The Indian market is a relatively new one for U.S. pistachios, yet has tremendous potential as American Pistachio Growers continues to invest in it. Watch this brief interview with American Pistachio Growers’ in-country trade representative Summit Saran as he explains. Read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is increasing the amount of funding available for the Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP) and expects to issue approximately $62.8 million in pandemic assistance payments to hog producers starting this week. SMHPP assists eligible producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale from April 16, 2020, through Sept. 1, 2020. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) accepted SMHPP applications through April 29, 2022.
“In order to provide more targeted support to hog producers affected by the pandemic, FSA was able to increase funding for SMHPP to provide full payments to producers instead of applying a payment factor,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We are pleased to be able to provide more equitable opportunities for hog producers who were hard-hit by the pandemic.”
SMHPP Payments
SMHPP payments will be calculated by multiplying the number of head of eligible hogs, not to exceed 10,000 head, by the payment rate of $54 per head.
FSA originally planned to apply a payment factor if calculated payments exceeded the allocated $50 million in pandemic assistance funds for SMHPP. Payments are not expected to be factored due to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s decision to increase funding enabling producers to receive 100% of the calculated SMHPP payment.
There is no per person or legal entity payment limitation on SMHPP payments.
SMHPP Background
USDA offered SMHPP in response to a reduction in packer production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in fewer negotiated hogs being procured and subsequent lower market prices. The program is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative and addresses gaps in previous assistance for hog producers.
The California Table Grape Commission bolstered its global marketing focus with the promotion of Alyson Dias to the new position of Chief Marketing Officer.
Dias is responsible for leading the development of an integrated, strategic, global marketing campaign targeting consumers and the trade in the U.S and export markets to motivate purchase of California table grapes. Her responsibilities include stewardship of the Grapes from California brand, directing consumer and trade research, and strategic campaign development to motivate movement of grapes to the marketplace and motivate purchase by shoppers.
“Alyson is now responsible for overseeing the global marketing program which includes domestic and export markets and the leading of a larger marketing team,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the commission. “The success of such a vital and extensive marketing campaign calls for a dedicated individual to lead the effort; Alyson’s comprehensive background, and her keen and thoughtful attitude make her ideal for the role of CMO,” said Nave.
In addition to Dias stepping into her new role, Rachel Coelho and Nick Nakashian of the commission will fill two new positions within the established domestic and export marketing team, now led by Dias. Serving as Assistant Director of Marketing, Social Media and Influencers, Coelho develops and shares commission content and messaging on all commission social media platforms as well as manages social media influencer and retailer-tagged radio programs. Serving as the Assistant Director of Marketing, Content Development and Analysis, Nakashian is responsible for analyzing consumer response to commission messaging and using the learnings to shape content development in key communication areas.
“Being able to bring all of the marketing elements under one umbrella is an important step forward to ensure the impactful delivery of key commission messaging around the globe,” Nave said.
The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) recently held an election to allow California olive oil producers to select representatives to its Board of Directors. Election results were announced at the June 6 Board meeting with Larry Maben, Maben Family LLC, voted in to represent olive oil growers from District 1. Jim Lipman, California Olive Ranch, was selected as the alternate Board member from this same district, which encompasses the counties of Butte, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity.
Samantha Dorsey, McEvoy of Marin, was re-elected to serve as the Board member representing growers in District 2, while Matt Lohse, Big W Ranch, was elected to serve as the alternate Board member from this District which includes the counties of Amador, Colusa, El Dorado, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba.
In District 3, Jeff Colombini, Lodi Farming, was elected to represent growers on the OOCC Board with Richard Marchini serving as the alternate. The Board also voted to appoint Dan Devico, Pomeian, to fill a vacant position as the alternate to Frank Olagaray, Blossom Farms, who is also a Board member representing growers in District 3. District 3 encompasses the remaining olive oil producing counties of Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside,
San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and Ventura.
With respect to members of the Board representing olive oil handlers, Ciriaco Chavez of Boundary Bend Olives was re-elected to serve as the Handler Member for District 2. The alternate positions for handlers in both District 1 and District 2 are currently vacant. Any handler interested in serving in these positions should contact the OOCC.
A complete list of OOCC Board members and alternates can be found on the OOCC website here.
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) today announced six chef finalists for the Cal-Mex Invitational, a new foodservice competition that celebrates the fusion of California and Mexican cuisines and spotlights recipes featuring California cheese and dairy products.
The six finalists will compete in a head-to-head cook-off event at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, California on August 3, 2022, for more than $22,000 in cash prizes and recognition as a Cal-Mex culinary pioneer. The event will be judged by an elite team of chefs and live-streamed so viewers can watch as chefs prepare Cal-Mex dishes in three categories: Appetizer, Entrée, and Dessert. The event will be hosted by award-winning author, speaker, and national food television personality Leslie Sbrocco.
“The Cal-Mex category is growing and offers a tremendous opportunity to highlight California cheese and dairy. The addition of the Cal-Mex Invitational to our foodservice competition program recognizes the influence of chefs who are showcasing the fusion of California and Mexican flavors in their own unique way,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “We look forward to collaborating with this team of chefs and exploring how they interpret Cal-Mex.”
The finalists for the 2022 Cal-Mex Invitational are:
Appetizer
Entrée
Dessert
Cal-Mex Invitational finalists were selected from a group of professional chefs from across the U.S. A panel of expert judges scored the best two recipes in each category from each chef to select finalists to participate in the cook-off event in Napa.
Three nationally known chefs will judge the cook-off event: Ben Diaz, Executive Chef of Leoness Cellars, Hugo Ortega, Executive Chef/Owner H Town Restaurant Group, and Claudette Zepeda, San Diego-based Chef and Culinary Entrepreneur.
A native Angelino, Ben Diaz puts his passion into every dish at Leoness Cellars. Ben trained at the California School of Culinary Arts and the L’Académie Culinaire de France. He developed Tacos El Chapin, a popular pop-up taqueria, and is the Chief Culinary Officer at CBD Cuisine Consulting Services & Catering Division, which works with restaurants around the world. Ben previously served as top toque at some of Southern California’s best hotels and restaurants. He wrote the reference book, From a Cook to a Professional Chef, and has appeared on Food Network’s Chef Wanted and Cutthroat Kitchen, and The Cooking Channel’s Farmers Market Flip, where he won.
Hugo Ortega, winner of 2017 James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southwest, started as busboy at the Backstreet Café in Houston and following culinary school became its executive chef and co-owner with his wife Tracy Vaught. Hugo later became executive chef and opened Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, and URBE. He received the 2017 Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern Foodways Alliance. In 2019, Vaught established the Chef Hugo Ortega Endowment at Houston Community College’s Culinary Arts Program to provide scholarships for culinary students. Hugo published two cookbooks: Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico and Backstreet Kitchen: Seasonal Recipes from Our Neighborhood Cafe.
Claudette Zepeda oversees the creative vision at VAGA restaurant in San Diego’s North County. Previously, she gained national acclaim as the executive chef and partner at El Jardín, also in San Diego. Claudette won both Eater San Diego and the San Diego Union Tribune’s Chef of the Year in 2018 and was a James Beard Best Chef West semifinalist in 2019. She competed on Top Chef Season 15 and Top Chef Mexico and won Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. In 2019 Claudette founded Viva La Vida, LLC., which starts micro businesses with single mothers in Mexico.
Judges will evaluate dishes by criteria including the inventive use of Hispanic-style Real California cheeses and dairy products, taste, texture and presentation, and creativity. Based on scoring, each category winner will receive a trophy and $5,000 prize. Category runners-up each receive a certificate and $1,500. Non-finalists received $500 each.
For additional details and updates about the inaugural Cal-Mex Invitational, competitors and competing dishes visit calmex.realcaliforniamilk.com.
California is a reliable, consistent source of sustainable dairy products used by chefs throughout the world. As the nation’s largest dairy state, California boasts an impressive lineup of award-winning cheesemakers and dairy processors who are helping to drive dining innovation. California is the leading producer of fluid milk, butter and ice cream as well as Hispanic-style cheese and dairy products for Cal-Mex creations.
About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs.
The Foodservice Division of the CMAB supports foodservice operators and distributors that use Real California dairy products. The CMAB offers marketing and promotional support for foodservice operators that purchase dairy products with the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with 100 percent milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms, using some of the most sustainable dairy practices in the nation.
For more information on sourcing cheese from California, contact the foodservice team at 209.883.6455 (MILK), businessdevelopment@cmab.net or RealCaliforniaMilk.com/Foodservice, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Smart growth and investment in California downtowns and main streets must occur now to secure the land that grows our food, according to American Farmland Trust’s new report Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future and the accompanying web mapping tool.
AFT’s Farms Under Threat research has shown that if current trends continue, by 2040 as many as 797,358 acres of California farmland may be paved over, fragmented, or compromised. That is the equivalent of losing 6,044 farms, $1 billion in farm output and 13,029 jobs based on county averages. Sixty-seven percent of the conversion will occur on the state’s best land. California is the number one state in the nation projected to convert farmland to urban highly dense land. Additionally, by 2040, 298,494 acres of agricultural land will be affected by rising seas, due to climate change. These losses will disproportionately impact the state’s most productive, versatile land, threaten the future for small and peri-urban farms and limit opportunities for new and beginning farmers.
By choosing FUT’s Better Built Cities scenario instead of Runaway Sprawl, Californians can save 413,200 acres of farmland and ranchland. That is the equivalent of saving 2,805 farms, $545 million in farm output, and 7,124 jobs.
Three of the top twenty counties nationally in farmland acreage loss are in California, including Riverside, San Bernardino and Fresno.
In 1882, half of California’s citrus tree crop grew in Riverside, and the development of refrigerated railroad cars and innovative irrigation systems made the city one of the richest in America. Riverside now loses farmland faster than anywhere in California and Riverside County is the fastest in the state and second fastest in nation to lose farmland.
San Bernardino County is the second fastest in the state, and the #12 fastest in the nation to lose land. The overall value of agriculture in San Bernardino County totaled $420,251,000, according to the 2020 San Bernardino County Crop Production Report. This total represents an increase in value from 2019 of $36,028,000. Agriculture remains a critical component of the local economy.
Fresno County is the third fastest to lose farmland in the state, and the #17 fastest in the nation. However, this county’s farmland loss may impact the nation’s food supply the most.
According to the 2020 Fresno County Crop Report:
Fresno County is the number-one agricultural county in the nation.
It is home to 1.88 million acres of the world’s most productive farmland, with agricultural operations covering nearly half of the county’s entire land base of 3.84 million acres.
Farmers raise more than 350 different crops, contributing billions of dollars directly to the California economy and supporting 20 percent of all jobs in the Fresno area. Many of the county’s crops are not grown commercially anywhere else in the nation.
Every $1 generated on the farm produces another $3.50 in the local and regional economy.
The Central Valley of California shows why it is important to address development pressure, water scarcity and agricultural viability in an integrated way. California grows over one-third of the nation’s vegetables and two-thirds of its fruits and nuts, yet it also faces severe water shortages and rapid development. To reduce groundwater use to sustainable levels per California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act regulations, at least four percent (212,000 acres) of San Joaquin Valley cropland could be permanently retired, and 27 percent (1.3 million acres) could be intermittently fallowed.
AFT supports many legislative initiatives, including AB 2964, a bill that would modernize the California Farmland Conservancy Program (CFCP) by removing barriers to access for farmers and ranchers. Additionally, state funds to protect statewide at-risk farms and implementation of the Better Built Cities model are plausible solutions to California’s farmland loss crisis.
“We want to find practical solutions and approaches that California communities can use to protect its valuable agricultural land, while promoting smart growth,” said Kara Heckert, AFT Resilience Agriculture West Advisor. “The decisions our communities make now, with respect to housing density and urban growth, will be essential in ensuring we can accommodate additional population increases without compromising more farmland and open space.”
Register for the July 27, 2022, California webinar here
American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.
American Farmland Trust (AFT) expanded its national Farmers Combat Climate Change Initiative team by adding Bonnie Michelle McGill (pictured right), PhD, as Senior Climate and Soil Health Scientist and Rachel Seman-Varner (pictured left), PhD, as Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist.
Through its climate initiative, AFT commits to making U.S. agriculture climate neutral or better by catalyzing wide-spread adoption of diverse regenerative farming practices that rebuild soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce emissions.
“The additions of McGill and Seman-Varner will increase AFT’s capacity to advance transformational implementation and scaling of high impact opportunities. And we must act now, at scale, to avoid irreversible climate impacts to our human endeavor on this planet,” said AFT Climate Initiative Director Bianca Moebius-Clune, PhD. “Expanding the team will leverage AFT’s unique interdisciplinary and holistic approach to agriculture. It will enable us to catalyze more impact-driven research, modeling, decision support tool development and on-the-ground demonstration projects, provide training and mentor more farmers and ranchers, and advance critical policy needs at state and federal levels.”
Moebius-Clune also noted, “Farmers are at the front lines, facing droughts, floods, erratic temperatures and wildfires. A regenerative transition will be a win-win for farmers, ranchers and society at large. Agriculture has the exciting opportunity to build profitability and resilience to climate change impacts, while simultaneously contributing to solving the climate challenge. Reducing emissions and drawing carbon back down into the soil will build soil function, system stability and food security – the foundation of human life on this planet.”
As Senior Climate and Soil Health Scientist, McGill will lead climate solutions related program modeling, data analysis and other research efforts, with the aim to advance climate smart practice adoption and support policy advocacy and communications.
McGill previously served as a Science Communication Fellow at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Anthropocene Studies Section for the Climate and Rural Systems Partnership, where she co-produced local climate data analyses and communication resources with rural network members, including farmers, in western Pennsylvania. McGill earned a PhD in ecosystem ecology at Michigan State University where she studied the greenhouse gas footprint of an irrigated cropping system. She has also conducted focus groups with corn and soybean farmers in Michigan and Iowa to explore barriers to conservation and inform ecosystem modeling.
“I want to serve our land and water and their stewards, especially farmers and ranchers, and future generations by helping transition US agriculture from a net source of greenhouse gases to net removal of atmospheric carbon in ways that are equitable and inclusive,” said McGill. “My prior work has focused on conventional row crop systems as they account for a large proportion of US arable land, have some of the greatest environmental impacts, and are systems with some of the greatest opportunities to benefit and contribute to climate solutions, including making individual farms more resilient to climate and economic volatility. I cannot think of a better organization than AFT for doing relevant, cutting-edge scientific research that supports both farmers on the ground as well as policy making.”
As Senior Soil Health and Biochar Scientist, Seman-Varner will advance the science and implementation of high-level regenerative soil health management systems and provide technical support for policy advocacy. She will advance AFT’s leadership to integrate and scale up biochar and other innovative, high-potential natural climate solutions into soil health management systems.
Seman-Varner previously served at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Health Division as National Soil Health Specialist. At NRCS, Seman-Varner led the public release of the new Soil Carbon Amendment Conservation Practice Standard, developed technical assistance to support biochar and compost applications and collaborated on working groups addressing Climate-smart Agriculture, climate adaptation planning, water quantity and biodiversity. She holds a PhD from Virginia Tech with a focus on agroecology and a dissertation on cover cropping’s role in high-functioning agroecosystems.
“Complex problems need multifaceted solutions and addressing climate change will require on-the-ground approaches to increase soil carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across farms, ranches, forests and other managed lands,” said Seman-Varner. “I have a passion for building collaborative and effective partnerships across the scientific community, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, farmers, ranchers and diverse stakeholders to address the critical climate issues we face. Inclusion of diverse perspectives and stakeholders to create solution-driven teams is fundamental to developing innovative solutions to mitigate climate change and build more resilient agroecosystems.”
AFT’s Farmers Combat Climate Change Initiative seeks to bring everyone to the table – from small to large farmers and ranchers of the nation’s diverse production systems, individuals, researchers, agricultural industry leaders, policymakers, government leaders and society to take bold action to make a difference in our climate future.
American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.
Winter honey bees, compared to newly emerged summer bees, have a better ability to withstand the harmful effects of a widely-used insecticide in pest management, according to a recent study published in Apidologie.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) researchers from the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, found winter honey bees’ consumption of a nearly lethal, imidacloprid-laced syrup did not affect their survival during the study.
Imidacloprid is an insecticide made to mimic nicotine and is toxic to insects. This powerful insecticide is widely used in agriculture for pest management control. Honey bees are likely to encounter imidacloprid while foraging in the field or through contaminated hive products.
“Although imidacloprid toxicity to honey bees is an important concern for beekeepers, our results provide good news,” said Miguel Corona and Mohamed Alburaki, researchers at the ARS Bee Research Laboratory. “Our research shows that winter honey bees have unrecognized physiological mechanisms to counteract the effects of insecticides.”
The study assessed differences in diet behaviors for summer and winter honey bees in a controlled laboratory setting. Researchers provided sublethal doses of the imidacloprid-laced syrup to bees as necessary. Winter bees showed a preference to consuming imidacloprid-laced syrup over untreated sugar syrup while summer honey bees made the safe choice and avoided consuming the laced syrup each time.
According to Corona, it is important to study the differences of summer and winter honey bees’ diets. Honey bee colonies survive extreme seasonal differences in temperature and forage by producing two seasonal phenotypes of workers: summer and winter bees. These seasonal phenotypes differ significantly in their psychological characteristics as well as their susceptibility to disease and ability to handle poisonous substances.
“Winter bees and summer bees undergo physiological changes to cope with drastic seasonal changes in temperature and the availability of nutritional resources,” said Corona and Alburaki. “Our results suggest that long-lived winter bees are especially well-adapted to tolerate higher levels of chemical stressors.”
Corona said that although the study’s results show that winter bees could tolerate more intoxication by imidacloprid, they are still susceptible to higher concentrations of this insecticide in field settings. — By the USDA-ARS
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) today opened the application period for the 2023 Alliance and Research Grants cycle, offering $4.65 million in potential funding to accelerate the transition to safer, more sustainable pest management in agricultural, urban and wildland settings.
“California is a leader in the development of more sustainable pest management,” said DPR Director Julie Henderson. “DPR-funded grant projects are critical to identifying and fostering new methods and tools to reduce reliance on pesticides and their impact on human health and the environment.”
The increased funding for the 2023 Alliance and Research Grants, provided for in the 2021-2022 state budget, supports the state’s goal to accelerate and increase the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in agricultural, urban, and wildland settings. IPM is an innovative approach to pest management that uses the least-toxic, most effective method to solve pest problems.
Over the last 20 years, the department has invested more than $22 million to fund 92 projects within the Research and Alliance Grant programs. Last year’s DPR Grants Programs cycle represented the first year of increased funding allocated by the state budget. The department awarded $3.75 million in Research Grants to fund 10 research projects that explore IPM tools for urban, non-agricultural and agricultural pest management. DPR expects to award an additional $1.8 million in Alliance Grants funding later this month.
The 2023 Research Grants Program will award grants for projects up to two and a half years in length that develop pest management tools and practices to reduce the use of high-risk pesticides or decrease the impacts of pest management chemicals on public health and the environment. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $3.15 million. Research Grant applications will be accepted through Thursday, September 22, 2022.
Highlights from past Research Grants projects include:
The 2023 Alliance Grants Program will award grants for projects up to two and a half years in length that promote or increase the implementation, expansion and/or adoption of effective, proven and affordable IPM systems or practices. Project budgets may range from $50,000 to $1.5 million. Alliance Grant applications will be accepted through Thursday, December 8, 2022.
Highlights from past Alliance Grants projects include:
For more information on the Alliance Grants and Research Grants Programs, including how to join our virtual information sessions aimed at providing grant applicants with additional information and answering questions on how to apply, please visit our department’s website.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation protects human health and the environment by fostering safer and sustainable pest management practices and operating a robust regulatory system to evaluate and register pesticides and monitor and regulate their sale and use across the state.
DPR’s work includes conducting scientific evaluations of pesticides to assess and mitigate potential harm to human health and the environment prior to and following registration, registering all pesticides prior to sale or use in California, monitoring for pesticides in the air and water, and enforcing pesticide laws and regulations in coordination with 55 County Agricultural Commissioners and their combined 400 field inspectors across the state’s 58 counties. DPR invests in innovative research, outreach, and education to encourage the development and adoption of integrated pest management tools and practices and conducts outreach to ensure pesticide workers, farmworkers and local communities have access to pesticide safety information.
Western Growers will honor California agricultural icon John Harris with the 2022 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community.
With more than 50 years’ experience in ranching, farming, hospitality and thoroughbred horse racing, Harris embodies the diversity of California agribusiness. The Harris Farms Group includes Harris Fresh and the Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division, in addition to the landmark property known to all Californians on the I-5.
“Like his iconic Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant, which stands as an oasis alongside a remote stretch of road, John is a pillar in California agriculture and the broader Western fresh produce industry,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “It is safe to say that no one in this industry is more recognized and admired, and not just among his peers but also by community and political leaders throughout California. John’s vision can be seen in all his enterprises, from his ranching and farming businesses to his championship horse racing operations. Beyond his business endeavors, John is a powerful voice for farmers in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and has dedicated his life’s work to the advancement of California agriculture and the rural communities our industry supports. John is most deserving of the Western Growers Award of Honor and we are excited to present him with our highest recognition at our Annual Meeting in November.”
“I was very flattered to be recognized by my peers,” Harris said of being named the recipient of the Award of Honor for 2022. “I was pleased and proud that they felt like I deserved it.”
Harris was born to a farm family whose operations in California extend back more than a century. He graduated with a degree in agricultural production from the University of California, Davis and then served two years in the U.S. Army. Besides his tenure as CEO and sole shareholder of Harris Farms and his 11 years on the Western Growers Board of Directors, Harris served five terms as president of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association. The Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division produced California Chrome, the winner of the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
“I’ve been involved with John not only in horses, but in many agricultural enterprises,” said Don Valpredo, President of Donald Valpredo Farming and horse racing legend. “He’s a tireless worker – he uncovers every stone…he’s about as involved and as fair in everything that he does of anyone I’ve ever been involved with.”
The Award of Honor will join numerous other significant awards Harris has received; in 1988 he was named Livestock Man of the Year by his peers in the ranching industry, and in 2014 he received the Agriculturalist of the Year award from the Fresno Chamber of Commerce. He received an honorary degree of Doctor of Science from the California State University at Fresno in 2019.
Harris’ achievements will be celebrated at the Award of Honor Dinner Gala at the Western Growers 2022 Annual Meeting at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas. The 2022 Annual Meeting will be held from Nov. 2-5, 2022. For more information about registration or to take advantage of sponsorship opportunities, please contact Assistant Vice President, Membership Kim Sherman at ksherman@wga.com.
About Western Growers:
Founded in 1926, Western Growers represents local and regional family farmers growing fresh produce in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. Western Growers’ members and their workers provide over half the nation’s fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts, including half of America’s fresh organic produce. Connect and learn more about Western Growers on Twitter and Facebook.