Aug 21, 2023

San Diego County Farm Bureau chooses Farmer of the Year

The San Diego County Farm Bureau has named Mary Matava of Oceanside, California, as its 2022 Farmer of the Year.

Matava has more than 40 years of experience assessing the agronomic suitability of Southern California soils and more than 25 years of manufacturing organic soil amendments used by farmers throughout Southern California. Matava’s professional experiences have contributed to her success in farming and the large impact she has had volunteering with a wide range of nonprofit organizations in agriculture.

Each year, the San Diego County Farm Bureau takes time to celebrate an active or retired farmer who has had a positive effect on the local agricultural industry. With more than 5,000 farmers in the county, San Diego County Farm Bureau is privileged to have some of California’s most experienced farmers contributing to San Diego County’s farming community, according to a news release.

Neil Nagata, a third-generation strawberry grower in Oceanside, is the previous recipient of the award.

Matava is an agronomist and the owner of Agri Service Inc., which operates compost facilities in Southern California. She is an expert in soil assessment, sustainable soil amendment practices, green waste recycling, facility management and avocado farming. To date, Agri Service has processed over two million tons of green waste and continues to advocate for improving zero-waste practices. The Farmer of the Year celebration is Sept. 7, at Bernardo Winery in San Diego.