Baker Peterson Franklin, Certified Public Accountants, is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2017 Baker Peterson Franklin Ag Business Award is Bee Sweet Citrus of Fowler.
Bee Sweet Citrus exemplifies a leading for-profit ag organization whose achievements and impact have significantly contributed to the ag industry and the Central Valley. The Baker Peterson Franklin Ag Business Award honors a for-profit service or product-related agribusiness or farming entity headquartered in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The award recipient is selected by a committee representing the local agribusiness industry and the BPF Ag Department. Bee Sweet Citrus has a distinguished record of positive leadership, entrepreneurship, and service to the agriculture industry and our community making them the 2017 Baker Peterson Franklin Ag Business Award recipient.
Founded in 1987 in a wood shed by President Jim Marderosian, Bee Sweet Citrus has grown to a 400,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility on 36 acres. They grow 20 citrus varieties on 10,000 acres, and pack 10 million cartons annually. Vertical integration is the key to exceptional product quality with control at every step of the process. Bee Sweet Citrus is environmentally sustainable with a high-tech solar panel system, water conservation and recycling, electric forklifts, and recyclable packaging.
Bee Sweet Citrus is an active leader in the industry and a partner in the community. The organization serves on numerous industry boards and supports a variety of organizations. Some recent giving includes: $1 million to Valley Children’s Healthcare new pediatric care center in Fowler; $600,000 custom built citrus processing line to Fresno State; $1.5 million to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s new plant pathology lab and serves on Dean’s Advisory Council; $100,000 gift to Breast Cancer Research Foundation – each mandarin pack has the BCRF logo.
The past BPF Ag Business Award recipients are: Booth Ranches of Orange Cove, Hall Management of Kerman, HMC Farms of Kingsburg, Gar Tootelian of Reedley, Sun-Maid Growers of California, Allied Grape Growers of Fresno, Fresno Equipment Company, Errotabere Ranches of Riverdale, Harris Farms of Coalinga, Borba Farms of Riverdale, National Raisin Co. of Fowler, Ballantine Produce Co. of Sanger, Woolf Enterprises of Fresno, Producers Dairy Foods of Fresno, P-R Farms of Clovis, J&L Vineyards of Fresno, Fowler Packing Company, Joseph Gallo Farms of Atwater, Wawona Frozen Foods of Clovis, Wilbur-Ellis Western Division, and Zacky Farms of Fresno.
Bee Sweet Citrus will be honored at the Ag Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, November 1 at Clovis Veterans Memorial District. The Baker Peterson Franklin Ag Business Award and the Fresno Chamber Agriculturalist of the Year, Don Cameron of Terranova Ranch, will be presented. Luncheon tickets are available through the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, www.fresnochamber.com, (559) 495-4800.
Source: Bee Sweet Citrus
