ADVOCACY REPORT
100 Years of Partnership
It is not often a company in California turns 100 years old. Ag Council has been fortunate to celebrate the centennial of
several of its members, including Blue Diamond Growers, Sun-Maid, Sunkist and Sunsweet. Land O’Lakes and others are just
around the corner.
The growers of that era were clearly visionaries. At
the time, they probably could not envision the brands
their companies would later become, but they had one
thread in common then, which still exists today – the
need for government affairs.
Blue Diamond
was present nearly 100 years ago
when Ag Council was formed at the first meeting held
in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. The minutes from
the very first board meeting in 1919 reveal that Ag
Council was formed to address challenging regulations
and as a mechanism to ensure a positive environment
for cooperatives and farmer-owned businesses in
California.
We are proud that
Blue Diamond
– known then as
California Almond Growers Exchange – was one of
our founding members and continues to be actively
engaged in our membership 100 years later.
We have been through a lot together. And in many
ways, our brands are stronger than ever. Watching the
innovation at
Blue Diamond
serves as inspiration to our
team when we consider the tough political challenges
before us. Just through my lifetime, I have watched your
brand turn “a can a week,” into a variety of products
that consumers can snack on throughout the day all
around the world.
At Ag Council, we have been successful in taking
some of our toughest challenges and turning them into
positive outcomes. As an example, we were successful
in improving the only cap and trade regulation in the
entire country by utilizing those funds to create $600
million worth of grants for farmers and food processors.
Additionally, when local schools were purchasing
foreign fruit to serve to students, we passed state
legislation strengthening the “Buy American” provisions
of the school lunch program in California. We continue
to work steadfastly toward creating a pathway to
compliance for groundwater impacts caused by farming
through the development of a safe drinking water
program.
Ag Council continues to innovate. Our newly formed
Almond Committee comprises all of our almond
members and will assist us in being on the forefront of
issues impacting your industry for years to come.
It is no secret that California is a challenging place to
do business. However, for agriculture, California offers
more than other locations in terms of its Mediterranean
climate, beneficial soil types, and access to foreign
markets that create a promising environment for
businesses that have a growth mindset.
For us, a State Legislature with an urban focus can
create significant challenges, but we can find success
in matching our needs with their priorities. This does not
always work in every case, but an inventive perspective
helps.
Our efforts in the Capitol and within regulatory
agencies are consistent with any business in California
– we find that hard work, flexibility and tenacity will
Through all the highs and lows,
Blue Diamond has walked
with us over the past 100 years,
and we appreciate this
strategic partnership.
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