The Santa Maria Fairpark held its 40th annual Agriculture Recognition Awards Tuesday night, honoring the dedication and achievements of local agricultural leaders, and kicked off the 2024 Santa Barbara County Fair, which opens Wednesday. Sponsored by AG West Farm Credit, the awards recognize the vital role agriculture plays in the community, said Caitlin Miller, CEO of the Santa Maria Fairpark. She emphasized that agriculture is the top commodity in the area, generating $1.
9 billion in 2023 in Santa Barbara County. “Part of our mission for the 37th District Agriculture Association is to highlight agriculture in the community, to educate the youth and educate the public,” said Miller. “When you come to the fair, you will see both children participating, and then educational exhibits to share the knowledge with those who both are and are not in the industry.
” The selection process for the awards involves nominations from various agricultural organizations, followed by a review by the AG West Farm Credit Committee and the Fairpark board of directors. The 2024 Agriculture Recognition Awards recipients were: Livestock Person of the Year, Jenny Hardin; Farmer of the Year, Joe Jorge; Agri-Business Person of the Year, Tom Gulliver; and Directors Choice Award, Rick Tomasini. A new category, Sponsor of the Year, recognized John Will of the JF Will Company as a sponsor who has shown immense generosity in giving of "time, talent, or treasure.
" Will is a businessman whose family h.
