Presented by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom
How does food get from the farm to your fork? It takes a village, so to speak. Let’s hear from people who help keep the farm-to-fork food chain chugging.
Derek Ikeda (Farmer)
Derek Ikeda is part of a third-generation farming family. Founded by Sam Ikeda (Derek’s grandfather) in Auburn, California, their operation started with a single orchard. They now grow apples, berries, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines, and more. The business also includes gourmet food markets specializing in seasonal goods such as “farm to fork” fruit pies where the fruit is grown, shipped, and baked all by Ikeda’s.
Andy Russick, Pacific Coast Producers, Vice President of Sales and Marketing (Producer/Processing)
Andy Russick is on a can crusade. He is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Pacific Coast Producers and is passionate about canned fruits and tomatoes being packed within hours of harvest and at their peak ripeness. Andy has worked for Pacific Coast Producers for over 33 years. Their products are found in over 50,000 grocery stores and nearly one million food service outlets. Andy’s excitement about making healthy, fairly priced, and quality food products, is contagious.
Tracy Sellers (Moderator)
Tracy Sellers has been communicating about California agriculture for decades. She spent nearly 20 years sharing the bounty of California commodities with viewers on the TV show California Bountiful (formerly named California Country). Tracy currently serves as a Digital Communications Specialist with the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Davis.
Becca Whitman (Raley’s)
Becca Whitman has served the Community Impact & Public Affairs team at The Raley’s Companies for more than 7 years. She is a proud Board Member for Ag in the Classroom and believes strongly that kids need to understand the importance of the food system in their lives and in our communities. Becca has 7th and 8th grade boys and is actively engaged with other nonprofits in the Sacramento region.
Yvonne Sams
Yvonne Sams is a distinguished supply chain executive with a rich and varied career spanning over 25 years in leadership roles within the food and beverage manufacturing industry. Her extensive journey has seen her contribute her expertise to renowned companies such as Frito Lay, Inc., E&J Gallo Winery, and Tyson Foods.
Currently, as the Chief Operations Officer at Trans Valley Transport, a prominent ag trucking company specializing in serving the western states, Yvonne continues to showcase her strategic acumen and operational prowess.
