Some of the top performers in the Central Coast strawberry industry were honored Wednesday night at the annual Strawberry Recognition Dinner at the Santa Maria Fairpark.

The event, sponsored by the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, is a prelude to the annual Strawberry Festival, this year scheduled for April 27 to 29 at the Fairpark.

Cypress Ranch of Nipomo earned the Grower of the Year Award for 50 acres or less, received by Gerry Corona. The company, in business one year, farms 30 acres and has 100 to 150 employees at harvest time.

The company and Corona sponsor the Santa Maria Youth Soccer League and do Catholic missionary work in the community, said Etta Waterfield of the Santa Maria Valley Economic Development Commission.

The Grower of the Year Award for more than 50 acres went to Cardenas Bros. Farming of Santa Maria and Nipomo, with owner Alberto Cardenas accepting the award.

In business for 25 years, the company farms 150 acres and employs more than 300 workers at harvest time, Waterfield said.

The company also supports the Boys and Girls Club, St. Mary/s School and Santa Maria High School in addition to being a member of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and youth organizations.

Supervisor or Manager of the Year Award went to Fidel Sandoval, ranch manager for Los Padres Berry Farms of Santa Maria, in business for 32 years.

Sandoval volunteers for and donates to community organizations, churches and schools, Waterfield said.

She described him as a very respectful, responsible and professional person who communicates well, is easy to get along with and understands the business and financial aspects of growing strawberries.

The Sales Association of the Year went to Naturipe Berry Growers of Salinas and was accepted by Rich Amersehi, company president.

Naturipe was founded in 1917 and is the oldest strawberry company in California, Waterfield said.

The company has been operating in Santa Maria for four years and currently has 650 acres planted here. It also has growers present in every growing region in the state as well as in Baja California and in Florida.

Naturipe also supports youth organizations and is active in the community, she said.

The corporate office is in Salinas, where the current operation covers 1,500 acres. The harvest season in Santa Maria is February through June and September through December.

Rounding out the awards was the Cooler of the Year Award, given to Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. of Santa Maria, received by Ken Crawford.

Driscoll just completed a brand-new cooler five times larger than the company/s previous cooler. It can receive and cool up to 125,000 crates a day in a 10-hour time period and has 10 loading doors with 20 cooling tunnels, Waterfield said.

The company currently has 675 acres of strawberries, with an additional 325 acres scheduled for planting in June. In addition to strawberries, the company also has raspberry and blueberry growers and will soon add blackberry growers.

The growers harvest from February through Thanksgiving.

Marcy Lariz, events coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce, said members of the strawberry industry submitted nomination forms for the various awards.

Then a committee of industry professionals reviewed the nominations, which include a variety of information about the nominees, to select the award winners.

Lariz said the winners each received a plaque as well as recognition from the city of Santa Maria.

Mike Hodgson can be reached at 739-2221 or mhodgson@santamariatimes.com.

April 12, 2007