[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 82 (Thursday, May 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF JOSEPH PEZZINI

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 17, 2007

  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, Members of the House, I rise today to honor 
Mr. Joseph Pezzini, a quiet and unassuming man who has become one of 
the seminal leaders in our Nation's fresh produce industry. The 
occasion for this recognition is Joe's departure from the chairmanship 
of the Salinas, California, based Grower Shipper Association. His work 
as chairman over the course of the past year, particularly around the 
issues of food safety, has contributed tremendously to the continued 
health and vitality of the American fresh produce industry.
  Joe is a senior officer with Ocean Mist Farms, the leading U.S. 
producer and shipper of fresh artichokes. Along with a team of highly 
skilled and dedicated colleagues, Joe helps produce and ship high 
quality artichokes, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, and a variety of other 
specialty vegetable crops. All things that the federal government says 
we should eat more of. If you have ever eaten an artichoke, Joe likely 
had a hand in putting it on your plate. If you have never eaten an 
artichoke, then Joe would like to speak with you. But Joe's business 
acumen only begins his catalogue of achievements.
  In 2006, Joe became president of the Grower Shipper Association, 
which serves as local and regional voice of the California Central 
Coast's large and dynamic produce industry. His focus was predominantly 
on local and regional issues. Then, last year on September 14, FDA 
advised consumers to avoid eating fresh spinach because it had been 
linked to an outbreak of E. coli. In a matter of minutes, Joe 
transformed himself from just a Salinas Valley business leader to the 
national face of the fresh produce industry. As a prominent spinach 
producer himself whose product remained unlinked to the outbreak and 
the Grower Shipper Association chairman, Joe became the natural 
spokesperson for the produce industry. Every major news outlet in the 
country wanted to speak with a Salinas Valley farmer. Amid all the 
commotion and frenzy, Joe remained the calm and credible voice, always 
speaking to realities of farming and his industry's concern for safety 
whether to a national news anchor or a local beat reporter. In the 
months since, Joe has taken a leading role in the produce industry's 
response to the crisis. He helped shape and now chairs the State of 
California's new leafy green food safety marketing agreement.
  Joe's work has not only benefited the producers in my Central 
California district, but fresh produce farmers across the country. In 
recognition of his work, The Packer, a leading Produce Industry trade 
publication, recently honored Joe as its Produce Man of the Year. This 
honor is clearly well deserved.
  Madam Speaker, please allow me to convey to Mr. Pezzini this body's 
gratitude for his vision, hard work and grace under fire on behalf of 
fresh produce consumers and producers everywhere.

                          ____________________