US (CA): Strawberry Commission elects Latina as chair

The California Strawberry Commission announced it unanimously elected Lorena Chavez to serve as chair of the commission’s board for the next year. It is believed to be the first time that an agricultural commodity group in California has elected a Latina farmer to lead it.

Chavez is a second-generation Mexican-American strawberry farmer from Santa Maria who came to the U.S. with her family during the Bracero Program which helped Mexican laborers come to the U.S. from 1941 until 1964.

“Lorena Chavez embodies everything positive that strawberries represent to California,” said Rick Tomlinson, president of the commission. “Her family’s personal story is a prime example of how immigrants have found opportunity and a path to achieving the American dream through hard work in California’s strawberry fields.”

Chavez is Controller and CFO of L&G Farming, Inc., a family-operated business, working alongside her father and brothers. The family grows strawberries on a 500 acre farm in Santa Maria. She currently sits on the boards of the local YMCA and other organizations, including the 37th District Fair Park Board. She has volunteered for St. Mary’s Finance Council and Santa Maria Girls Softball.

“I am profoundly honored and humbled to be chosen to help lead the commission in serving the needs of California’s 400 diverse family farmers and their workers,” Chavez said. “Given my family history, I am passionate about preserving the viability of strawberry farming in our state and am committed to ensuring the health, welfare and future of our workers and their families.”

She will serve along with Vice Chairman Tom AmRhein from Watsonville and Secretary/Treasurer Hector Gutierrez from Ventura County.

Source: cvbj.biz