[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 153 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2256-E2257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        50TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAC

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 3, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
Raisin Administrative Committee, RAC, for 50 years of service. The 
California raisin industry members remember trying times after World 
War II.
  During the war, the raisin industry had been given the opportunity to 
introduce California raisins overseas when the agriculture industry was 
called upon to produce a plentiful food and fiber supply not only for 
the United States, but for our allies.

[[Page E2257]]

  When the war ended, California raisin industry members wanted to 
maintain the demand for their product overseas, but times were hard. It 
was time to plan for the future. A. ``Sox'' Setrakian is a leader in 
the industry who will forever be remembered for his dedication to the 
California raisin industry. He was the driving force behind the 
California Raisin Administrative Committee's implementation.
  ``Sox'' arrived in the United States from Izmir, Turkey, with little 
more than the clothes on his back. He became one of the most 
influential raisin industry leaders of all time. He was involved in the 
grape and raisin industry sharing the concern for more markets to 
accommodate the raisin production.
  Raisin growers agreed that they needed to create a demand for the 
raisin supply. Things began to change in 1949 when the Agricultural 
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, and the California Marketing Act of 
1937, the federal marketing order was made effective in August of 1949. 
It would be managed under its administrative body known as the Raisin 
Administrative Committee, RAC. This is what the industry needed to 
expand its presence in the world. The purpose of RAC is to control the 
administration of California raisins.
  It has been 50 years since RAC's implementation and it is stronger 
than ever. Today the industry credits ``Sox'' Setrakian who was the 
first chairman of RAC, leading the industry forward and opening new 
markets for California raisins.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to the Raisin Administrative 
Committee, RAC, for leading the way for California raisins. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in wishing RAC many more years of continued 
success.

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