Gov. Schwarzenegger Appoints Eight Members of the State Board of Food and Agriculture
March 2, 2005 - -
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced eight appointments to the State
Board of Food and Agriculture:
Ashley Boren,
43, of San Francisco, is executive director of Sustainable Conservation, a
nonprofit environmental group which collaborated with various agricultural
industries to solve environmental problems. Previously, she worked as director
of retail merchandising for Smith and Hawken. She also serves as a trustee of
The Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation. Boren is a Democrat.
Wayne Gomes, 66,
of Oakland, is a professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University
of California, Davis. Previously, he was a professor of dairy science at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Ohio State University. He has
also served as a visiting professor at the College of Agriculture at Kyoto
University, Japan and a Fulbright professor at the institute of medicine at
Zagreb University, Croatia. Gomes is a Republican.
Luawanna
Hallstrom, 45, of Rancho Santa Fe, is chief operating officer and general
manager of Harry Singh and Sons, the largest single vine-ripe tomato producer in
the United States. She is a member of several agricultural organizations,
including the Western Growers Association, the National Council for Agricultural
Employers, the California Farm Bureau, the Agricultural Coalition for
Immigration Reform, and the American Farm Bureau. Hallstrom is a Republican.
Marvin Meyers,
70, of Fresno, has owned and operated Meyers Farming I-IV, Oxford Farms,
Inc., and Meyers Farm Family Trust since 1982. Previously he owned Meyers
Agricultural Chemical Company for 16 years. He is a member of the Western
Growers Association, the Farm Bureau Safe Harbor Committee, and the Drought
Advisory Panel. Meyers is a Republican.
Alfred Montna,
60, of Yuba City, has been appointed president of the Board. He owns and
operates Montna Farms, Montna Farms Dryer, American Commodity Company, Darwazeh
Montna Development, LLC and the Dingville Duck and Social Club. He is a former
chairman of the Farmer's Rice Cooperative, U.S. Rice Producers Group, and
California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo's college of agriculture
advisory council, as well as founding member of the Northern California Water
Association. Montna is a Republican.
Adan Ortega Jr.,
42, of Fullerton, is senior communications management adviser with GCG Rose &
Kindel. Previously, he was vice president of external affairs at Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California. He is a member of the California
Agricultural Leadership Program, and a board member of Heal the Bay and Audubon
California. Ortega is registered as decline-to-state.
Karen Ross, 53,
of Sacramento, is president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers,
executive director of Winegrape Growers of America, and executive director of
the California Wine Grape Growers Foundation. Previously, she was vice
president of government affairs for the Agricultural Council of California. She
is a member of the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the California Exposition
and State Fair, California Women for Agriculture, and a board member of
California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Ross is a Democrat.
Ann Silva, 46,
of Tracy, is co-manager of Bacchetti and Silva Dairy, where she has worked
since 1977. She is chair of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, a
member of the California Milk Advisory Board of Directors, and a member of the
North Central Valley Dairywomen. She is also a member of Western United Dairymen
and the Dairy Food Security Task Force. Silva is a Democrat.
These positions do
not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary.
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the secretary of agriculture on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The board hosts forums that bring together local, state, and federal government officials, agricultural representatives, and citizens to discuss current issues of concern to California agriculture.
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