Cheers for the 2022 Organic Grower of the Year
October 18, 2022 The Organic Grower Summit, presented by Western Growers and Organic Produce Network (OPN), will honor long-time organic grower Jeff Huckaby as the recipient of the fifth annual Grower of the Year award. Huckaby, President and CEO of Grimmway Farms, was selected based on his ongoing commitment and dedication to excellence in organic production, organic industry leadership, and innovation.
The Grower of the Year award, sponsored by AGCO, will be presented to Huckaby as part of the keynote presentation at the Organic Grower Summit on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 in Monterey, CA. The Grower of the Year presentation is part of an extensive educational program designed to inform and engage organic producers and their service providers and supply chain partners.
“We are honored to present the annual Grower of the Year award to Jeff,” says Matt Seeley, co-founder and CEO of the Organic Produce Network. “His decades-long work exemplifies what hardworking, passionate organic farming is all about. Over the past three decades, Jeff has worked tirelessly to encourage water conservation, natural methods for pest control, and always found ways to share information about those practices with other organic growers. His dedication to the environment and community is what makes the organic sector special and makes him so deserving of the title of Grower of the Year.”
Jeff Huckaby
Huckaby is a fourth-generation farmer who has more than 30 years of farming management experience and deep roots in the produce industry. He joined Grimmway Farms in 1998 and managed their organic division. During his tenure, the program has grown from several hundred to 40,000 acres of certified organic ground. Before becoming President and CEO in 2016, he served as Executive Vice President and oversaw sales, production, engineering, and farming for all Grimmway Farms products. Huckaby’s leadership has been integral in establishing Grimmway’s global organic business and lead position in the category.
The Grower of the Year award will be presented to Huckaby by recognized organic leader and former President of Whole Foods Walter Robb. The two have known each other for many years, and Robb credits Huckaby’s stewardship work for elevating and enhancing Whole Foods’ commitment to organic fresh produce.
Previous winners of the award have been Vic Smith, CEO of JV Smith Company (2021); The Lundberg Family (2019); Thaddeus Barsotti of Capay Organic (2018); and Vernon Peterson of Peterson Family Farms (2017).
The fifth annual Organic Grower Summit is designed to provide information vital to organic growers and producers, including an overview of the opportunities and challenges in the production of organic fresh food.