Joe L. Del Bosque is a farmer from Firebaugh, California. He has been involved in farming all his life on the Westside of the San Joaquin Valley where his family settled after many years of migrant farm work. There he lived and worked on a farm under his father’s mentorship. He graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1975, and in 1985, without any land, equipment or capital, he began his own farm. Today his farm produces organic melons, organic tomatoes, almonds and cherries.
In 2010, Del Bosque was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, with senate confirmation, to serve on the California Water Commission. He was reappointed by Governor Jerry Brown. Del Bosque is a member of the California Melon Research Board. He currently serves on the Ag Foundation Board at Fresno State, his alma mater. He is on the Board of Directors of AMOR Wellness, a nonprofit health clinic serving the farming community of Mendota, CA. Del Bosque formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Central Valley Community Foundation, a philanthropic organization. He is Chair Emeritus of AgSafe, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing safer working conditions for workers in agriculture. He formerly served as a director of the Pacheco Water District and the San Joaquin Valley Drainage Authority. Del Bosque is a member of the California Latino Water Coalition, Western Growers Association and California Farm Bureau.In 2015, Del Bosque was recognized with the prestigious Agriculturalist of the Year Award by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
Del Bosque is a vocal advocate for California agriculture and has been featured in national and international news, including CBS, NBC, BBC, Univision, LA Times, New York Times, CNN Español and many others.
In February of 2014, President Barack Obama and Governor Jerry Brown visited Del Bosque Farms to hear about and better understand California’s drought.
Del Bosque is married to his partner, Maria Gloria, and together they have six daughters.