Thank you Kurt California comprises less than 20% of the avocados being marketed in the US. How difficult would it have been to establish and target a specialty market that's looking to avoid the inferior imports that tarnish consumer confidence? Is it incompetence? Dereliction of duty? We need to look closely and figure out why this is happening. Which Commission participants stand to receive a benefit from non-US sales? The guidelines used to establish the Commission's demographics were never intended to include members who also benefit from our competition. The board's makeup needs to be revisited and unfortunately, an independent review and punitive action may be our only option. A broker or packer who's primary income is from imports has zero incentive to promote California as being superior to their non-California fruit and will resist asking for premium-fruit returns to the grower. If a packer comes along who supports our industry and has the courage to establish a seasonal, California Avocado premium-fruit market, they will have done what our own Commission refuses to do. I'm waiting for that day but time is running out. Here's a photo of what the handlers bring to our industry by putting their needs before ours.

I wish I could take credit and I proudly would if someone hands me the title. I like what I see and appreciate the effort. Please make a note of my name if it makes you feel better because I'm in accord with the direction it's headed. As you can see, ~my~ name is Ken Hennell. I've been growing avocados in San Diego County for 42 years. I've suffered the painful distinction of having been one of if not the largest water user in the Fallbrook Public Utility District. Over the years I've managed to survive by routinely producing three times the industry's per-acre average. I'm one of the medium sized growers who's been paying for the Commission's ineffective clown-show and their abandonment of promoting California avocados as being a superior product. Don't read anything into my form of obliging your demand. It's no secret who's doing the heavy lifting around here and they're doing it at the request of growers like me. So, I'll suggest a name for the emails we send out: The Commission Does Nothing While We Lose Money and Agonize Over Our Friends and Neighbors Turning Off the Water and Fallowing Their Land. If you would please, Mister *Show yourself*...."show yourself"