CDFA Undersecretary Gomes honored for Farm Bureau service

» December 4, 2007 «

George Gomes, second from left, receives the Distinguished Service Award from CFBF President Doug Mosebar, left, and 2nd Vice President Kenny Watkins, right. With Gomes is his wife, Ella, and daughter, Gina.
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A longtime agricultural leader in both the public and private sectors, George Gomes, has received the California Farm Bureau Federation Distinguished Service Award. Gomes was honored at the Farm Bureau's 89th Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nev.

Currently undersecretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Gomes previously served as administrator of the California Farm Bureau. After nearly 20 years managing staff operations for Farm Bureau, he rejoined CDFA in March. He had previously served the state agency as chief deputy director and as assistant director overseeing the Division of Fairs and Expos. Gomes also taught agricultural management courses at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees.

"George Gomes has spent nearly his whole life dedicated to agriculture and for that, we will forever be grateful," California Farm Bureau President Doug Mosebar said. "We're especially grateful for the many years of leadership he provided within Farm Bureau, working with our members to assure a strong future for family farms and ranches."

Gomes served with four California Farm Bureau presidents, but Mosebar noted that he is the only one of the four to have also been a student of Gomes' at Cal Poly.

"I have seen from two very different perspectives how committed George is to agricultural education," Mosebar said. "That commitment will echo through the generations, as new students embark on their careers on the farm or in agricultural businesses."

Gomes chairs the California FFA Foundation board and has served on the boards of several other agricultural organizations.

The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by the California Farm Bureau and has been given each year since 1953. The California Farm Bureau Federation, the state's largest farm organization, works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of 91,000 members statewide.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.