About me
Michael began farming in 1970, becoming an early pioneer of the organic farming movement. Michael was hired to run the first organic farm in Salinas, California in 1990. Over the next two decades he produced $250 million of certified organic vegetables throughout California, Arizona and Mexico. An early pioneer of controlled environment farming, Michael’s experience included 30 acres of indoor, organic production.
In 2009, Michael started Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC), launching a national movement to connect military veterans with viable careers and places to heal on America’s farms. Michael was successful in getting support for farmer veterans in the 2014 Food and Farm Bill, and was instrumental in the creation of the Microloan at the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Michael now splits his time between helping his brother at Trinity River Farm - the farm he was born on in northern California - and sharing his experiences with a new generation of farmers.