California Grape Grower Who Battled UFW Posthumously Honored

The California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) posthumously honored John Giumarra Jr., of Giumarra Vineyards Corp., one of the state’s largest table grape growers, with the prestigious Mentor’s Award at its annual Board of Directors meeting in Fresno. The award is bestowed to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the fresh grape, berry, and tree fruit communities through their leadership in the industry.

The board meeting also featured the election of the CFFA’s Chairman and Board of Directors, which is made up of 37 men and women from across California. The slate of officers includes:

  • Chair: Kevin Herman (The Specialty Crop Company) – a Madera-based fresh fig, pomegranate, and persimmon shipper.
  • First Vice Chair: Wayde Kirschenman (Kirschenman Enterprises) – a Kern County-based diversified farming operation.
  • Second Vice Chair: Melissa Frank (Wonderful Orchards) – a Kern County-based diversified farming operation.
  • Secretary/Treasurer: Louis Pandol (Pandol Bros.) – a Delano-based fresh grape shipper.

John Giumarra Jr.

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Giumarra Jr. made many contributions to the table grape industry throughout his career. He served as Chairman of the CFFA Board of Directors in 1980/81 and was a valuable and loyal supporter for many years.

Giumarra Jr., who died in 2019, was an industry force. He is perhaps best known for battling Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers in the 1960s before signing a landmark contract at a Delano motel in the middle of the night in 1970. It was the first and last such contract, as the union failed in two successive elections in the 1970s.

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Giumarra Jr. received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a graduate’s degree from University of California, Los Angeles, and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford University. He was the third-generation owner of Giumarra Vineyards, founded in 1922 by his father and uncles, and in 2015 was appointed CEO and President of the company.

Giumarra Jr. had a strong dedication to the industry, as he served as a board member of the California Table Grape Commission for 33 years and on the board of directors for the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, as well as the Produce Marketing Association.

The Mentor’s Award was first presented in 1966 to Martin Zaninovich of Jasmine Vineyards. An awardee is selected by the CFFA Mentor’s Committee and a recipient is selected based on the following criteria: a trusted counselor or guide; a wise, loyal advisor; a tutor, coach teacher; and a person who, through effort, discovery, innovation, dedication and/or perseverance, influenced the fresh fruit industry in a positive way.

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Avatar for Mike Mike says:

Makes it sound like “Battling Cesar Chavez” was a noble cause. Pickers were being paid $1/hour. That’s the equivalent of making $15,000/year in today’s dollar—literally extreme poverty wages. All they wanted was $1.40 an hour, which was actually the federal minimum wage at the time. Giumarra’s greed triggered an international boycott of his grapes.

Fast forward 30 years, he once again clashed with unions after multiple workers died of exhaustion in his fields.

Pretty ashamed to be associated with a group that celebrates a guy who made a fortune exploiting people of color. That’s not exactly a value I want to instill upon up and coming fruit growers.

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