Oxnard, CA – Deardorff Family Farms was recognized with the top award for Excellence in Agricultural Stewardship and Sustainability from the Ventura County Resource Conservation District (“the RCD”) at their annual awards luncheon. The award was given to Scott and Tom Deardorff as the owner/operators of Deardorff Family Farms for achieving outstanding sustainability results in their farming operations and in the local community.
Deardorff Family Farms has been focused on sustainability since its start in 1937 – implementing farming and business practices to conserve natural resources and energy, protect the environment, and enhance relationships with employees and the local community. A recent highlight is the office and cold-storage facility the company built in 2012. The facility achieved the Gold Certification level of LEED (Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design). This was done by focusing on energy and water conservation. The facility has solar panels offsetting over 40% of energy use, heat reflecting and insulted materials, state-of-the-art mechanical components, and a Bioswale that filters storm water runoff. Another highlight has been the company’s ability to lower water use during the drought by using new technology to monitor both soil moisture and plant needs. In doing this, the company has made its limited water supplies more efficient.
Ventura County is a front-runner in sustainability and preservation of our natural resources. The RCD promotes these efforts and works with the agricultural community, as well as the urban community, to conserve, protect and restore natural resources. Deardorff Family Farms is humbled to receive such an outstanding award from the RCD.
Deardorff Family Farms is also very proud to operate in Ventura County – where the farming community as a whole is constantly driven to become more sustainable. Scott Deardorff commented, “Everything we do, we think about how we can do it sustainably and good for our company and community. Here in Ventura County we are on the leading edge of sustainability. We have a very unique group of farmers who are leading the nation on these issues. It takes a community to come together as a group and solve these problems.”
Questions please contact:
Tom Deardorff, II
Deardorff Family Farms
P.O. Box 1188
Oxnard, CA 93032
805.487.7801 ext. 107
Source: Deardorff Family Farms
