CLFP Elects Ross Siragusa as 2019-20 Chair

CLFP elected Ross Siragusa of The Kraft Heinz Company as its 2019-20 chair during its Annual Board of Directors Meeting held in Carmel, CA, April 18-19.

Siragusa is based out of Kraft Heinz’s office in Stockton, CA, and has been Head of Global Agriculture and Seed for the company since 2008 and was Director of Global Agriculture for the then HJ Heinz from 2008 to 2013. He also previously served as President of the California Tomato Growers Association from 2004 to 2008.

Other 2019-20 CLFP officers elected were Michael Mariani, Mariani Packing Company, Inc., Vacaville, CA, as first vice chair, and Patrick Ricchiuti, ENZO Olive Oil Company, Clovis, CA, as second vice chair. Nick Kastle, J.G. Boswell Tomato Co. LLC, Corcoran, CA, will continue as immediate past chair.

The guest speaker at the board meeting was Dr. Dan Sumner, Director of the Ag Issues Center at UC Davis who spoke about “The Potential for Establishing Water Trading Markets on a Broad Scale in California.” General session speakers included Brett Sciotto, President/CEO, Aimpoint Research, who discussed “The Future of Farming: How Demographics, Technology, Markets and Consumers Will Transform Agriculture” and Dennis Donohue, Director of the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, who addressed “Robotics, Food Safety and Water Conservation Projects Under Development by Cutting-Edge Technology Innovators.”

Attendees also received legislative and regulatory updates from CLFP Government Affairs Directors Trudi Hughes and John Larrea.

CLFP’s Fall Board of Directors Meeting will be held October 24 in Lodi,CA.