Talbott honored as 2022 CFVGA Member of the Year
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Bruce Talbott, Talbott’s Mountain Gold, Palisade, was recognized as the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association’s 2022 Robert Sakata Member of the Year, during the CFVGA 9th Annual Conference, Feb. 22 in Westminster. He was first elected to the CFVGA board in 2015 as part of the first board seated by the organization after CFVGA incorporated in 2014. He served on the CFVGA board a total of nine years and was president for the past two years.
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Established in 2017, the first award was presented to then CFVGA President Robert Sakata and is named after him for his excellence in Colorado produce production and his tireless work to start CFVGA. Among other accomplishments, Talbott was recognized for his long-term work developing CFVGA into a thriving organization.
“I have to recognize all the others who worked so hard to shape CFVGA into a thriving organization that today very effectively represents and advocates for Colorado produce growers,” said Talbott. “These individuals include other founding board members Robert Sakata, Mike Bartolo and Adrian Card.”
Talbott is a fifth-generation fruit grower from Colorado’s Western Slope. He served two terms on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee and two terms on American Farm Bureau’s Labor Committee. He is active in the Western Colorado Horticulture Society and has represented the Western Slope on numerous water and labor issues. In addition, he has served on numerous boards including Child and Migrant Services, the Colorado Rural Housing Development Corporation, the Cross Orchards Museum, and the CSU Western Colorado Regional Advisory Board.
Talbott will continue to represent Colorado produce as he begins a term this year on the Western Growers board of directors.
The CFVGA is comprised of more than 250 members, including growers of all sizes and types of production throughout the state, as well as representatives of allied industries. The Colorado fruit and vegetable growing sector contributes nearly $485 million to Colorado at the farm gate and is multiplied as it goes through the distribution chain. Over 90,000 Colorado acres are in fruit and vegetable production.
