2014 Citrus Showcase on March 6th

2014 CITRUS SHOWCASE TO COVER HLB, ACP, GMOs, WATER

 

The 2014 Citrus Showcase is March 6th at the Visalia Convention Center. There is no cost or registration required to attend. Breakfast and lunch tickets can be purchased by contacting California Citrus Mutual; reservations are required and tickets are expected to sell out fast.

 

The Citrus Showcase is the largest educational forum for California citrus growers, offering 6 separate breakout sessions focused on priority issues that are currently impacting the industry and industry tradeshow with over 100 exhibitors.

 

New this year is the first Annual Citrus Showcase Breakfast featuring keynote Speaker Felicia Marcus, Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. In her talk, titled “Breakfast with Water” Marcus will discuss the biggest issues facing California farmers today – water supply and delivery.

 

As Chair of the Water Board, Marcus’ activities include oversight of Regional Water Board activity including directing nitrate regulation and clean drinking water initiatives as well as assisting the Administration in determining where the State’s limited water supply shall go.

 

“Water with Breakfast” is sponsored by Compac Equipment and Sorting, Rabobank, and Bank of the Sierra. The program will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Visalia Marriott, Sierra-Nevada Ballroom adjacent to the Visalia Convention Center.

 

The Luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the Visalia Convention Center Trade Show Exhibit Hall. The program will feature keynote speaker Cathy Enright, Executive Vice President of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) who will discuss the public backlash against Genetically Modified crops.

 

GMO research has been identified as a possible solution path for the U.S. citrus industry to defend itself against the ravages of the deadly citrus plant disease Huanglongbing. Activists have raised concern about GMO products, citing safety as a primary reason why GMO engineered food product should not be allowed into the market place. Their momentum has caused government, members of the scientific community, and some stakeholders to take a step back from the spotlight. Enright will discuss how members of her organization have begun to fight back.

 

Sponsors of the Citrus Showcase are: JKB Energy, Valent, Pace International, Farm Credit Associations, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta, Fruit Growers Supply, Southern California Edison, Yara, Sinclair, Deep Point Group, 2,4-D Taskforce and Duarte Nursery.