2023 Farm City Celebration Awards
Since 1981, the members of the Farm City Celebration Committee have hosted an annual reception to recognize the outstanding men, women and organizations whom have worked to lift up, cultivate and grow Butte County’s agriculture industry and the Farm City Program.
The Ag Service Award
This award is presented to an individual or organization that has shown a long-term commitment to the agricultural community through personal service, research and/or financial contributions.
Past recipients include:
1981 Fred Montgomery
1982 Len Monaco
1983 Jack Vanella
1984 Nancy Skinner & Gerald Geiger
1985 Harry McGowan
1986 Frank Mertz
1987 Bud Hennigan
1988 Don and Cindy Heffren
1989 Michael Gardner
1992 Steve Dilg, Carl Wick, Jerry Smith
1993 Al Mitchell, Bob Willoughby
1994 Myron Openshaw & Gary Griswold
995 Ed McLaughlin
1996 Howard Isom
1997 Les Heringer
1998 Diane Avrit
1999 Lance & Audrey Tennis
2000 Sue Murphy
2001 Dick Cassady
2002 Tod Kimmelshue
2003 Dennis Lindberg
2004 Wes Patton
2006 Emmett Skinner
2007 The Livingston Family
2009 Rick Cinquini
2010 Sarah Dahl
2011 Joe Connell
2012 Richard McGowan
2013 Douglas Bentz
2014 Lyman Hagen
2015 Stacy and Amy Gore
2016 Andy & Janet Bertagna
2017 Steve McDonald
2019 Jim & Laurie Noble
2019 John & Annie Bidwell
2021 Nichole Johansson
2022 Chico State Farm
Agri‐Business of the Year
This award is presented to a business or agency that has contributed significant time, research and/or financial support to the youth of our community, the farmer and our industry at large.
Past recipients include:
1992 Silver Dollar Fairgrounds
1993 Cooperative Extension Service
1993 CSU, Chico College of Agriculture & University Farm
1995 Pat & Larry’s Restaurant
1996 Northern California Farm Credit
1997 Durham Pump
1998 Thomas Welding and Machine
1999 Lundberg Family Farms
2000 Golden West Nuts
2000 California Rice Research Foundation
2001 Rice Experimental Station
2002 Book Family Farm
2003 Tri-Counties Bank
2004 AVAG
2006 Rancho Esquon
2007 Rob Ramay, Ramay Auctions
2008 Butte County Ag Commissioner
2009 Les Schwab of Northern California
2010 Chico Farm & Orchard
2011 James Paivia, Riverwest Processing
2012 Fran Wagner, Wagner Insurance
2013 Matson & Isom
2015 North Valley Ag Services
2016 Butte County Rice Growers
2018 Gorrill Ranch
2020 Almendra Winery & Distillery
2021 Sweeney & Michel, LLC
Community Service or Special Recognition Awards
This award is presented to a person who, while not directly involved in production agriculture, has made significant contributions to the agricultural community, or to a person who has made significant contributions to the Farm City Celebration project, whether or not they are involved in production agriculture.
Past recipients include:
1995 Michael Gardner
1996 Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Supervisor Jane Dolan
1997 Joel Adema –Chico Unified School District Office of Nutrition
1998 Tom Dickinson – Past Dean, CSU, Chico College of Agriculture
1999 Roger Swanson- Matson and Isom Accountancy Corporation
2000 Kathy Chance – C and C Storage
2001 Manuel Esteban – past President, CSU, Chico
2002 John Blacklock – past Butte County Administrator Safeway
2005 California Women for Agriculture, California Dept of Food & Ag, California Farm Bureau Federation
2006 Joan Webster
2007 Butte County Cattlemen
2008 Susan Donohue
2009 Tom DiGrazia, Silver Dollar Fair
2010 Donica O’Laughlin
2011 Nick & Gail Bertagna
2012 Rod & Andrea Carter
2013 Butte County Sheriff’s Posse
2014 Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha
2015 Richard Price
2016 Butte College Agriculture Dept.
2017 Carole Southam
2018 Sarah DeForest
2020 Sheriff Kory Honea
2021 Daniel Householder
