Davis, Calif., (October 16 2017) – Donald Norene, a third-generation walnut farmer from Rio Oso, was recently honored with an Award of Distinction from the UC Davis College of Agricultural
Donald Norene Honored with UC Davis Award of Distinction
and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES). The award is presented annually to individuals whose contributions and achievements enhance the college’s ability to provide cutting-edge research, top-notch education and innovative outreach. Norene is a CA&ES alumnus who has held many leadership posts and who has been instrumental in rallying industry support for UC Davis research.
Norene earned his bachelor of science in agricultural science and management in 1973. He joined with his father, Roy, and brother, Jerry, to farm peaches, walnuts and rice, and to raise beef cattle north of Sacramento. Twenty years later, as the cling peach industry was losing profitability, Norene made the bold and successful move to replace all the family’s peach trees with walnuts.
He is a member of the California Walnut Board, which has invested millions of dollars in walnut breeding and improvement at UC Davis. Norene is a past chairman of the California Walnut Commission and a founding member and chairman of the Walnut Bargaining Association. Norene Ranches is an early adopter of research to improve walnut production and irrigation. Donald Norene and son Davin cooperate with the university on research into variety development, rootstocks, nematode control, integrated pest management and other areas. With that said, Norene is well deserving the recognition and praise offered by UC Davis and the walnut industry.
Healdsburg, Calif., (August 14, 2017) – Joe Rochioli Jr. was honored for his outstanding Achievements in FFA and Agriculture by the Healdsburg High School FFA Ag Boosters Board on June 24, 2017 at their Shrimp Boil and Bluegrass fundraiser at Jackson Family Wine’s Richard’s Grove. More than 150 guests turned out for the 2nd annual event, including leaders from the business and agricultural sectors. Guests dined on Southern Shrimp and treats prepared by Ken Rochioli of KR Catering, raised funds through live and silent auctions, and danced to Rovetti and the Meatballs Band.
Joe Rochioli Jr. was born in 1934 to Neoma and Joe Rochioli Sr. and grew up on Westside Road working on the family farm. When Joe was young, his dad was a top-quality hop grower, farming Fenton Acres, a 125 acre farm on what is now Westside Road. Joe’s Italian immigrant family worked very hard and aspired to own the land they farmed. Joe entered Healdsburg High School in 1949 and was one of the first students in the Healdsburg FFA Chapter in 1950. That year he showed 2 Veal Calves that were sold at auction to a local family and the Armor Star Meat Company. During high school, Joe showed many animals at the Healdsburg, Sonoma County, and Sonoma-Marin fairs.
As the top student in FFA Joe was awarded a jersey calf name Rotary-Ann by the Healdsburg Rotary club. Joe loved that calf and raising animals. At one time he had 10 Herford cows, one Herford bull, and 80 sheep. At Healdsburg high, Joe played four years of baseball & football and was student body vice-president. He also played professional baseball for the Prune Packers while he was a senior at Healdsburg. Joe graduated from high school in the summer of 1952 and went straight to Cal Poly.
Joe left for San Luis Obispo with $350 in his pocket, two friends and his 1941 Chevy truck. Joe attended Cal Poly from 1952 to 1956 studying animal sciences and he took as many agricultural classes as he could.
At Cal Poly, Joe did what all Mustangs do, he “learned by doing.”
He worked very hard in and out of the classroom, holding many jobs including at the meat department, as the University fed all the students. He also worked at the “Flying A” fuel station and earned .85 cents an hour doing construction work on military housing trailers. Joe received his State Farmer Award during his first year of college.
Joe played baseball for 4 years at Cal Poly and also later in the U.S. Army. After graduation, he returned to Healdsburg from Cal Poly to again help his dad on the family farm. He was soon married and had two small children, Tom and Becky who, along with their families, are with us this evening.
Joe again left Healdsburg after being drafted into the United States Army where he was quickly promoted. He spent most of his time at the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC where he researched radiated food and vitamin deficiencies in K rations, what we today call MRE’s.
Joe left the service and returned to Healdsburg in 1959 to again farm the land he loved. Not many young people stayed committed to Agriculture, but Joe did. After “hopps went to hell”, Joe’s family started farming beans and eventually in 1959, wine grapes. Joe had many ideas about what varietals of grapes would do well on the land and also be financially profitable.
Like many multi-generational farming families, sometimes his dad agreed with him, and sometimes not.
Joe was a passionate farmer and in the mid-1960s fought open price contracts; Joe was a Founder of the North Coast Grape Growers Association that through political lobbying, fought unfair pricing of grapes and paved the way for today’s standards of Wine Grape pricing contracts.
Joe has received many awards including the Vocational arts trophy from Healdsburg high school on display here this evening. He’s also in the Healdsburg High School Sports Hall of Fame. Joe served on the Healdsburg Fair Board for over 25 years and was Parade Marshal in 1984. In 2003, Joe received the inaugural “Copia Award” as Wine Grower of the Year, a national recognition. In 2009, Joe and his wife Vivian received the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Lifetime Achievement Award.
The name Rochioli is synonymous with premium wine grapes and wine. Joe’s understanding of soil types and terrain led him to planting one of the most famed vineyards in Sonoma County.
Today, Joe oversees the farming of over 140 acres of premium wine grapes in the Russian River Valley. These grapes go into the bottles of many top quality producers and to the Estate wines so expertly crafted under the Rochioli and J. Rochioli labels.
Fresno, Calif., (July 31, 2017) – The Fresno Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the 2017 Agriculturalist of the Year award. The award recognizes an individual who exemplifies leadership and integrity and who has demonstrated a sincere commitment to the Fresno agricultural community through both personal efforts and leadership abilities.
In addition to the Agriculturalist of the Year award, Baker Peterson Franklin will present the Ag Business of the Year award, which honors an agricultural organization whose achievements have contributed to the agriculture industry and the community.
The awards are presented annually at the Ag Awards Luncheon, which will be held Wednesday, November 1, at the Bankers Ballroom, 1058 Fulton Mall, Fresno.
The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, September 8. For more information, or to obtain an application, visit www.fresnochamber.com or www.bpfcpa.com.
Davis, Calif., (July 24, 2017) – Kurt Kornbluth and Elizabeth Mitcham are the recipients of UC Davis’ inaugural Chancellor’s International Engagement Achievement Awards, while Alan Bennett received an honorable mention.
The award recipients: Elizabeth Mitcham, second from left; Kurt Kornbluth, center; and Alan Bennett, second from right. They are flanked by Ralph J. Hexter, interim chancellor, and Joanna Regulska, vice provost and associate chancellor of Global Affairs. (Chanae Allred/UC Davis photo)
Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter presented the awards during a ceremony in the multipurpose room of the new International Center.
“Our tendency to form strong global connections and think beyond borders is one of the reasons why the Times Higher Education rankings this year rated us the fourth most international public university in the nation,” Hexter said.
Joanna Regulska, vice provost and associate chancellor of Global Affairs, said the new awards program — open to all full-time faculty and staff — aligns with her unit’s efforts to:
“Interconnect all at UC Davis by inspiring global curiosity, understanding and engagement.”
“Develop and support the capacity of all members of the UC Davis community — faculty, students, scholars, staff and alumni — to successfully engage in building and sustaining partnerships, collaborative research initiatives, and academic and teaching programs with international peer institutions, partners and colleagues.
“Expand upon the impactthat UC Davis is making toward solving global problems, educating an interculturally competent citizenry and engaging in world-class research.”
Kurt Kornbluth
He is an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering in the College of Engineering, and founding director of the Program for International Energy Technologies, which, through its D-Lab courses, involves students in solving real-life energy problems in developing countries.
His nominator, Jean VanderGheynst, professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, said: “In an era of food, water, energy and climatic uncertainty, it is critical to acknowledge the faculty leaders who are developing roadmaps to climate neutrality, engaging students and scholars in problem-oriented, client focused learning, and sharing ideas and resources with faculty and researchers from UC Davis, the UC and universities abroad.”
Indeed, she said, Kornbluth “has initiated substantial international teaching, research and service efforts in climate neutrality, and for this reason is an ideal candidate for the Chancellor’s International Engagement award.”
She cited as an example the Kornbluth-led Lighting the Way Zambia project. “The economic, health and environmental costs of kerosene, candles and other fuel-based lighting are well documented,” VanderGheynst said. So, with funding from the World Bank, PIET designed, manufactured and distributed portable solar lights.
“The lab advances fruit and vegetable research to support the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries,” Dillard wrote. “As part of this initiative, the Horticulture Innovation Lab has collaborated with more than 18 U.S. universities and 200 organizations in Latin America, Africa and Asia with projects spanning the horticultural value chain.”
“Over the years, many of the projects led by UC Davis faculty with UC Davis graduate students and researchers, have led to national and international collaborations with other universities and research organizations.”
Mitcham has been a faculty member and Cooperative Extension postharvest specialist since 1992. Through her long affiliation with the university’s Postharvest Technology Center (she’s a former director), she has trained agricultural professionals from more than 40 countries.
“She has contributed to long-lasting horticultural science as a way to improve health and nutrition globally, while enhancing the role of women in developing countries,” Dillard wrote. “She has been an inspiration for many students, staff, and faculty for her commitment to international development activities.”
“Throughout his career, Dr. Bennett has consistently demonstrated his vision and dedication in driving international programs for domestic and global academic institutions,” wrote his nominator, Pablo Zamora, associate director of the UC Davis-Chile Life Sciences Innovation Center.
“By working closely with 60 universities and the Rockefeller Foundation, he was able to structure a public initiative (PIPRA) to drive patented agricultural technologies for international development. … Furthermore, he used this platform, with the support of the UC Davis School of Law, to found the Licensing Academy whose successful, ongoing mission is to train technology managers in more than 50 developing countries.”
Bennett founded the UC Davis-Chile Life Sciences Innovation Center in 2015, collaborating with the Chilean government in its intent to cultivate international climate through technology and innovation.
“UC Davis-Chile has had profound impact and continues to be a pioneer in the internationalization of UC Davis in Latin America. These highlighted contributions exemplify Alan’s continuous efforts to achieve the university’s land-grant mission at home and abroad.”
Fresno, Calif., (May 22, 2017) – The Fresno State Winery will offer free tastings of four award-winning wines — Petrucci’s Crush, Pinot Noir, San Joaquin Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc — at the Gibson Farm Market (5368 N. Chestnut Ave.) each weekend in May from 2 to 6 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The 2014 Petrucci’s Crush, available for a limited time only, is a Bordeaux-style blend with fruit from Duarte Nursery and campus vineyards. The 2016 SJ Chardonnay, 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and 2014 Tempranillo are sourced from Duarte Nursery, and the 2015 Pinot Noir is sourced from fruit from Saviez Vineyards in Fresno County.
Including the 2014 Tempranillo, five Fresno State wines combined to win 10 gold and silver medal honors this spring (see list below). The Tempranillo also won a silver medal last November in the Harvest Challenge wine competition.
All five wines can be purchased at the Gibson Farm Market and through the Fresno State Wine Club, which will reorganize its membership plans starting in June to offer wine club customers more options to better fit their preferences.
The Fresno State Winery has won more than 600 honors since it became the nation’s first commercially bonded winery on a collegiate campus in 1997. It currently offers 14 red, white, blush and specialty wines that are produced on campus by viticulture and enology students and staff, and many of the grapes are sourced from Fresno State’s 120-acre campus vineyard.
More information is available by contacting Fresno State Wine Club president Veronica Viramontes (559.278.6070, verovira@mail.fresnostate.edu) or the Gibson Farm Market (559.278.4511).
Sacramento, Calif., (May 17, 2017) – The winners of the California State Fair’s Golden Bear Award and Agriculture Progress Award have been announced. These awards are part of a prestigious list of honors, which include Agriculturalist of the Year and the Wine Lifetime Achievement Award. All the award winners will be recognized at the California State Fair Gala on Thursday, June 22.
The Agriculture Progress Award was established in 1994 and is presented to an individual or organization that has contributed extensively over a number of years to the promotion, advancement, and growth of the California State Fair Agriculture Programs.
This year’s recipient is Chris Zanobini, President and CEO of Ag Association Management Services Inc. which represents various agriculture-based organizations. Chris is also the Chair of the Alliance for Food and Farming and the Chair of the California State Fair Ag Advisory Board.
Agriculture, the Fair, and Chris have a long history together. While attending U.C. Davis, Chris worked with Ag Programs at the California State Fair. That experience gave him a deep appreciation for what the Fair does. Later in life, he helped start the State Fair Farm Scholarship program, which provides funds so students-in-need can take a Farm Tour at Cal Expo. Chris also uses his industry connections to support the Fair’s Ag Programs.
When Chris found out he was the recipient of this year’s Agriculture Progress Award he didn’t know what to stay. “It’s hard to put into words how I feel,” said Chris. “I have been connected to the Fair for such a long time. It means a lot. I’m honored to support such an incredible ag program.”
Throughout his career, Chris has served many agricultural groups including California Grown, The World Apple and Pear Association, and The Ag Export Council. His goal is to make sure everyone knows the vital importance of agriculture.
The Golden Bear Award is one of the California State Fair’s highest honors and was first presented in 1977. It acknowledges individuals and businesses that have furthered the Fair’s mission of showcasing California’s economic and cultural diversity, and have rendered meritorious service to and support the California State Fair.
Pete Leesha is this year’s recipient of the Golden Bear Award. A Sacramento native, Pete’s love of the California State Fair goes back to his childhood. “My mom would take my brother and I to the Fair back when it was held on Stockton Blvd,” he reminisced. “Ever since then I’ve been an advocate for the Fair. I believe in what the Fair does.”
Pete has made an incredible career for himself. He attended Sacramento City College, served in the military, and then got his start in Stockton as a night loader at Bell Distributing in 1976. He worked hard and quickly rose through the ranks, holding positions in merchandising, sales, and sales management; eventually becoming the Vice President of Marketing, Specialty Brands, and Government Affairs with DBI Beverage Inc. Pete retired from DBI Beverage in February 2017.
When Rick Pickering, President and CEO of the California Exposition and State Fair, called to let Pete know he had been chosen to receive this year’s Golden Bear Award, Pete was in shock, “I couldn’t wait to tell my family. I was thrilled.”
Chris Zanobini and Pete Leesha will receive their awards at the 2017 California State Fair Gala on Thursday, June 22. Also receiving awards that evening are:
Agriculturalist of the Year – Tom Nassif
Wine Lifetime Achievement Award – Paul Draper
Vineyard of the Year – Dutton Ranch Home Vineyard
Champions of Technology Award, Organization – Aira
Champions of Technology Award, Individual – Bryan M. Sastokas
Tickets, tables, and sponsorships for the Gala are available now. Click here to purchase. More information can be found at castatefair.org/gala or e-mail gala@calexpo.com
Sacramento, Calif., (April 13, 2017) – The California State Fair announces the recipients of the prestigious 2017 agriculture awards, which will be presented at the annual Friends of the California State Fair Gala. These awards recognize the accomplishments and service of key individuals and organizations that contribute to California’s agriculture industry growth and prosperity and are the highlight of the evening at the State Fair Gala on Thursday, June 22, 2017.
The Gala raises funds for The Friends of the California State Fair Student Scholarship Program. This program seeks to support well-rounded, high academic achievers and gives over $47,500 in scholarship’s in more than 14 categories including agriculture.
Join the California Exposition and State Fair, Friends of the California State Fair, and the California State Fair Agricultural Advisory Council in congratulating the 2017 award recipients, as we celebrate the best of the best.
Agriculturalist of the Year – Thomas “Tom” Nassif – Tom Nassif took the leadership reins of the Western Growers Association in 2002. His broad and distinguished leadership experience, along with his background as a labor attorney for the agricultural industry, made him a natural choice to lead the fresh produce industry into a new era. Through coalition building and an aggressive approach to addressing the key issues confronting the industry, Tom took Western Growers to a new level of prominence and influence.
Tom’s remarkable career is highlighted by his service in President Ronald Reagan’s administration in several capacities. In 1981, he was appointed Deputy and Acting Chief of Protocol for the White House, in 1983 he became Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian affairs and in 1985 he received the appointment by President Reagan to be his ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco where he served until 1988.
The Agriculturalist of the Year award is defined as someone who has contributed extensively and in a professional capacity to California’s agricultural industry. Each year, the public is invited to participate in an open nomination process. The California State Fair Ag Advisory Council met on March 21 to vote on all the nominees.
Wine Lifetime Achievement Award – Paul Draper is a California winemaker who recently retired after 46 years as the chief winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in California. Draper gained recognition for his 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon when it placed fifth at the Judgment of Paris wine tasting. Paul has played a significant role in the history of California wine through his pioneering work in popularizing “vineyard-designated” wines as well as instigating the resurgence of old vine Zinfandel. Paul is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Californian Zinfandel, rescuing the grape from obscurity and demonstrating its full potential as a serious wine.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a person, family or institutions who are pioneers in the wine industry based on their lifetime contributions to the California wine industry. Each year, the California State Fair Wine Advisory Task Force puts forth recommendations and selects a final honoree through an open meeting process.
Vineyard of the Year Award – Dutton Ranch Vineyard farms a total of 1,100 acres of premium quality wine grapes using the Sustainable Winegrowing Program. Of the 1,100 acres, they own and lease approximately 860 acres and manage approximately 240. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the predominant varieties growing in the Dutton Ranch vineyards. They have 17 different clones of Chardonnay and 14 different clones of Pinot Noir planted. All of their vineyards are in the Sonoma Coast AVA.
The Vineyard of the Year recognizes the California vineyard that consistently, over several growing seasons, produces grapes which have contributed directly to wine of superior quality and marketability within commercial sales systems and among fine wine. Each year, the California State Fair Wine Advisory Task Force puts forth recommendations and selects a final honoree through an open meeting process.
Champion of Technology Awards – Bryan M. Sastokas is the 2017 Individual Champion of Technology.
Bryan is the Chief Information Officer and Director of Technology & Innovation Department for the City of Long Beach. He has over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors where his approach to innovation has enabled the city’s technology to be a community asset, more than an internal resource. Though only appointed in 2015, his leadership allowed the city’s Technology and Innovation Department to receive the CIO 100 award in 2016, where Long Beach was the only city among the 100 honorees nationwide.
Aira is the 2017 Project/Organization Champion of Technology.
Aira, founded in 2015 in San Diego, California, is a national and international leader in providing cutting-edge technology for the blind and visually impaired. Through a pair of smart glasses, Aira connects consumers to certified agents who are on standby to take a live video to see from the perspective of the consumer and provide instant visual interpretation of labels, signs and the surrounding environment. Aira is innovative in that it has leveraged a convergence of different technologies such as Augmented Reality, wearables, miniaturized sensors, widespread bandwidth, GPS data, and human assisted artificial intelligence.
The Champion of Technology Awards recognize an (i) individual and (ii) company or organization that has made significant contributions to the lives of Californians through technology industries. Each year, the California Department of Technology manages the open nomination process and presents a final recommendation to the California State Fair.
To support the State Fair Gala and Student Scholarship program on June 22, 2017 please email gala@calexpo.com.
Fresno, Calif., (April 13, 2017) – Fresno County Farm Bureau (FCFB) announced the recipients of its 23rd Annual Journalism Awards this evening at the organization’s inaugural Arts & Hops event, held at Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company in downtown Fresno.
Almost 40 entries were received from local publications, websites, radio and television stations. The criteria for the awards were: awareness of agriculture’s importance in the Valley; use of visuals to tell the story, where applicable; thorough and objective coverage of the issues, given time and space limitations; and portraying the “human side” of the industry, making the issues relevant to consumers and/or producers.
The winners were:
Audio
Kerry Klein, Valley Public Radio, “Climate Legislation an Opportunity for Dairy Digesters, but Hurdles Remain,” October 11, 2016
Klein explores anaerobic digesters, a technology that could help dairy farmers meet their methane goals.
Farm Trade Print
Matthew Malcolm, Vegetables West Magazine, “Challenges & Successes with Fall California Harvest,” November 1, 2016
Malcolm visits with several vegetable growers to discuss the challenges and successes that California farmers faced during the Fall 2016 harvest.
General Print
Dani Villalobos, The Fresno Bee, “Follow the Crop,” November 12, 2016
Villalobos follows the Enzo Olive Oil Company to give an in-depth look at the olive oil production process from tree to table.
Video
Dale Yurong & Dennis Silvas, ABC30, “Brew to Moo,” November 7, 2016
ABC30 explores a unique partnership between local breweries and ranchers utilizing beer waste products to provide feed to cattle.
Serving as judges were: Alyssa Houtby, California Citrus Mutual’s Director of Public Affairs; Liz Hudson, Hudson Farms; and Donny Rollin, Rollin Valley Farms and FCFB President.
“Our local media plays an extremely vital role in communicating agriculture to our community,” said FCFB CEO Ryan Jacobsen. “We look forward to continuing to be a resource to our media partners.”
Davis, Calif., (April 5, 2016) – The Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI) at UC Davis has announced that David Lewis, UC Cooperative Extension watershed advisor for California’s north bay
UCCE watershe advisor David Lewis is the 2017 recipient of the Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award.
and UC Davis alumnus, is this year’s recipient of the Eric Bradford and Charlie Rominger Agricultural Sustainability Leadership Award.
For 17 years, Lewis has served as a UC Cooperative Extension advisor, helping farmers, ranchers, conservationists, and other stakeholders solve challenging and contentious issues surrounding the health of their watersheds.
The Bradford Rominger award honors individuals who exhibit the leadership, work ethic and integrity epitomized by the late Eric Bradford, a livestock geneticist who gave 50 years of service to UC Davis, and the late Charlie Rominger, a fifth-generation Yolo County farmer and land preservationist.
“David epitomizes the very fiber of character that this award celebrates,” says Kenneth Tate, Russell L. Rustici Endowed Chair in Rangeland Watershed Science at UC Davis and 2012 Bradford Rominger award recipient.
After starting his work in sustainability with the Peace Corps in Africa and completing a master’s degree in international agricultural development at UC Davis, Lewis joined UC Cooperative Extension as its first watershed advisor.
Tate praises Lewis’ ability to “put his quiet, honest, credible manner to good work” to help build trust and understanding so communities can have frank discussions about the challenges facing their watersheds.
Lewis’ accomplishments include helping to reduce the dairy pollution hurting the oyster beds of Tomales Bay and helping ranchers reduce erosion on their property, letting them play a key role in conserving critical coho salmon habitat and protecting the water quality of north coast rivers.
Keynote speaker Anya Fernald will speak about expanding awareness and access to sustainable foods at the ‘Shepherds of Sustainability’ event April 19 in Davis.
“I help my communities work towards a shared goal,” says Lewis, reflecting on his role as a leader.
“Marin County and places like it have placed a value on open working landscapes, and made land use policies 40 years ago to protect them. As we face new challenges, whether it’s a new invasive weed or where solar panels can go, we can always go back to that shared value.”
For Lewis, many of those successes stem from an eagerness to hear and understand the needs of community members, something he considers a privilege of his job.
“When talking with people at their kitchen tables or at the gates at their ranches, I get to feel the deep knowledge and connection people have with the landscape, hear their family histories and desires to innovate and do something different. And I appreciate that I’ve got a small role in it somewhere.”
Lewis will be presented the award at the Shepherds of Sustainability: Celebrating Leadership in Watersheds, Rangeland, and Livestock Sustainability event April 19 in Davis. The event is free and open to the public. Students are strongly encouraged to attend.
The Shepherds of Sustainability event will include an award ceremony and talks by David Lewis and keynote speaker Anya Fernald, CEO of Belcampo — a collection of organic ranches, butcher shops, and restaurants in California and an agritourism venture in Belize — on the topic of expanding awareness and access to sustainable foods. Fernald was recently recognized in Food & Wine’s “40 under 40” list and featured in profiles in The New York Times and The New Yorker, and has served as a regular judge on Iron Chef America.
More Information on the event and award can be found on the Agricultural Sustainability Institute’s website.
Shepherds of Sustainability: Celebrating Leadership in Watersheds, Rangeland, and Livestock Sustainability event & Bradford Rominger award ceremony
Wednesday, April 19 International House Davis, 10 College Park, Davis
4:00 p.m.:
Student only discussion with David Lewis and Anya Fernald on leadership in agricultural sustainability
5:30 p.m.:
Award ceremony and talk by Anya Fernald on the topic of expanding awareness and access to sustainable foods
The prestigious 2017 California Cultivator Award was presented to Clinton Shick, past chairman of Blue Diamond Growers, on March 9th during Ag Council’s 98th Annual Meeting in Carlsbad, California.
“During Clinton’s tenure as vice chair and chair, Blue Diamond’s growth catapulted,” said Emily Rooney, president of Ag Council. “Clinton helped lead the cooperative into an era where they handled more almonds than ever before. That growth was fueled by the development of several innovative marketing initiatives, including the development of a new plant in Turlock, and the expansion of the Almond Innovation Center in Sacramento.”
Shick is a third generation farmer from Kern County, growing several hundred acres of almonds and also operating a farm management business devoted to almonds, walnuts and cherries. A past president of the Kern County Farm Bureau and current member of the Central Valley Almond Association, a cooperative huller/sheller, Clinton began his professional career after graduating from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in Farm Management, and a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at University of California, Davis.
“His impeccable character represented Blue Diamond well to our industry, employees, customers and grower-owners,” said Dan Cummings, current Blue Diamond Chairman of the Board. “Clinton had a thoughtful way of drawing out others’ input on the Board while also sharing his sage insights. He was instrumental in the recruitment of our current CEO and this may very well be his most lasting legacy to Blue Diamond Growers.”
Shick was first elected to the Blue Diamond Growers Board of Directors in 1983, served as vice chair for 16 years and as chairman of the board from 2006 to 2014. He was formally honored by his peers during lunch on March 9th at Ag Council’s annual meeting.
As background, the purpose of the California Cultivator Award is to publicly recognize and honor one who clearly has made significant contributions to agriculture or has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment beyond the normal expectations of a person serving the farmer-owned business sector.
