Kings County dairy farmer Dino Giacomazzi is presented with the 2012 Leopold Conservation Award at the California Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting. From left to right -Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation; Paul Wenger, California Farm Bureau, president; Julie Giacomazzi (holding baby Gio); Dino Giacomazzi; Alex Karolyi, Sustainable Conservation.
I am pleased that Kings County dairy farmer Dino Giacomazzi has been named the 2012 recipient of the Leopold Conservation Award in California. The award is presented annually in eight states to land owners for achievements in land stewardship and management and is a fine representation of the great work our farmers and ranchers do as envirionmental stewards.
Dino Giacomazzi is a fourth-generation dairyman from Hanford and was honored for his committment to responsible and sustainable farming practices. For example, he was part of the first conservation tillage projects in California, which has enhanced soil, water and air quality in an area that can experience high air pollution levels.
The Leopold Conservation Award is named in honor of world-renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, a Wisconsin scientist considered the father of wildlife ecology. The award’s sponsor, the Sand County Foundation, a Wisconsin-based non-profit private land conservation organization, works with partners in each state to present the award. In California, it is presented by the California Farm Bureau Federation and Sustainable Conservation. Dino Giacomazzi was recognized at the Farm Bureau’s annual meeting last week in Pasadena.
Dino joins an impressive list of previous award winners, including California State Board of Food and Agriculture President Craig McNamara and recent past president Al Montna. He is richly deserving of this recognition – not only for his commitment to conservation practices but also for his effective communication and outreach efforts to share what he has learned with the farm community and the general public through the use of social media. My congratulations to him and to all California farmers and ranchers for their dedication to environmental stewardship.