FEATURE STORY
WESTERN GROWERS’ 2022 AWARD OF HONOR RECIPIENT EXEMPLIFIES THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA AGRIBUSINESS Celebrating John Harris’ Golden State By Ann Donahue I n “East of Eden,” Nobel Prize-winning writer John Steinbeck wrote the following: “And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.”
“East of Eden” is a sprawling multi- generational tale of agricultural families in California, a re-telling of Cain and Abel amid the fields in the Salinas Valley. The novel and the resulting film adaptation starring James Dean helped established California in American culture as a place of agricultural risk and reward, and the place where opportunity can exist for individuals who dare to choose their own path. It is, of course, a work of fiction, and one that is frequently brutal and jarring. But its themes of resilience and ultimate faith in the Golden State’s opportunity create an easy throughline to agricultural icon John
Harris, who has grasped the entirety of the state’s bounty and turned it into a thriving business legacy. In November at the 96 th Western Growers Annual Meeting, the association’s membership will honor Harris with the 2022 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community. With more than 50 years’ experience in ranching, farming, hospitality and thoroughbred horse racing, Harris embodies the diversity of California
agribusiness. The Harris Farms Group includes Harris Fresh and the Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division, in addition to the landmark property known to all Californians on the I-5. “Like his iconic Harris Ranch Inn & Restaurant, which stands as an oasis alongside a remote stretch of road, John is a pillar in California agriculture and the broader Western fresh produce industry,” said Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia. “It is safe to say that no one in this industry is more recognized and admired, and not just among his peers but also by community and political leaders throughout California. John’s vision can be seen in all his enterprises, from his ranching and farming businesses to his championship horse racing operations. Beyond his business endeavors, John is a powerful voice for farmers in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and has dedicated his life’s work to the advancement of California agriculture and the rural communities our industry supports. John is most deserving of the Western Growers Award of Honor, and we are excited to present him with our highest recognition at our Annual Meeting in November.” Managing the diversity of his business enterprises over the years required a nimble, methodical approach, according to Harris. “I went into it with the idea that things were always going to be changing—and they were,” Harris said. “I didn’t have any false illusions that it was going to be an easy deal. Then again, I wasn’t really afraid of any problem, because I started with the idea that any problem would be solvable.”
The Annual Meeting 2022 Award of Honor recipient John Harris
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SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2022
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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