New Mexico

Carzalia Valley Produce from Columbus, N.M., has been recognized by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture as the 2005 Agricultural Marketer of the Year. Carzalia Valley Produce is a family owned operation managed by William 'Bill' and Connie Johnson along with sons Bill Jr., and James.

Recognized nationally as a leader in the produce industry, Carzalia Valley Produce farms approximately 3,500 acres; growing onions, chile, watermelons, pumpkins, cantaloupes, and honey dews.

The Johnson ranching and farming operation, originally established in 1918, has evolved into a state-of-the-art farm utilizing GPS technology, sub terrain drip irrigation, and the latest technology in the processing and packaging industry.

"The Marketer of the Year recipients must demonstrate creative and innovative marketing with success in the market place. Carzalia Valley Produce has established national recognition for the Carzalia Sweet onions and expanded its market share both domestically and internationally," says I. Miley Gonzalez, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture.

"Carzalia Valley Produce has committed tremendous effort and resources to produce and delivers a quality product to our customers--quality is mandatory in our business," says James Johnson.

Carzalia Valley Produce has recently developed a retail promotion campaign. "Our retail promotion supplies are designed to increase consumer awareness of the Carzalia Sweet onion while providing our retailers with product support, which helps sell more produce," says James Johnson.

In addition to the retail promotional campaign, Carzalia Valley Produce has become a regular stop at the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Summit trade show and will again showcase the Carzalia name and logo, as well as their high-quality produce at the PMA trade show in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 4 through 8. "We are strongly committed to the PMA show--if we didn't show up, our customers might wonder what happened to us," says Bill Johnson.

In addition, Carzalia will maintain presence at the Associacion Nacional de Tiendas de Autoservico y Departamentales show in Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as other international trade shows.