HAB Holds First Ever Avocado Grower Barbeque in Carpinteria

Hosted by Hass Avocado Board members and California producers Ben Van Der Kar, and C.J. Shade the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) held its first ever avocado grower/grove barbeque in Carpinteria, CA on Friday, May 26th, inviting local growers and interested producers from the surrounding?area.

In an effort to commune with growers, over a fantastic taco plate lunch, the group relaxed in an avocado grove owned by the Van Der Kar family and talked about all things avocado for over two hours heading into the Memorial Day weekend. Brief talks were initiated by HAB Board members Van Der Kar and Shade, as well as brief updates from HAB staffers Emiliano Escobedo and John?McGuigan.

The event coincided with the upswing of the California season after much wetter and cooler than normal conditions for the state’s growers slowed this season’s start. It gave all the speakers a chance to weigh-in on the work of HAB, what value it creates for growers, and what opportunities may still lie ahead for the organization, and the industry. Growers learned about how their assessment dollars are spent, and the vision of the Board for the future of the?industry.

It provided the growers with a chance to question the organization about what it can do to better conditions and returns for growers in a changing landscape of avocado production worldwide. It was also a call for interested growers to become more active with the Board, and to even contemplate placing themselves into nomination for a board seat – which is all about a concerted grass roots effort to get new and differing perspectives onto the board. But it also became an opportunity for staff and current board members to hear from the stakeholders and the assessment payers on their perspective on the current condition of the?industry.

The lunch was enjoyed by all, and the taco truck proprietor gave out almost as many business cards as he did taco plates! A good time was had by everyone, and an understanding that our collective efforts, growers, board members, and HAB staff is the solution for keeping the forward leaning direction for our industry, focused on our path to becoming America’s most popular?fruit!