Napa County Farm Bureau Celebrates 108th Birthday
Napa County Farm Bureau YF&R Chair August D’Amato
As Chief Executive Officer of the oldest industry organization in Napa Valley, I am honored to take a moment to recognize the 108th birthday of the Napa County Farm Bureau on May 8.
Napa County Farm Bureau (NCFB) is embarking on a new dynamic chapter. For 108 years, NCFB has a long tradition of serving and balancing the needs of community, agriculture and the environment throughout Napa County. At its inception in 1913, NCFB’s formation satisfied the mandate that a county must have a Farm Bureau prior to University of California providing UC extension services to the county. Forward thinking agricultural professionals realized the key to longevity was ongoing research and education prompting them to form the Napa County Farm Bureau, one of the first Farm Bureaus in the state.
From its early stages in 1913, Napa County Farm Bureau has worked to protect and promote Napa County agricultural operations, vineyards, farms and ranches and find solutions to problems facing agriculture.
NCFB’s founding allowed the organization to pursue a broader policy agenda that was separate from UC Cooperative Extension. Early on in 1913, NCFB formed professional divisions to represent its members at the Board of Supervisors, in the courts, the Legislature and the media.
Throughout its history, the Farm Bureau has maintained a reputation for excellence in innovative programs aimed at providing the best possible representation for Napa County’s agricultural professionals and its community.
Entering its second century, NCFB continues building on its success in the county and utilizes California Farm Bureau to represent our statewide issues. Napa County Farm Bureau families and agricultural professionals carefully manage ag lands and maintain open spaces, recognizing that healthy watersheds sustain Napa’s agriculture, environment and the community. Its members have contributed to the 20% of Napa permanently protected from development. NCFB led expanding the Ag Preserve minimum parcel size to 40 acres from 20. It led preserving the watershed by promoting the enactment of 160 acre minimums. In 1991, it supported the first hillside conservation regulations that maintain Napa’s national conservation leadership. Leadership on these issues allows both today’s world class agricultural economy, world class environmental protections and open space.
Moreover, Napa County Farm Bureau Foundation continues to ensure Napa County fosters the next generation of agricultural professionals and has had great success in providing scholarships to high school students in our county who are pursuing higher education in agriculture and educating youth in our community about agriculture and the benefits of pursuing agricultural careers.
The Napa County Farm Bureau and its leadership have placed a heavy emphasis on ensuring Napa County agriculture is professionally well-represented in public policy, politics and community service. NCFB has had tremendous success in these areas and is excited to continue to build on this success in the pursuit of professionally representing the interests of over 1,000 members in Napa County.
The Napa County Farm Bureau is excited about the accomplishments it has been building for our community and we are looking forward to many more successful years to come.
As we look to the future, we invite you to partner with us as we work to protect and promote Napa County’s world-class agriculture, as we have proudly done since 1913.
Ryan P. Klobas, JD
Chief Executive Officer
Napa County Farm Bureau &
Napa County Farm Bureau Foundation