The Board of Directors of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement extended the time period for handlers to sign up for the agreement until May 18, 2007. This is a power that wasn’t completely evident from the Agreement documents but, apparently, has been given the OK by the lawyers as long as those that sign up late are still assessed retroactively from April 1, 2007.
So far it seems that two companies have become signatories since the initial list was published:
ALBA Organics, Salinas
Field Fresh Farms, Watsonville
Field Fresh Farms produces for companies such as Capurro Pacific International Marketing and Mills so its participation would be expected.
The ALBA Organics decision to join is interesting. The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association explains its mission as such:
The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association generates opportunities for farm workers and limited-resource, aspiring farmers to grow and sell crops from two organic farms in Monterey County.
Our mission is to advance economic viability, social equity and ecological land management among limited-resource and aspiring farmers. In pursuing its mission, ALBA aims to contribute to a more just and sustainable food system through the development of: 1) human resources that will be tomorrow’s farmers and sustainable agriculture leaders; 2) growing marketing alternatives for small-scale, limited-resource farmers; and 3) the enhancement of biological diversity and protection of natural resources — all necessary components of such a food system.
Our overall goal is to create greater economic opportunities for small farms while promoting ecological land management and healthy local foods. Objectives accomplished in pursuit of this goal include training in organic farm production, marketing, record-keeping, labor law, pest management and numerous other topics related to operating a small farm business.
It is an interesting organization, and its decision to join shows how deeply the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement has reached into California agriculture. Really an unprecedented achievement for a voluntary group.
