CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Annual Meeting 2022 Chairman’s Speech On behalf of our entire co-op, I want to express our gratitude for Mark’s leadership over the last 12 years. His leadership of our robust annual five-year strategic planning retreats has been inspirational to the board and senior management and instrumental to the success we have achieved these past 12 years.
Our co-op’s commitment to sustainability holds special significance to me, personally. I’m proud to have been one of the original founders of Project Apis m . in 2006 and served as chairman of that board from 2006 to 2012. I’d like to recognize our own Christine Gemperle as a board member of Project Apis m . This year, Project Apis m . achieved an incredible milestone. To date, the nonprofit has funded $10 million in more than 150 research projects and forage programs with the single goal of protecting and improving honey bee health and vitality. I’m thrilled that Blue Diamond will further be collaborating with Project Apis m . as one of our partners through the $45 million grant awarded to us by the USDA for climate smart projects. This historic USDA grant is a fantastic example of what can be accomplished through collaborative partnerships between government and industry stakeholders. It demonstrates the importance of Blue Diamond ’s Political Action Committee (PAC). Our PAC works to engage and educate key federal and state legislators and policy makers on issues important to California’s almond industry and the sustainability of our planet. I want to point out that the definition of sustainability goes beyond environmental impacts on our planet, or in our Blue Diamond orchards and facilities. The concept of true sustainability is what our co-op was founded on in 1910.
During his tenure, Mark has gained great respect, not only from the board of directors, but from our grower-owners, employees, our business partners domestic and abroad, and our entire industry. Mark’s strategic vision and focus on expanding our global marketplace has positioned Blue Diamond extremely well for the future. He will forever be part of our Blue Diamond legacy. I’ve had the honor of serving as your District 1 Director since 2006, and Board Chairman since 2014. As most of you know I’m a proud, third generation Blue Diamond grower. My family has been part of this co-op for nearly 100 years, through good crop years and challenging ones, through the highs and lows of almond values. And I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever been more optimistic about this cooperative’s future. The theme of our annual meeting and the co-op’s traditional annual report this year is “Partnering for a Sustainable Future.” As you know, this is a significant year for sustainability throughout our co-op. In fact, this year we officially rolled out our first stand-alone sustainability report that provides details and metrics about the great progress that has been made in our orchards and our facilities. I’m incredibly proud of our growers’ participation in the Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program (OSIP). When Mark asked all growers who have achieved OSIP diamond levels to stand up during the Annual Meeting, it was impressive.
Dan Cummings Chairman of the Board
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ALMOND FACTS
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