermarkets whether they were of a client, their competition, or just a common grocery store while passing through a lonely desert town.

Prior to visiting a retail client, I normally like to check out their competition first. This allows me to observe anything and everything they are doing to draw customers into their stores. No two supermarkets operate with the same programs.

Two leaders from Western Growers were honored with the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement’s Golden Checkmark Award during the organization’s 88th annual meeting and convention being held in Honolulu.