News & Views

News & Views Magazine

Edition 1, 2015

2015 CLFP Annual Meeting Recap

The 2015 CLFP Annual Meeting held April 23-24 at

Carmel Valley Ranch was an informative as well as festive

event with a full slate of guest speakers along with

social events.

Dan Sroufe with Pacific Coast Producers was recognized

for his year of service as CLFP chair, and the board

approved the new slate of officers. The 2015-2016 chair

is Greg Estep, Olam Spices and Vegetable Ingredients, the

first vice chair is Pat Coe, ConAgra Foods, and the second

vice chair is Bert Fleischer, Hilmar Cheese Co.

The CLFP board also approved $32,000 in funding for

the CLFP Scholarship Program, including adding Cal Poly

Pomona to the program that also includes UC Davis,

Chico State, Fresno State, Chapman University and Cal

Poly San Luis Obispo. CLFP staff provided the board an

overview of several key bills under consideration in the

legislature, and a summary of current regulatory issues

such Proposition 65, water policy, and energy.

Guest speakers covered a number of timely topics for

the food processing industry. Theresa Thorne with the

Alliance for Food and Farming discussed their efforts to

provide information to the public regarding the use of

crop protection materials. Rob Lapsley, president of the

California Business Roundtable, provided an interesting

overview of the decline of the manufacturing sector

in California and a critique of state energy policy. Bill

Mongelluzzo with the Journal of Commerce discussed

recent labor issues at U.S. West Coast ports and how

they will affect future operations at the ports. Dr. Helene

Dillard, Dean of the School of Agriculture at UC Davis,

discussed how the university is working with current

budget limits to meet its mission to serve the food and

agriculture sector in California.

In addition to the business meeting, social events

included an outing to Carmel Valley Village and the CLFP

annual golf tournament. The winning golf team included

Alan Stender (Atlas Pacific Engineering), Andrew Howe

(Horizon Nut Company) and Michael Mariani (Mariani

Packing Company). The meeting was capped off by

the chair's dinner. During the dinner, Chair Sroufe

presented Dr. Diane Barrett with U.C. Davis with the CLFP

Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding research

contributions to the California food processing industry.

Outgoing CLFP Chair Dan Stroufe (r) was recognized

for his year of service at CLFP's annual meeting.

By rob neenan

clfp President & ceo