Robert McDonald shares his experience, offers thanks at annual Farm to Table Dinner
LOS BANOS, CA — Robert McDonald was honored as this year’s Los Banos Farmer/Agriculture Leader of the Year during the annual Farm to Table Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, presented by the Los Banos Downtown Association (LBDA). Held in Henry Miller Plaza, the event was a fundraiser benefiting the Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters at both Los Banos and Pacheco High Schools, and whose members served the Black Angus hand-carved New York Steak dinner provided by Españas. Each chapter was presented with a $1,000 check by Committee Members Maribel Garcia and Diana Pfitzer.
As the dinner was served, FFA Chapter President Jaylene Barriga read the late Paul Harvey’s 1978 speech to the FFA entitled, “So God Made a Farmer”.
After being introduced and presented with a plaque by Joe Del Bosque, last year’s honoree, McDonald spoke to the attendees, offering gratitude for the award.
“This is great. Wow. I didn’t know I had so many good friends,” he began. “I’m very humbled and honored to receive this recognition as Farmer of the Year. I greatly appreciate it. I want to thank the Downtown Association, the sponsors for this honor.”
The second-generation farmer shared about his father who came to California in 1936 from New Mexico, and “arrived in town with a dollar in his pocket.”
Garcia, Executive Director of the Downtown Association, shared the following information about this year’s honoree:
Owner of McDonald Farms located at 14485 McDonald Avenue in Los Banos, McDonald was born to Ollie and Rudy McDonald who came to California during the Dust Bowl era in 1936 and started a dairy in the early 1940’s in Los Banos, California.
Robert worked on his father’s farm while he was a student attending school here in Los Banos. His parents instilled a good work ethic in their son, and while a lot of his friends considered it a chore to work for their parents, McDonald developed a love and passion for the farming industry.
He started as a dairyman and quickly realized that quality feed produces quality dairy products. He found an opportunity to purchase land and decided to develop the acres for cotton, alfalfa, oats, tomatoes and cantaloupes. He started with 10 acres from his father to now farming over 2,000 acres. McDonald maintains nearly a dozen full-time employees and many others on a seasonal basis. He takes great pride that many of his employees have worked for him for decades.
“I learned a lot,” McDonald said during his speech. “When I was 16 years old, he put me with the bankers. I had to show the bankers, he gave me all of his bank statements. He told me to go show them the crops and what our needs were, our financial needs and I did that at 16, 17 years old,” to which the audience applauded.
“I bought my first property from one of the neighboring farms in 1973,” he continued. “I use this for the beginning of my operation, which is 51 years, right now. In 1980, I started purchasing my mom and dad’s property. Eventually, buying it all in the 1990’s and I was renting it and buying it at the same time, different properties.”
McDonald has also dedicated his life as an advocate for farmers. He has been serving on the Board of Directors for the Los Palos Co-Op Gin for 25 years while serving as president for two terms. McDonald also serves on the California Cotton Association Board of Directors. Most recently, he became involved with San Luis Canal Company Board of Directors.
McDonald has also been a lifetime supporter of the local Ag Boosters in Los Banos and surrounding communities. His children also were involved in 4-H and FFA while growing up in Los Banos. McDonald continues to support the youth in these programs by buying livestock at the local Spring Fair.
The 2024 Los Banos Farmer of the Year is also involved in the Los Banos Sportsmen’s Association, Italian Catholic Federation, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the local Native Sons of Golden West. McDonald realizes that the day will come when his business that he passionately built will be passed on to his children and he has prepared and is preparing them for the task to carry on his legacy.
“I love what I’m doing, and I hope God blesses me with my health. I want to continue doing what I’m doing because I love it,” McDonald stated. “But it’s a challenge, though. Everything is so expensive, now. Inflation, diesel.”
He compared the price he’s paying today of $3.00 per gallon to $1.20 a gallon, four years ago.
“Let’s just hope the right people get elected that can change all of this,” McDonald offered, garnering the largest applause from those in attendance. “That’s just one item. So, let’s hope and pray things change with our government.”
He then thanked his “10 employees. They’re all loyal and faithful to me. Or I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing at my age,” he said. “They do a good job, and I wouldn’t be where I’m at without them.”
McDonald mentioned something else he’s proud of, “On the ranch, the Butterfield Overland Stage line had a stage stop right on the edge of my property. They carried passengers from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco. We have a monument out there” where tour buses stop to see. “I’m very proud of that.”
He thanked the Downtown Association, again, saying, “I appreciate it. It’s quite an honor to be selected.”
When joking with this reporter after the dinner about the song, “Old McDonald Had a Farm,” Robert laughed and said, “That’s actually in my email address.”
Stuart McCullough served as Master of Ceremonies for the dinner, which was sponsored by David Santos Farming, Morning Star, The Pentagon – Delta Farms, Young’s Air Conditioning, Mechanic’s Bank, Realtor Naomi Townsend, and Carlucci. The evening included a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and a live auction led by professional auctioneer, Mike Imbrogno of Turlock, who had just placed second at the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship Qualifying Event in Dos Palos earlier that day. That qualifies him for the national championship next June.
The Farm to Table Board of Directors include Tareq Hussein, Councilman Brett Jones, Tom Kaljian, Taylor Wolfeson, John Cates, Eric De La Torre, Alvaro Sanchez and David Souza.
To learn more about the Los Banos Downtown Association visit www.downtownlosbanos.com or call (209) 710-9022.
