HAB Sustainability Task Force
Early in the new year, the Hass Avocado Board added a Sustainability Task Force to its roster of standing and special committees. During the 5 year (2021-2025) strategic planning process in 2020 the Board of Directors changed the focus of our previous sustainability efforts to that of a more core value program that the Board, and the industry must embrace as we move into the future.
To that end, the overall strategy on sustainability for our sustainability priority is to “strengthen the Hass avocado industry by developing research and data to inform practices that will fulfill today’s needs without compromising those of future generations. We acknowledge that sustainability practices across the supply chain may vary either geographically, or culturally.”
As a part of our overall strategy, one of the five year working goals is to establish the Hass Avocado Sustainability Center, as the premier provider of research, data, and information for the avocado industry. This task force, filled with established business men and women from throughout our avocado supply chain will be tasked with these three objectives to meet our five year working goals:
- Define the structure of the Center, and that is the work that is currently being undertaken by the task force. After this first goal is met, and structure criteria is developed and approved by the Board, the group will then tackle the other two objectives, and they are
- Establish the membership of the Center, and
- Conduct a robust strategic planning process, to establish, Purpose, Vision, and Mission, and to create the long term strategic plan for this new and exciting venture.
We will keep the industry posted as this work progresses, but we are moving in a positive direction, and one the industry supports. In our industry survey in late 2020, 80% of industry stakeholders who responded said that sustainability is either important, or very important to the future of the industry. This means that growers and importers alike agree we need to find our story, and our future when it comes to sustainability in our industry. The future is bright, and our work on sustainability will continue to make sure the positive stories of our industry are shared with customers and consumers who are engaged with sustainability.
Other Happenings
The Latest Five-Year Evaluation of the Hass Avocado Boards Promotion Programs 2018-2022
HAB in early 2023 engaged with a group of professors and graduate students in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University Of California at Davis, to do this economic evaluation of our Research & Promotion activity.
Leadership at the Avocado Nutrition Center Joins the Foundation for Fresh Produce Board
Dr. Nikki Ford’s new role on the FFP Board heralds a fruitful era for the avocado industry, aligning with ANC’s health-driven research and initiatives.
Research from the Avocado Nutrition Center and the Benefits of Fiber in Avocado Shared at the Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium
On Monday, May 20, HAB Staff Ella Bauer, PhD, and Amanda Izquierdo, MPH, RD, LDN, presented to nutrition professionals the benefits of the fiber in avocados on gut health and chronic disease risk reduction.
Updates & Resources
