The agricultural tour will focus on visiting farming operations in the
Salinas Valley including vegetable farms and vineyards. Italian farm
equipment will be seen working in fields and vineyards. Manufacturers will
have an opportunity to meet vegetable growers and wine grape vineyard operators
and discuss Italian equipment with them. The tour will include visits
to two farm equipment dealers, Sutton Ag and Pringle Tractor.
Representatives of the dealership will outline their marketing strategies
and show how Italian equipment fits into their marketing program.
The President of Sutton Ag, Mr. Bob Sutton, a marketer of specialty farm
equipment including seeders, transplanters, and vegetable harvesters, will
demonstrate how his company meets the equipment needs of vegetable growers
with Italian and other imported farm equipment.
Mr. Ken Dozier, Sales Manager at Pringle Tractor, a multi-store John Deere
dealership, will discuss how they sell Italian farm equipment to meet the
needs of their vegetable grower and vineyard customers.
A luncheon will be held at Paraiso Vineyard in the central Salinas Valley
and will be served by a local caterer featuring California barbeque cuisine. Local
wines will also be featured.
The tour will be led by John Inman, a local agricultural engineer that
has spent 38 years in the Salinas Valley and has been involved in promoting
Italian farm equipment in the United States for over 24 years.
- The tour will leave the hotel at 8:30 AM and return at
5:00 PM.
- Travel will be in a fully equipped deluxe motor coach.
- Dress should be casual with comfortable footwear, since
the tour will be visiting field operations.
Background on Agriculture in Monterey County
The Salinas Valley is located in Monterey County, the largest production
district for fresh vegetables in the world. From late April to Mid October,
it produces over 80 percent of the head lettuce, leaf lettuce, broccoli,
spinach and other fresh vegetables produced in the United States. It
has over 20,000 hectares of high quality wine grapes and produces wines
that compete, in quality, with Napa County wines.
In 2003, gross agricultural income in Monterey was 3.29 billion
dollars. The amount represented 10% of the value of all agriculture
in California. This was achieved on an irrigated area of less than
100,000 hectares.
Program
8:30 AM
Leave Hotel
9:00
Visit Artichoke Field in Castroville
9:30
Lettuce Harvest Ocean Mist Farms
10:30
Natividad Nursery
Noon
Parasio Winery Valley Farm Management Lunch and discussion
of Montery County winegrape industry
1:30
R & C Farms
2:30
Pringle Tractor Company, Ken Dozer, Sales Manager
3:30
Sutton Ag, a specialized farm equipment dealer
4:30
Return to Hotel
For further information, please contact:
Italian Trade Commission - Atlanta Office
233 Peachtree Street N.E. Suite 2301 Atlanta, GA 30303 USA
