RESILIENCY THROUGH SEVEN GENERATIONS By Taylor Lauson, Communications Manager
Having a farming operation remain in the family for multiple generations is an astounding feat on its own, but to be entering a seventh generation requires more than longevity. It requires the ability to adapt, weather uncertainty and keep moving forward—or as George Adam, President and Owner of Innovative Produce, puts it, “the resilience that it takes to persevere in the industry.” Adam comes from a long line of farmers that can be traced back more than 150 years, when his great-great- grandfather settled in Santa Maria, Calif. Starting out with just hay and horses, the family eventually expanded into growing beans and broccoli. Then in 1976, there was a big rainstorm. “I remember that wiped out a lot of the dry beans that we were harvesting, so we pushed into produce after that," Adam recalled. “Sometimes adversity forces you to change course and make shifts in your production.” That adaptability and willingness to evolve remains central to the family business today, with the operation continuing to diversify, adding strawberries and black caneberries alongside its produce crops. The strategy, Adam explained, is ultimately about maximizing the farm’s potential while managing risk. He credits his father with giving him the confidence to maintain rational thinking and composure through business cycles and moments of adversity. That perspective was tested when the next generation had returned to the farm and the family went through a period of business dissolutions, or “divorce, depending on how you look at it,” Adam said. The experience taught him just how flexible you can be when you have no choice. “I have worked to allow the next generation of owners and managers the same grace and encouragement through mistakes, adverse weather, disease losses, food safety issues and other tough times to be able to build resiliency through an understanding of competitive risk, along with the faith and confidence to operate at a high moral standard and mental clarity,” he said. Adam has no shortage of agricultural experience, from the “character building jobs” he did on the farm as a boy to running a multi-generational operation today. He said serving on the Western Growers Board of Directors helped him build on that foundation. “I didn’t know how much I didn’t know before getting on the Board,” he joked. He sees his contribution to the Board as bringing what he calls a “dirt farmer perspective,” grounded in the realities of actively farming and growing crops firsthand. His experience serving on the Board has been valuable both personally and professionally, broadening
George Adam (far right) in the field with his family.
his understanding of the issues facing agriculture and the importance of addressing them proactively. “I believe this organization’s greatest strength is the ability to identify significant issues so they can be managed. There’s a culture of getting out ahead of an evolving issue, having the tough discussions of an initial strategic path then collaboratively executing that strategy,” said Adam. The Next Chapter For Adam, being the sixth generation of his family to farm in the Santa Maria Valley is about more than inheriting land or assets. The real inheritance, he believes, is the knowledge accumulated over generations—figuring out where to eliminate some of the swings, increase cash flow opportunities, take advantage of new information and technology and find smarter ways to manage risk. “The amount of information that we have has increased exponentially,” he said. “And I think if you don’t take advantage of it, then you’ll find your life a lot more difficult.” Now, Adam is preparing to pass on those lessons once again. As he hands the reins to his son, like his father did and his father before him, he says he’s more optimistic about the continued success of the family business than ever before. “I enjoy being a motivator to others in their ability to realize hidden potential through hard work, building relationships, patience and persistence. Hopefully my first-generation directorship has been part of that motivation,” Adam said. As he reflects on the wisdom his father bestowed on him and the path he’s forged for himself, he hopes to leave his son with a simple belief: anything is possible.
48 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com October – December 2026
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