A Message From New GSA Chair Victor Ramirez
First, I would like to thank Tony Alameda for his service as Chair and his commitment to this organization. I am proud to take over from Tony and hope to emulate his leadership and continue championing initiatives begun during his tenure.
To our members, the Grower Shipper Association of Central California (GSA) has attained a reputation for its unique approach to identifying dynamic ways to address challenges facing farming in our region and our state. My goal is to keep that momentum going as we work to help ourselves continually improve and remain viable as an industry.
The challenges we face are complicated and intertwined but I always say that I love a challenge. And, we are making progress, including tackling complex diseases impacting our crops and emerging food safety initiatives, defending our responsible use of natural resources and developing the technical basis to sustain and advance water resource needs. As a small, independent organization taking on the large issues, we are able to make strides and deliver concrete, measurable progress.
To our employees, there are no farms or companies without you. You are the backbone of everything we do and I will keep all of our livelihoods at the forefront of my priorities as GSA Chair. Having worked in all facets on the production side, I have an inherent understanding and appreciation of what you do.
To our community, I have raised my kids here and now watch my grandkids live, go to school and enjoy all our region has to offer. We share much of the same love for our beautiful community as well as similar concerns. My service will focus on advancing the viability of our industry and community, as well as supporting opportunities for growth.
To our elected officials, I look forward to engaging in open and transparent discussions where we can learn from each other. I want to promote an increased understanding about how we farm, why we must rely on science-based practices, how and why our aforementioned challenges our intertwined and how we must work together to advance this region.
As my tenure as Chair begins, I know that with our staff, under our President Christopher Valadez’s dynamic leadership, as well as the Board of Directors’ mixture of talent and experience, we are well-positioned to ensure GSA addresses matters affecting the industry’s economic sustainability, as well as advancements that ultimately support our workforce and our communities.
And while I love a challenge, I know firsthand that it takes many of us to meet those challenges.