Sonoma County Farm Bureau

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Love of the Land

Time: 4:30 p.m. – Reception, 6:15 p.m. – Dinner
Location: The Pavilion at Richard’s Grove – 3575 Slusser Rd., Windsor

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Love of the Land is a mid-summer celebration honoring agricultural award winners who are leading the way to preserve Sonoma County’s rich farming heritage. The event begins with a tasting of Sonoma County wine and food. A dinner buffet featuring an array of Sonoma County-grown products follows the reception. The main event is a special program where members of the agriculture community are honored. Special awards include Farm Bureau Hall of Fame, Farm Family of the Year, Luther Burbank Conservation Award, and Friend of Farm Bureau. Funds raised from this event further the organization’s goal of preserving agricultural lands, providing agriculture education for youth of all ages, and protecting clean water for the future.
The reception will also include a silent auction and a dinner buffet featuring an array of Sonoma County-grown products. Dinner will be followed by the awards presentation and live auction.

Farm Bureau Hall of Fame: Domenic Carinalli

For more than 50 years Domenic Carinalli has been a recognized leader on the farm front, spending countless hours away from his Sebastopol ranch to fight for the interests of all farmers in Sonoma County and beyond. Carinalli has been a director of Sonoma County Farm Bureau since 1968 and is the longest-serving director in the history of the organization, which was founded in 1917. He served as Farm Bureau president in 1987-88. Additionally, he has served twice as the representative for Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties on the board of directors of the California Farm Bureau Federation in Sacramento. During both stints on the CFBF board, he was involved in decisions about building new headquarters for the state organization. The Hall of Fame award recognizes Carinalli’s deep and enduring commitment to agriculture and his dedication to a way of life that he believes is worth preserving for generations to come in Sonoma County.

Luther Burbank Conservation Award: The Sangiacomo Family

For nearly a century, the Sangiacomo family has farmed in the Sonoma Valley, not only passing down farming skills from generation to generation but their Italian ancestors’ Old World reverence for the land and the miraculous bounty that comes from it. The Old World belief that if you take care of the land, it takes care of you is deeply embedded in the DNA of the third generation Sangiacomos now managing the family farming operation established by their grandparents Vittorio and Maria Sangiacomo, immigrants from Genoa, Italy. The family’s mission is to sustainably farm with Mother Nature to grow world-class winegrapes and craft wines of intensity and balance from the very best vineyard sites. That mission is the guiding force in vineyard development and land acquisition as well as the focus on environmentally conscientious farming practices. It's this culture of care and land stewardship that has earned the Sangiacomo family the 2020 Luther Burbank Conservation Award from the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

Farm Family of the Year: The Neve Family

For more than a half-century, the Neve family of Petaluma has strategically adapted to not only survive in the highly competitive flower business but to thrive and prosper, becoming the West Coast’s premier producer of show-stopping roses and other floral delights. Lou Neve, 68, who runs Neve Bros. with his wife Raelene, and his sons, Nick, 37, and Chris, 34, fourth-generation flower growers, said it takes targeted vigilance to stay in tune with shifting markets and changing tastes in flowers. Nick and Chris, who hold positions in production and sales, are committed to a flower-growing business that has become their family legacy. The Neves’ business acumen, dedication to farming, and prominent place in the agriculture community have earned them the Sonoma County Farm Bureau’s Farm Family of the Year Award for 2020. Farm Bureau leaders say the Neves are exemplary entrepreneurs focused on economic viability and environmental stewardship while being involved in building community and preserving the county’s rich agricultural heritage.

Friend of Farm Bureau: The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is generous with its time and talent when it comes to supporting the Farm Bureau. The Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Mark Essick, offers many agriculture-specific resources to the Farm Bureau through their rural crimes task force, contributions to the Sonoma-Marin Farm News, and partnerships with various Farm Bureau training programs. The Sheriff’s Office has had a Rural Crimes task force for decades, but under Essick's leadership efforts were redoubled to renew their commitment to Sonoma County farmers and ranchers. The task force works closely with farmers and ranchers to work on cutting-edge crime prevention tactics as well as respond to the unique needs of the ag community. The Sheriff’s Office regularly works to develop partnerships with the ag community to best protect farmers and ranchers from trespassing, vandalism, and theft. It is the steadfast support of the Sheriff’s Office and the Rural Crimes Task Force and their efforts to create genuine, long-lasting relationships with the Farm Bureau and its members that have earned them the Friend of Farm Bureau award.

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To represent, protect and advance the social, economic and educational interests of the farmers and ranchers of Sonoma County.