The statewide commission, which the Commission says represents roughly 3,000 California avocado growers, has scheduled the session from 8 a.m. to noon at 168 South Los Robles Ave. It is the second of back-to-back Pasadena board meetings; a separate session was held at the same hotel Wednesday afternoon, from 2 to 5 p.m.
The meeting is open to the public under the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. Item 2 on the agenda sets aside time for public comment on matters within the Commission’s jurisdiction.
The 12-item agenda was distributed May 29. The Consent Calendar covers approval of the March 5, 2026 board minutes, a 2025-26 financial update, the 2026 General Election Schedule, and member and alternate recommendations for the Avocado Inspection Committee. The board will also consider any items tabled from Wednesday’s session.
Other action items include findings and recommendations from the Grievance Committee on what the agenda lists as the Kachuck Grievances I, III and IV; a Marketing Committee recommendation regarding HAB Avocado Conference Sponsorship; new funding recommendations from the Production Research Committee; and Finance Committee items including the Corporate Insurance Schedule, amended and restated 401(a) and 457(b) retirement plans for ERISA compliance, and Budget Amendment #2.
A closed session is scheduled to address pending or ongoing litigation under Government Code Section 11126(e) and possible personnel actions. The board will return to open session afterward to announce any action taken.
The Commission has been led by Ken Melban, who was promoted to president effective May 22, 2025. In a Commission announcement of the promotion, board chair Jason Cole said, “Ken has demonstrated outstanding leadership of the Commission’s financial and administrative operations as well as industry affairs programs.”
The Pasadena meetings are the first regular sessions since California growers voted in April to continue the Commission through 2031. The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that 73% of voting producers approved continuation — the tenth such reaffirmation since the Commission was created in 1978.
“The Commission board and staff are poised to develop strategic initiatives to advance the California industry over the next five years,” Melban said in a statement following the referendum.
Meeting materials, including the full agenda packet, are posted on the Commission’s Industry Calendar at californiaavocadogrowers.com. Requests for disability-related accommodations can be made to April Aymami at 949-341-1955 or aaymami@avocado.org at least 48 hours before the meeting.
The board’s next scheduled meeting after Thursday is August 20 in Oxnard.
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