CDFA SECRETARY LYONS WELCOMES NEW STATE BOARD OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE APPOINTMENTS

Governor Davis appoints board president and a new member

SACRAMENTO, August 7, 2002-California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr. is pleased to welcome two new appointments to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture.

Governor Gray Davis has named board member John H. Hayashi as board president, and the governor has appointed Yuba City grower Charlie Hoppin to a board position.

Mr. Hayashi resides in San Luis Obispo County. He is a third generation vegetable farmer and managing partner of Irrigation West, where he designed and implemented a new program for water conservation. Mr. Hayashi is also president of FARM, Inc., where he has consulted with clients regarding production of fresh vegetables using less water, fertilizers and chemicals without losses in yields.

Mr. Hoppin grows crops such as rice, watermelons, walnuts, wheat, prunes and safflower. He serves as Chairman of the California Rice Industry Association, as alternate board member of the California Rice Commission, and as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Farmers’ Rice Cooperative. He is also a member of the California Agri-Business President’s Council.

“I want to congratulate both John Hayashi and Charlie Hoppin on their appointments,” said Secretary Lyons. “I look forward to John’s leadership on the many critical issues we face in California, and I will value Charlie’s input on the challenges faced by growers in the northern Sacramento Valley.”

The State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and the secretary of agriculture on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The board’s 15 members are carefully selected to represent a broad range of agricultural commodities, a variety or geographic regions, and both the University of California and California State University academic systems.



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FLEX YOUR POWER. To meet California’s energy challenge, CDFA urges businesses and consumers to conserve. For a list of simple ways that you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web site @www.cdfa.ca.gov.