Obituary

Ocean Mist Farms, a Castroville, Calif.-based grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in North America, is mourning the passing of beloved former president and CEO Ed Boutonnet.

Industry veteran Glenn Beckham, 77, of Bettendorf, Iowa, died March 12 after a courageous battle with health complications due to diabetes.

Don Valpredo, 85, co-founded Country Sweet Produce, grower-packer-shipper of the Bako Sweet brand of sweetpotatoes.

The commission’s vice president of marketing, who dedicated nearly 26 years to the industry, died Nov. 24 after battling cancer.

A mentor to countless individuals and a pioneer in organic produce, Maureen Royal died on Dec. 26.

Tom Hughes Sr. established and grew a company that had become one of Canada’s largest potato distributors by the time he retired in the mid-1980s.