Placer County Supervisors approve Mountain Mandarin proclamation

ACTION REQUESTED
Approve and present a Proclamation declaring the fourth Friday of November to be the official start of the 20th Annual Mandarin Festival and Mandarin Growing Season and encourage all citizens to support our local Mountain Mandarin Growers Association farmers throughout the designated week and beyond by purchasing locally grown mandarins at the Mandarin Festival, farmers markets or by visiting member orchards.

BACKGROUND
Local agriculture is an important and historically-significant component in Placer County’s cultural fabric, as well as an important contributor to the local economy. The Newcastle Area Business Association (NABA) started a one-day Festival in November 1993 featuring the Mandarin citrus fruit as a way to support local growers and commerce. NABA has collaborated over the years with the Mountain Mandarin Growers Association, whose members have been growing delicious seedless mountain mandarins for over 50 years in Placer County’s fertile soil.

The Festival has also helped promote the health benefits of Satsuma mandarins grown in Placer County, which are tree ripened, hand-picked, easy to peel, and considered a healthy snack for children and adults. From that first year until now, the Festival has expanded to three days, and attendance has increased from about 1,000 to more than 30,000 visitors, and has moved to the Gold Country Fairgrounds to better accommodate vendors and attendees.

The Mountain Mandarin Growers Association’s primary goal is to provide quality mandarins and expand markets to support local agriculture, and focus on enhancing the local agricultural industry by growing wholesale and direct sales of Placer County mandarins. Proceeds from the Festival have made it possible for NABA to award four $1,000 scholarships annually to graduating seniors in the Ophir-Newcastle-Penryn area.

FISCAL IMPACT
None

PROCLAMATION NOVEMBER 12, 2013, lN THE MATTER OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF NOVEMBER AS THE OFFICIAL START OF THE 20TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN MANDARIN FESTIVAL AND MANDARIN GROWING SEASON lN PLACER COUNTY.

WHEREAS, local agriculture is an important and historically significant component in Placer County’S cultural fabric, as well as an important contributor to the local economy; and
WHEREAS, the Newcastle Area Business Association (NABA) started a one-day Festival in November 1993 featuring the Mandarin citrus fruit as a way to support local growers and commerce; and

WHERAS, NABA has coJlaborated over the years with the Mountain Mandarin Growers Association, whose members have been growing· delicious seedless mountain mandarins for over 50 years in Placer County’s fertile soil; and ·

WHEREAS, from that first year to now, the Festival has expanded to three days, attendance has increased from about 1,000 to more than 30,000 visitors, and the event moved to the Gold Country Fairgrounds to better accommodate vendors and attendees; and

WHEREAS, proceeds from the event have made it possible for NABA to award four $1,000 scholarships annually to graduating seniors in the Ophir-Newcastle-Penryn area; and

WHEREAS, the Festival has also helped to promote the health benefits of Satsuma mandarins grown in Placer County, which are tree ripened, hand-picked, easy to peel, considered a super food, offering high doses of vitamin C and natural synephrine, and a healthy_ snack for children and adults that can be found at local farmers markets and member orchards throughout Placer County from mid-November through January; and

WHEREAS, through the hard work of the NABA community, volunteers, growers and Festival directors, the Mountain Mandarin Festival now celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year, held by custom the weekend before Thanksgiving, and will feature samples and sales of hand-picked mandarins, mandarin-enhanced foods and drinks including shakes, popcorn, syrups, BBQ sauces and olive oils, in addition to hand-crafted items from more than 150 vendors for sale, and entertainment;

NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE KNOWN, that the Placer County Board of Supervisors proclaims Friday, November 22, 2013 to be the official start of the “Twenty Magical Years” Mountain Mandarin Festival, which runs November 22-24, as well as the Official start of the mandarin harvest season, and encourages all citizens to plan to attend the event and support our local mandarin farmers throughout the designated week and beyond by purchasing locally grown mandarins at the Festival, farmers markets or by visiting orchards throughout the foothills.