farmers and industry leaders. Blue Diamond fosters leadership in current and future Blue Diamond members through several different programs. The first is through our Blue Diamond Leadership Program, that since its inception with my inaugural class of 1994 has graduated more than 500 members. Last night we honored our 2022 Leadership Program class with a special graduation dinner. I’d also like to acknowledge and thank Kent Stenderup for serving as program chair. A second way we nurture future farmers is through our long-standing partnership with Future Farmers of America, or FFA. Many still have their blue jackets from their early years with the iconic organization that promotes education and excellence in agriculture. I’m proud that Blue Diamond Growers once again committed to match Giving Tuesday donations to FFA up to $25,000 to help raise funds for those distinctive blue jackets. The third way we support the next generation of ag leaders is by providing college scholarships to local high school students through the Blue Diamond Growers Foundation. I’d like to recognize John Monroe’s dedication and passion as president of the Foundation. This year, we lost a dear friend, Bob Weimer, who was District 7 board director from 2004–2017. Bob was the
The strength of our collective partnership is what sustains our future. Especially in crop years like we just experienced, where many of us growers faced significant challenges with weather and operational costs, the strength of this co-op helped sustain our farms, our livelihood. Mark talked about some of the incredible innovations we’ve made in finding new uses and markets for our almonds, and the hurdles we overcame with supply chain and shipping challenges. Those solutions were only possible because of the strong and dedicated leadership of our board of directors and our co-op leadership team. I want to assure you that our co-op’s leadership team will continue to be a dynamic force in the industry. When Mark approached me a few months ago to discuss timing of a transition, it’s true I really did initially try to talk him out of it. But we both agreed, as did the rest of your board, that the time is right, and the co-op is well- positioned for a leadership transition. The board’s CEO Succession Team has been hard at work, talking with incredible candidates — both internal to Blue Diamond and some external to our co-op, with strong CPG experience. I couldn’t be more optimistic about the future. I know we’ll find the right fit in our next CEO, someone who shares our Blue Diamond values and commitment to the sustainability of our co-op and its grower-owners’ needs. Be assured your board is committed to communicating progress with our grower community as succession updates are available. In keeping with that focus on our future, another key to the sustainability of our co-op and California’s agriculture industry is our ability to nurture the next generation of
inspiration and champion in creating the Blue Diamond Growers Foundation for the purpose of awarding scholarships to students from our almond growing regions who are seeking a four-year degree in an agricultural field.
To honor Bob Weimer’s contributions to Blue Diamond and to the almond industry, I’m proud to announce that Blue Diamond will match up to $50,000 to the Foundation to broaden the impact of our Scholarship Program. Please note that there is a donation envelope in this issue of the magazine, right in the center. Please consider supporting the Foundation’s Scholarship Program as you make your end of year donations.
11
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2022
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker