The California Macadamia Society has named Temecula grower Kurt Merrill president as it seeks to rebuild connections among growers and preserve knowledge of the state’s macadamia trees and cultivars. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources reported the appointment in an October 13 blog post.
A leadership transition
Merrill is the society’s 15th president. He succeeds longtime president Tom Rastle, who remains on the board of directors. The leadership change puts Merrill at the head of an organization founded in 1953 to support California’s developing macadamia industry.
The society’s original work included grower education, variety evaluation, research and sharing practical information. Its leadership has included growers, researchers and agricultural advocates involved in the crop’s development in California.
Reconnecting scattered growers
In remarks quoted by UC ANR, Merrill described a scattered growing community. “There are macadamia trees and small groves scattered throughout California, but many growers are no longer connected to one another,” he said.
Rebuilding membership and identifying growers are among the society’s stated priorities. It also plans to strengthen grower-to-grower communication, making reconnection a central part of its statewide focus rather than limiting the effort to a change in leadership.
“Our goal is to reconnect that community, preserve the knowledge that still exists and create a stronger future for California-grown macadamias,” Merrill said in the post.
Preserving cultivar knowledge
The society also intends to document historic cultivars and growers’ accumulated knowledge, expand educational resources and increase awareness of California-grown macadamias as a specialty crop. Those priorities carry forward its longstanding emphasis on varieties and practical education.
Membership is open to growers ranging from people with a few backyard trees to small-grove owners. That broad eligibility fits the community Merrill described: growers whose trees and experience are dispersed across California.
