Joe Aiello Of Uesugi Farms To Receive Leadership Excellence Award

Gilroy, CA — Uesugi Farms patriarch Joe Aiello was recently honored with the 2016 Morgan Hill Leadership Excellence Award. This Award recognizes the vision and leadership that advance the spirit of community and charity; reflect courage and insight; and inspire others to lead in a like manner. Awardees are selected by a blue-ribbon panel of community leaders that includes all former Leadership Excellence Award recipients.

Joe’s deeply-rooted love of farming dates back to his childhood where he got his start operating a water truck on his uncle’s farm. By the time he graduated from Cal Poly with a B.S. in crop science, he was ready to become a farmer full time. His first venture started with a small sixteen acre farm in Morgan Hill. Soon after, he was approached by long-time farmer and mentor George Uesugi, a local grower in need of someone dependable to take over his farm.

Joe became co-owner of Uesugi Farms in 1979, taking full ownership in 2004. Today, Uesugi Farms grows over 20 varieties of fresh produce, including bell peppers, chili peppers, napa cabbage, sweet corn, strawberries, pumpkins and beans to retailers, foodservice distributors, wholesalers and processors across the nation and the world. Uesugi Farms is known as one of the premier grower/packer/shippers in the industry, but is also recognized in the local community for its extravagant pumpkin patch during autumn and its roadside produce stands.

As a well-respected agricultural industry and community leader, Joe is widely recognized for taking leadership positions in the local Farm Bureau and the Western Growers Association (WGA). He currently serves on the prestigious WGA board, working with both state and federal government agencies in supporting the agriculture industry and addressing concerns that impact local, state and national farming as well as his own operation. He also serves on many committees helping to resolve water, labor and transportation issues.

Joe is known to be incredibly dedicated to the future generation of farmers and does a great deal in the community to help promote agricultural interests. In addition to being a long-time supporter of the Future Farmers of America and the Western Growers Association School Garden programs, Joe has created an annual scholarship fund in memory of his son Michael who was tragically lost in a small airplane accident. Since the program began in 2008, eighteen scholarships have been awarded totaling $98,000.

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About Uesugi Farms
Family-owned Uesugi Farms has been in operation for more than seven decades. The company relies on its vast experience, wealth of farming knowledge and commitment to quality to deliver impeccable product. The multi-regional operation is spread over 5,000 acres in California, Arizona and Mexico. They annually grow, pack and ship approximately 210,000 tons of bell peppers, chili peppers, napa cabbage, corn, pumpkins, strawberries and beans.

Source: Uesugi Farms