[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 29, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E438]]


            CONGRATULATING DAN GERAWAN AND RICK SCHELLENBERG

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2000

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dan Gerawan 
of Gerawan Farming and Rick Schellenberg of Schellenberg Farms for 
their part in ``reinventing government,'' by helping to develop a new 
fruit inspection program known as ``Partners in Quality'' (PIQ), in 
Reedley, California.
  ``Partners in Quality'' was initiated in California's tree fruit 
industry in 1998. It is a voluntary program designed to increase the 
quality of fruit and decrease the amount paid to the United States 
Department of Agriculture's inspectors. Participants in the program 
must prove to the USDA that their in-house quality control is good 
enough to stand on its own, without the need of continuous USDA 
inspection. Once the packinghouse has proven itself, the USDA 
periodically audits the packing house instead of inspecting the fruit 
continuously. Once the packing house volunteers for this program, the 
USDA imposes stricter tolerances on the participants than on the 
regular inspection procedures, to ensure a higher quality.
  Rick Schellenberg, with the help of Dan Gerawan, spearheaded the 
implementation of PIQ for the packing industry. The Partners in Quality 
team includes several USDA and state agricultural department officials, 
as well as members of the California pear and Florida citrus industry.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Dan Gerawan and Rick Schellenberg 
for their part in reinventing government. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in wishing Dan and Rick many more years of continued success.

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