News Summary
Ken Melban has been appointed as the new president of the California Avocado Commission, effective May 22, 2025. With over 20 years of experience in the produce industry, Melban has played a key role in various initiatives supporting avocado growers. His leadership is expected to navigate the challenges faced by the California avocado industry and drive growth as the state sees an increase in avocado production.
California — Ken Melban has been appointed as the new president of the California Avocado Commission (CAC), effective May 22, 2025. This promotional move follows Melban’s longstanding involvement with the organization, demonstrating his ascending career within the CAC, where he began as the director of issues management in 2011. His recent role was vice president of industry affairs and operations, a position he held since late 2023.
Jason Cole, the chair of the CAC, commended Melban for his exceptional leadership, particularly in financial and administrative operations as well as industry affairs programs. The commission believes Melban’s extensive experience and dedication to California avocado growers will help navigate the challenges faced by the industry.
Melban has actively engaged with government bodies and various organizations to support California avocado growers, working on initiatives that range from post-fire advocacy to combating harmful pests threatening the local avocado supply from imported avocados. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for California avocados and led the initiative that accomplished market access to China for California avocados in 2020, a successful nine-year negotiation process.
Across his over 20 years of leadership experience in the produce industry, Melban has worked with California commodity boards and the National Grape & Wine Initiative. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in leadership and organizational studies from Fresno Pacific University, enhancing his expertise in organizational management.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Melban has contributed to community service organizations and collaborated with initiatives such as the California Department of Food and Agriculture Climate Change Adaptation Consortium and the Ventura AG Futures Alliance. These engagements highlight his commitment not only to the avocado industry but also to broader agricultural sustainability issues.
As farmers prepare for the upcoming seasons, one avocado grower, Rick Shade of Shade Farms, which manages approximately 5,200 avocado trees, reports optimism for a near-record harvest in the 2026 season. Last year, Shade Farms produced around 250,000 pounds of avocados and expects a larger yield this year as the trees continue to mature.
The California Avocado Commission forecasts a statewide harvest of 375 million pounds for the current year, an increase from the 350 million pounds harvested during the previous year. This growth is attributed to the rise in new tree plantings, with around 300,000 new avocado trees being planted annually in California over the past decade. Santa Barbara County, which contributes significantly to the avocado industry, has approximately 5,700 acres dedicated to avocados, making it the third-highest-grossing fruit and nut crop in the area.
Shade advises consumers to select hard avocados and allow them to ripen at home for optimal quality. Although the CAC opted not to comment regarding avocado prices in stores for the upcoming year, the avocado industry remains robust with an estimated valuation of $1.5 billion. During the 2023-2024 season, California growers produced over 363.6 million pounds of avocados, underscoring the significance of this commodity within the state’s agricultural landscape.
As Ken Melban steps into his new role, his established history within the California Avocado Commission and the broader agricultural community suggests a promising future for the industry under his leadership.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- The Produce News: California Avocado Commission Names New President
- Fruitnet: California Avocado Commission Promotes Ken Melban to President
- KSBY: California Avocado Commission Predicts 375M Pounds of Fruit for the 2025 Season
- Fox Business: CA Commission Urges Trump Administration to Take Action to Protect Avocado Orchards
- KTVU: CA Officials Seek Help from Trump Amid Threat to Avocado Crops
