US (CA): LGMA welcomes new officers, board members

The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) welcomed several newly elected members and appointed new officers during a meeting of the Advisory Board held Friday in Salinas. The Board appointed its new chairman by moving Ron Ratto, of Ratto Bros., Inc., from the Vice Chairman position where he has been serving for the past three years. Victor Tognazzini, Santa Maria leafy greens farmer and general manager of Tri-Valley Vegetable Harvesting Inc., advanced to Vice Chairman from his position as Treasurer. New to the slate of LGMA officers is Steve Church, Church Brothers Produce, who was appointed to serve as Treasurer.

Outgoing Chairman Ryan Talley, Talley Farms, will remain on the LGMA Board where he will continue to serve with former LGMA chairmen, including Jamie Strachan, Growers Express, LLC and Joe Pezzini, Ocean Mist Farms who have also continued as members of LGMA Board.

The LGMA’s new chairman Ron Ratto is president of Modesto-based Ratto Bros., Inc., whose family began growing vegetables in California over 100 years ago and today produces a number of leafy greens products including chard, mustard greens, leaf lettuces and cabbage. Ron will serve as the fourth Chairman of the LGMA.

Vice Chairman Victor Tognazzini is a founding LGMA Board member. He is from a Santa Maria farming family that came to the central coast in the late 1800s. In addition to his farming activities, Tognazzini oversees Tri-valley Vegetable Harvesting operations and is the founder and director of Food Safety Consulting Services.

LGMA’s new Treasurer Steve Church has also been a long-time Board member. Church is co-founder of family-owned and operated Church Brothers Produce with operations in Salinas, Huron, Holtville, San Juan Bautista and Yuma, AZ. He has been involved in many facets of the vegetable industry since the early 1960s and has served on the Boards of several other produce industry associations including Grower-Shipper Association of the Central Coast, Western Growers Association and Central California Lettuce Producers Cooperative.

Along with these new officers, a number of new Board members and alternates were recently elected to serve on the Advisory Board by the California leafy greens community. Additions to the Board include: Juanita Jenny Chavez, Dole Fresh Vegetables; Manny Alcala, Duda Company; Gurmail Mudahar, Tanimura & Antle; Steve Brazeel, Sunterra Produce; and Kristina Nunes, The Nunes Company. All new representatives are from the District One growing area, which encompasses Salinas, Watsonville, the San Joaquin Valley and Kern County. A complete list of Board members and alternates is posted on its website.