The California Walnut Board will be conducting its biennial election of walnut growers and handlers statewide to serve as members and alternates for the next two-year term beginning on Sept. 1, 2019 and ending on Aug. 31, 2021. Walnut growers are eligible to petition the California Walnut Board to have the name of their candidate included on the 2019 nomination ballot.

Petitions are open for two members and alternates from each of the two districts in California, divided along the southern boundaries of San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Calaveras and Alpine counties and one member and alternate at-large to represent the entire state of California.

It takes 10 or more walnut growers who marketed an aggregate of 500 tons or more of walnuts in the 2017-18 marketing year to petition for a grower’s name to be placed on the nomination ballot. Separate petitions are required for member and alternate positions. Petition forms were mailed to all walnut growers in late February and are to be filed and received by the California Walnut Board no later than April 1, 2019.

In mid-April, ballots will be mailed to all growers. Growers will nominate two members and alternates to represent their district as well as one member and alternate for the statewide position. The Secretary of Agriculture will select the nominees receiving the most votes in each district and at-large for representatives on the California Walnut Board.

Petition forms are available at the California Walnut Board office at 101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 250, Folsom, CA  95630, telephone (916) 932-7070.

The California walnut industry is made up of over 4,800 growers and over 90 handlers (processors). The growers and handlers are represented by two entities, the California Walnut Board and the California Walnut Commission.